FACTBOX-Latest on the worldwide spread of the coronavirus

The novel coronavirus has killed more than 100,000 people in the United States, according to a Reuters tally on Wednesday, even as the slowdown in deaths encouraged businesses to reopen and Americans to emerge from more than two months of lockdowns.

DEATHS AND INFECTIONS * More than 5.6 million people have been reported infected with the novel coronavirus globally and 350,599 have died, according to a Reuters tally, as of 1448 GMT on Wednesday.

* For an interactive graphic tracking the global spread, open https://tmsnrt.rs/3aIRuz7 in an external browser. * For a U.S.-focused tracker with state-by-state and county map, open https://tmsnrt.rs/2w7hX9T in an external browser.

* For Eikon users, click on MacroVitals cpurl://apps.cp./cms/?navid=1592404098 for a case tracker and a summary of developments. EUROPE

* France's coronavirus death toll rose by less than 100 for the seventh day running on Wednesday and the number of confirmed cases climbed modestly, indicating the worst could be over. * France, Italy and Belgium acted to halt the use of hydroxychloroquine to treat patients suffering from COVID-19, amid questions about the safety of the generic anti-malaria drug.

* President Vladimir Putin said Moscow, the epicentre of Russia's outbreak, had succeeded in preventing what he called the worst-case scenario as the city looked to easing lockdown soon. * Poles will be allowed to go outside without protective masks from May 30 and cinemas, theatres and gyms will reopen on June 6, as part of a steady lifting of restrictions.

* Switzerland unveiled plans to reopen borders to all its neighbours except Italy and to allow larger public gatherings. AMERICAS

* Most Brazilians support stricter social distancing measures to combat the pandemic, according to a survey by pollster Datafolha, as the country wrestles with the world's second-largest outbreak. * Mexico registered 501 new deaths from the coronavirus on Tuesday, its biggest single-day increase in fatalities yet.

ASIA-PACIFIC * Two children who are the first suspected cases in South Korea of a rare, life-threatening syndrome linked with the new coronavirus, are recovering following treatment, health authorities said.

MIDDLE EAST AND AFRICA * The number of coronavirus cases in the six Gulf Arab states doubled in less than a month to surpass 200,000 on Wednesday, according to a Reuters tally.

* Sudan said three jailed members of former leader Omar al-Bashir have contracted the coronavirus. * The number of coronavirus cases in Zimbabwe has more than doubled to 132 over the past 24 hours, a government spokesman said.

* South Africa's mining industry has so far recorded 320 coronavirus cases, as underground mines prepare to ramp up output when Africa's most industrialised economy eases lockdown next week. * Saudi Arabia will begin easing restrictions on movement and travel this week and aim to lift the curfew completely — with the exception of the holy city of Mecca — from June 21.

ECONOMIC FALLOUT * Economic activity declined sharply across the United States over the past several weeks, according to a Federal Reserve report released on Wednesday.

* Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's cabinet approved a new $1.1 trillion stimulus package that includes significant direct spending, to stop the coronavirus pandemic pushing the world's third-largest economy deeper into recession. * The European Union's executive unveiled a 750 billion euro ($823 billion) plan to prop up economies hammered by the coronavirus pandemic.

* The profits of Europe's biggest listed firms are expected to halve in the second quarter, as lockdowns across the continent triggered a massive recession, IBES data from Refinitiv showed. * Brazil lost over 1 million jobs in March and April, a clear indication of the economic and social damage likely to be unleashed.

* India may need to inject up to $20 billion into its state-owned lenders as their pile of soured assets is expected to double, sources told Reuters.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)