French PM says worrying Covid spread in 20 areas; global death toll passes 2.5m; Brazil death toll passes 250,000. Follow latest updates
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Global deaths from the coronavirus pandemic have passed 2.5m, according to Johns Hopkins University data, and global infections are just under 113m.
The Japanese government is poised to end its coronavirus state of emergency in five prefectures on Friday, a week earlier than scheduled, after a dramatic fall in new cases across the country.
Emergency measures, including requests for bars and restaurants to close at 8 pm, are expected to be lifted in Osaka, Kyoto, Hyogo, Aichi and Gifu prefectures, the Kyodo news agency cited government sources as saying. But they will remain in place in Tokyo and the neighbouring prefectures of Kanagawa, Saitama and Chiba.
