Breaking: Reported COVID-19 cases around the world nears 2 million

FXStreet Team FXStreet

Reported COVID-19 cases around the world neared 2 million according to Hopkins data.

According to the John Hopkins website and data, the total confirmed cases globally are at 1,920,618, with the US at 582,607, Spain 170,099 and Italy at 159,516 with France and Germany close behind. There have been 119,483 deaths worldwide, the majority in Italy, Spain, France and the UK (12% death rate, now up there with Italy's death rate).

In some recent updates from around the world, we had President Emmanuel Macron on Monday extending France’s lockdown until May 11 and the UK government is also expected to leave the restrictions in place until well into next month.

“The epidemic is not yet under control,” Mr. Macron said. But, he added, “hope is reborn.”

“We have come too far, lost too many loved ones and sacrificed too much to ease up,” Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said on Monday at a news conference.

In the UK, the latest death data were less than those reported late last week, but numbers are typically lower on the weekend because of a lag in reporting.

As for the US, the US President Donald Trump is intent on getting the US citizen back to work, more on that here from the lastest task force briefing:

Trump: We're very close to completing a plan to open our country, hopefully even ahead of schedule

Gold rallies to fresh 7-year highs

Meanwhile, gold prices have shot to fresh high to mark another finish at their highest price in more than seven years – Gold holds the fort in the $1,720s as risk appetite deteriorates

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FXStreet

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