Death toll nears 100,000 but more than 350,000 have recovered; number of hospitalisations drops in some US states.

As some countries report signs of progress in the coronavirus battle, including the slowing down in the number of hospitalisations in parts of the US, authorities urged caution and called for continued observance of measures that help contain the disease, as the global death toll inches closer to 100,000 as of Friday.

In the United States, the death toll has surpassed 16,500. But the number of newly hospitalised patients in the hardest-hit state of New York dropped.

The apparent progress in efforts to slow the spread of the highly contagious virus was also reflected in fresh computer models scaling back on Thursday the projected nationwide death toll to 60,000, down from earlier forecasts of at least 100,000.

In the United Kingdom, the death toll rose by 881 in 24 hours, officials said on Thursday, as Prime Minister Boris Johnson was moved out of intensive care but remained in hospital.

Worldwide, there are now more than 1.5 million confirmed cases of coronavirus but of that number close to 354,000 have already recovered.

Source: Aljazeera