Italy outlines plans to ease lockdown measures

Italy has outlined plans to ease the strict restrictions imposed seven weeks ago to restrain the spread of the coronavirus as it recorded its lowest daily death toll since mid-March.

Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said curbs would be relaxed from 4 May, with people being allowed to visit their relatives in small numbers, in masks.

Parks will reopen, but schools will not restart classes until September.

Speaking on television, Mr Conte outlined how the country would begin "Phase Two" of lifting its coronavirus lockdown.

Conte stressed that social distancing measures would need to continue for months to come, and said church services would remain banned. He urged people to stay a metre (3ft) away from each other.

"If we do not respect the precautions the curve will go up, the deaths will increase, and we will have irreversible damage to our economy," the prime minister said. "If you love Italy, keep your distance."

Italy recorded 260 new virus-related deaths on Sunday, the lowest daily figure since 14 March. The total is now at 26,644, Europe's highest official toll.

The country has confirmed 197,675 cases of the virus, according to data from Johns Hopkins University, which is tracking the disease globally.

The number of cases has been falling, and authorities now believe the contagion rate - the amount of people each person with the virus infects - is low enough to justify a cautious easing of curbs.

Other countries like Switzerland and Spain are also relaxing their measures.