Europe Toll Crosses 75,000 On Grim Easter Day

Experts feel that the case count in Italy, Spain and France could have peaked; U.S. now tops the list of infections and deaths

Billions around the world celebrated Easter Sunday from lockdown at home as the Pope urged solidarity to fight the COVID-19 pandemic and the European death toll from the virus topped 75,000.

Unprecedented scenes of empty churches emerged from Italy to Panama and the Philippines, as religious leaders found creative ways to address parishioners marking the holiday weekend from the confines of their homes. More than half the world are in lockdown worldwide as governments scramble to halt the pandemic’s deadly march. The toll from the virus soared past 1,09,000 this weekend, with more than 1.7 million reported infections globally.

Europe is by far the hardest-hit continent and on Sunday marked a grave milestone with more than 75,000 dead, according to an AFP tally.