Italy's fatalities keep climbing
Italy has recorded 919 new coronavirus deaths, its highest daily figure in the outbreak so far.
This means 9,134 people have now died from the virus in the united states.
Earlier World Health Organization chief Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said a "chronic global shortage" of protective equipment was one of the "most urgent threats" to the ability to save lives.
Italy may be the worst-affected in Europe. Almost anything has been closed and persons told to stay at home.
Previously Friday, authorities warned that restrictions were apt to be extended beyond 3 April.
What is the most recent from Italy?
The northern region of Lombardy, the hardest hit in the united states, saw a sharp upsurge in deaths from Covid-19, the condition caused by the virus. This followed a decline on Thursday that had raised hopes the outbreak there might have peaked.
There were 5,959 new cases nationwide - a slightly lower increase than Thursday's figure. There's been a total of practically 86,500 confirmed cases in the country.
Fears are also growing of a rise in cases in the poorer south of the united states.
On Thursday Vincenzo De Luca, president of the Campania region around Naples, said the central government hadn't provided promised ventilators and other life-saving equipment.
"At this point there may be the real prospect that Lombardy's tragedy is going to end up being the south's tragedy," he said.
The same day Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said most of Europe will be hit by a extreme recession. He promised a second stimulus package for Italy worth at least €25bn (£23bn; $27bn).
