Countries must lift lockdowns gradually while being "on the look-out" for COVID-19 and ready to restore restrictions if the virus jumps back, the World Health Organization says.
Vulnerable people in institutions, including those in long-term care facilities, prisons and migrant dormitories, must be protected, the WHO's top emergencies expert Dr Mike Ryan said.
Even if the virus is coming under control, communities must know to still follow physical distancing and hygiene measures, and testing of suspect cases must continue, he said.
"It's really important that as countries ease those measures that they are constantly on the look-out for a jump in infections and in particular are dealing with transmission in special settings," Dr Ryan told a news conference.
The virus has spread in facilities for the elderly in Europe and North America, while in Singapore it has infected migrant workers in dormitories, he said.
"Because a spark in a situation like that turns into a fire very very quickly."
The WHO recognises the difficulty for governments to maintain lockdowns during the pandemic, "for social, psychological and economic reasons," Dr Ryan said.
"So we are very anxious that we can move to a situation where the disease can kept under control with less severe measures," he said.
"But at the same time we want to avoid a situation where we release measures too easily and then we bounce back into intense transmission and we have to do it all over again," he said.
Even as some European countries begin easing lockdowns, there are worrying trends of spread in countries from Haiti to Somalia and Yemen, Dr Ryan said.
He also cited Sudan, South Sudan, Syria, Yemen, Afghanistan, Sierre Leone, Central African Republic and a "serious cluster" in Kano, northern Nigeria.
Regarding the new coronavirus that first emerged late last year in the central Chinese city of Wuhan, he reiterated that scientists examining its genetic sequences have assured the WHO that "this virus is natural in origin".
WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus gave a robust defence of his and the WHO's "timely" actions in declaring the coronavirus an international emergency at the end of January.
Director-General Director General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus Source: AAP
The January 30 declaration was made in "enough time for the rest of the world to respond" because at that stage outside China there were only 82 cases of infection and no deaths, he said.
Dr Tedros said the WHO, which is seeking to lead the global response to the COVID-19 pandemic, had used the days before declaring the global emergency as time to visit China to learn more about the new virus.
During that visit, they also won a "ground-breaking agreement" with China to send in investigators, Dr Tedros said.
Dr Tedros, asked about relations with the United States - its biggest donor which has suspended funding after criticising WHO's handling of the pandemic, said: "We are actually in constant contact and we work together."
Meanwhile, millions of workers worldwide marked international labour day on Friday trapped between hunger and fear - struggling without jobs or worried they don't have enough protections against the coronavirus as more countries and states reopen for business.
More than 3.29 million people have reportedly been infected by the coronavirus globally and 232,806 have died.
Beijing's Forbidden City, the imperial palace turned museum that is one of China's biggest tourist attractions, started welcoming visitors again on Friday and Bangladesh began reopening factories.
With traditional May Day labour marches curtailed by strict limits on public gatherings, Turkish protesters attempted to stage an unauthorised demonstration. In the US, California activists planned strikes and Parisians sang from balconies to plead their causes: workplace masks, health insurance and more government aid for the jobless.
In Spain, a huge field hospital that symbolised the country's desperate battle against the virus held a ceremonial closing. Dozens of health workers shouted "Public Health!" and "We Want Tests!"
People in Australia must stay at least 1.5 metres away from others. Check your state’s restrictions on gathering limits.
Testing for coronavirus is now widely available across Australia. If you are experiencing cold or flu symptoms, arrange a test by calling your doctor or contact the Coronavirus Health Information Hotline on 1800 020 080.
The federal government's coronavirus tracing app COVIDSafe is available for download from your phone's app store.
SBS is committed to informing Australia’s diverse communities about the latest COVID-19 developments. News and information is available in 63 languages at sbs.com.au/coronavirus
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