DUBAI: The debate over whether to maintain a state of lockdown or ease the rules in a bid to save struggling economies continues, with some governments exploring exit strategies from their various levels of restrictions. Jordan and Saudi Arabia have announced reduced curfew hours in some areas during Ramadan, while the UAE has announced plans to study reopening malls. However, international health experts are warning of a second wave if regulations are eased too early. There are currently over 2.6 million cases worldwide, with 721,731 recoveries and 184,235 deaths. Thursday, April 23, 2020 (All times in GMT) 17:25 - Turkey"s coronavirus death toll rises by 115 to 2,491, with 3,116 new cases confirmed, the country"s health ministry said on Thursday. 15:10 - Saudi Arabia"s interior ministry announced on Thursday that restaurants in the Kingdom are allowed to open between 03:00 p.m. and 03:00 a.m. during the holy month of Ramadan. 14:58 - The UAE announced on Thursday that the national sterilization program will take place between 10:00 p.m. to 06:00 a.m. during the month of Ramadan and that supermarkets, grocery stores and pharmacies can operate around the clock. 14:10 - Britain"s COVID-19 death toll in hospitals rose by 616 to 18,738 in the 24 hours to 1600 GMT on April 22, the health ministry said on Thursday. "As of 5pm on 22 April, of those hospitalised in the UK who tested positive for coronavirus, 18,738 have sadly died." 13:21 - The curfew in Egypt that has been enforced to curb the spread of coronavirus will be from 09:00 p.m. to 06:00 a.m. during Ramadan, the country"s prime minister Mostafa Madbouly said on Thursday. He added that the government is looking at ways to revive the economy whilst continuing to implement precautionary measures against coronavirus. 12:53 - Saudi Arabia announced 1,158 new cases of coronavirus on Thursday bringing the total number of cases in the Kingdom to 13,930. 11:29 – Lebanon confirmed six new cases, bringing the total to 688. 10:52 – Emirates will resume limited one-way passenger flights to selected destinations to facilitate the return of residents and visitors to their home countries. 10:48 – The head of the World Health Organization’s office in Europe said up to half of coronavirus deaths across the region have been in nursing homes. 10:24 – Qatar confirmed 623 new cases, bringing the country’s total to 7,764. 10:14 – Morocco said it had 91 new coronavirus cases; total patients now at 3,537. 10:01 – Middle East airlines are expected to lose $24 billion in revenue due to the coronavirus pandemic. 09:57 – The UAE said it had 91 further coronavirus recoveries and four fatalities, bringing totals to 1,637 recovered patients and 56 deaths. New cases were at 518, bringing the total to 8,756. 09:35 – Oman reported 102 new cases, bringing the total to 1,716 infected people. 09:18 – A Gaza court has sentenced a Palestinian man to six months in jail for escaping from a coronavirus quarantine facility on the Egyptian border. 09:16 – The Spanish health ministry said that 440 people died from the coronavirus in the previous 24 hours, which brought total fatalities to 22,157. 08:11 – The Philippines’ health ministry reported 16 new coronavirus deaths and 271 confirmed infections. 07:58 – The global coronavirus crisis will not end any time soon, with many countries still in the early stages of the fight, health experts have warned as researchers revealed the first US deaths from the disease came weeks before the alarm was raised there. READ THE STORY 07:37 – Kuwait said there were 55 new coronavirus recoveries, bringing the total to 498 recovered patients. 06:49 – Sudan confirmed 22 new coronavirus cases, bringing the total to 162 infected people. 06:29 – Dubai is reviewing the current lockdown rules including the reopening of shopping malls. 05:53 – The German government unveiled a $10.8 billion (€10 billion) economic package on Thursday to pay for additional unemployment benefits and new tax cuts to help businesses affected by the coronavirus. 04:46 – United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres says the coronavirus pandemic is “a human crisis that is fast becoming a human rights crisis.” 05:17 – Half of German companies are using the government’s short-time work facility as most see a decline in revenues due to the coronavirus outbreak, a survey published by the Ifo economic institute on Thursday showed. 04:53 – Thailand reported 13 new coronavirus cases on Thursday and one more death, a 78-year-old woman who had other health complications. 04:51 – Nearly 50 crew members on an Italian cruise ship docked for repairs in Japan’s Nagasaki have tested positive for the new coronavirus, raising concern about the strain on the city’s hospitals if conditions worsen for those infected.