BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — The confirmed global death toll from the COVID-19 virus reached at least 400,000 fatalities yesterday, a day after the Government of Brazil broke with standard public health protocols by ceasing to publish updates of the number of deaths and infections in the hard-hit South American country.

Brazil's Government has stopped publishing a running total of coronavirus deaths and infections; critics say it's an attempt to hide the true toll of the disease.

After Bolsonaro stoked his clash with health experts, Pope Francis cautioned people in countries emerging from lockdown to keep following authorities' rules on social distancing, hygiene and limits on movement.

Worries have surfaced over the past couple of weeks that Prime Minister Boris Johnson's Government is easing the restrictions too soon, with new infections potentially still running at 8,000 a day.

Yesterday, the UK Government reported another 77 people died after contracting the virus, the lowest daily increase since the lockdown began on March 23.