KINGSTON, Jamaica — The number of confirmed coronavirus (COVID-19) infections worldwide surpassed 5.5 million while 346,296 people across 196 countries and territories have died. Over 2.1 million people have recovered from the virus, as some countries slowly begin to ease restrictions in an effort to return to normalcy.

— The number of confirmed cases in Jamaica increased to 556 after four samples returned positive for the novel coronavirus yesterday. The island also recorded 27 more recoveries bring the total to 238.

— Haiti is moving towards becoming the first Caribbean Community (Caricom) country to register 1,000 cases of the COVID-19. The Ministry of Public Health yesterday announced that the country had recorded 93 new cases, bringing the total to 958.

— The World Health Organization said Monday that it had “temporarily” suspended clinical trials of hydroxychloriquine as a potential treatment for COVID-19 being carried out across a range of countries as a precautionary measure.

— Anti-viral drug remdesivir cuts recovery times in coronavirus patients, according to the full results of a trial published Friday night.

— The United States has so far recorded 98,223 deaths, making it the hardest-hit country. Meanwhile, Britain has recorded 36,914 deaths, Italy 32,877, France 28,457 Spain 26,834, and Brazil with 23,522.

— Spain on Monday revised down its death toll by 2,000 after it said some fatalities were counted twice or wrongly attributed to the virus.

Read the full stories here:

Four new COVID-19 cases as 27 more patients recover

Haiti closes in on 1,000 positive cases of COVID-19

WHO suspends trial of hydroxychloroquine as COVID-19 treatment over safety concerns

Anti-viral drug effective against coronavirus, study finds

ARE WE FLATTENING THE CURVE?here for interactive chart* with details on Jamaica’s numbers.here for a look at the numbers globally.

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*Data mined from various sources around the world.