The death toll from the coronavirus pandemic has slowed in some of the worst-hit countries, with Spain readying on Monday to reopen parts of its economy as governments grapple with a once-in-a-century recession.

Italy, France and the US have all seen a drop in Covid-19 deaths in the past 24 hours, with Italy – the European nation most afflicted – reporting its lowest toll in more than three weeks.

It came as Pope Francis delivered an unprecedented livestream message to a world under lockdown on Easter Sunday, and Britain’s Boris Johnson left the hospital, thanking medics for saving his life.

More than half of the planet’s population is staying home as part of efforts to stem the spread of the virus, which has overwhelmed healthcare systems and crippled the world economy.

Spain’s death toll has fallen in recent days, but as a small bump in deaths was reported on Sunday, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez warned that the locked-down country was “far from victory”.

“We are all keen to go back out on the streets . . . but our desire is even greater to win the war and prevent a relapse,” he said, as some companies were set to resume operations at the end of a two-weeks halt of all non-essential activity.

In the US – now the world’s worst-hit nation with a fifth of all deaths and more than half a million confirmed cases – the government’s top infectious disease expert added to cautious optimism that the pandemic may have reached its peak.

Anthony Fauci said parts of the country could begin easing restrictions in May, but warned that the world’s biggest economy would not turn back on like a “light switch”.

“We are hoping by the end of the month we can look around and say, okay, is there any element here that we can safely and cautiously start pulling back on?” Fauci told CNN.

President Donald Trump had previously wanted the US to be back to normal by Easter, but most of the country remained at a standstill and churches took celebrations online.

Many of the world’s more than two billion Christians celebrated Easter from the confines of their homes, while Pope Francis delivered a livestream message from a hauntingly empty Vatican.

“For many, this is an Easter of solitude lived amid the sorrow and hardship that the pandemic is causing, from physical suffering to economic difficulties,” he said.

One priest in Rio de Janeiro blessed the Brazilian city from a helicopter, while another in Portugal addressed the faithful from the open top of a moving convertible car.

In Britain, which has logged more than 10,600 deaths, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Sunday he had been discharged after “a week in which the NHS has saved my life, no question”, referring to the country’s state-run National Health Service.

Britain is now seeing daily death tolls to match those previously seen in Italy and Spain, after recording nearly 1,000 fatalities on Friday and Saturday. There were 737 new deaths reported on Sunday.

Johnson, like Trump, had initially resisted stringent measures such as shutting down public places.

Some factory and construction workers in Spain were set to return to work on Monday, with police to hand out face masks at metro and train stations.

The fortnight of “economic hibernation” is about to be lifted, drawing criticism from some regional leaders and unions, but the rest of the lockdown restrictions in the nation of around 47 million people will remain in place.

Conflict-wracked Yemen reported its first case last week, raising fears of a devastating outbreak in the war-torn country.

In Syria, where nine years of war have hit hospitals and left them ill-equipped to deal with the pandemic, aid groups are sounding the alarm on the potentially devastating consequences of a severe outbreak.

The government has closed borders, forbidden movement between provinces and shut schools and restaurants to stem the spread of the virus.

Official numbers are low with two deaths and 19 confirmed cases, but only 100 patients are being tested daily, with half of the testing carried out in the capital Damascus.

Experts accuse Damascus of minimising its death toll for political motives.

“There is a disaster in the making,” said Emile Hokayem, Middle East analyst at the International Institute for Strategic Studies in London.

In Mumbai’s crowded Dharavi slum – one of Asia’s biggest and the inspiration for the 2008 Oscar-winning film Slumdog Millionaire – more than 43 cases have been confirmed.

While sub-Saharan Africa has not been as badly hit by the coronavirus pandemic as some other parts of the world, the economy is being pummelled.

Governments are under pressure to keep populations safe while preventing economic collapse, amid warnings of a downturn not seen since the Great Depression.

But the World Health Organisation has warned countries against lifting lockdown restrictions too early.