COVID-19

"I look at that as, in a certain respect, as being a good thing because it means our testing is much better," he said at the White House.

The US has 1.5 million coronavirus cases and nearly 92,000 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University.

In second place is Russia, with nearly 300,000 confirmed cases.

What did Trump say?

On Monday, Mr Trump was hosting his first cabinet meeting since the US outbreak began.

A nightly curfew now starts at 10pm, while gyms and some sporting events are to be allowed, although bingo and contact sports remain prohibited.

Mass gatherings are limited to no more than 40 people indoors and 80 outdoors, while kava club meetups are restricted to groups no bigger than four.

Liquor licensed night clubs and bars are allowed to open from Wednesday to Saturday.

Tonga's border remains closed. The kingdom has no confirmed cases of covid-19 to date.

Photo file 

Last night in Jayapura, the Papua Province Covid-19 Task Force spokesman Silwanus Sumule announced a sharp increase of 74 cases in a day.

The total now stands at 436. Of that number 323 people are recieving medical treatment.

The death toll remains at 7.

Reflecting the breakdown of overall cases to date, most of the new cases are in Jayapura City and in other regencies close to the border with Papua New Guinea, as well as in Mimika regency, arround the Freeport gold mine, the single biggest cluster so far.

The easing of quarantine measures in New South Wales (NSW) state comes just a day after the national statistics office reported unprecedented record high job losses and Prime Minister Scott Morrison warned that worse was still to come.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian cautioned people to remain vigilant and maintain social distancing as restaurants, public pools and other businesses reopen under the proviso they limit customers to 10 at any one time.

Pacific peoples minister Aupito William Sio said the money will help with the recovery and rebuild from Covid-19, with the Pacific community among the hardest hit.

$80 million has been set aside for yet-to-be-announced education iniatives, while more than $30 million will go expanding skills, employment and education programmes that already exist.

$40 million will be spent on improving housing for Pacific families, and money has also been budgeted for culture and heritage funds, community content and the construction of a Fale Malae in Wellington.

Henry Puna said it may be the only way to kick start the economy.

In locking down the country on the 5th of March, Mr Puna said he wouldn't compromise the health of his people for economic gains.

Speaking to the Cook Islands News this week, Mr Puna said the country remains Covid-19 free, and any reopening would have to ensure that it remained that way.

But he said the Rarotonga Hospital now has an isolation area and coronavirus testing kits.

Prime Minister James Marape said the funding will go to all sectors of the Covid-19 operations, but especially frontliners especially medical workers, police, and defence personnel.

Some of the funding is to be used to help PNG citizens who are stranded overseas to return to the country.

Mr Marape also said that 23.2 tonnes of medical gear, including personal protective equipment, were being flown in from China and were due to soon arrive in Port Moresby.

And have those dreams felt more vivid than usual? You are certainly not alone if you have been.

Many people are reporting unusually vivid dreams during the Covid-19 pandemic and lockdown.

Professor Mark Blagrove is a psychologist and sleep and dream researcher at Swansea University.

He told Jim Mora on Sunday Morning that people are more likely to remember their dreams because they have abandoned their alarm clocks during quarantine.

Most dreams occur during periods of rapid eye movement or REM which indicate a very deep sleep.

Lotomo’ua Tu’akalau said her husband, Lelea Tu’akalau, is on a ventilator to help him breathe at the hospital’s intensive care unit. She did not name the hospital.

“While we are terrified, we are hopeful for healing. I am pleading for your prayers at this time. I am thankful for friends in times like this,” Lotomo’ua told Kaniva News.

“I love you so much Lelea Kivailahi keep fighting Lelea,” she wrote on Facebook.

“This is a hardest time for me and my family, my husband Lelea Tuakalau tested Positive for the Coronavirus he is in the hospital ICU.”

Tens of thousands of Pacific workers have already either lost their jobs or were on reduced hours.

Elena Gerasimova, from the ILO's Pacific office, said the organisation received requests for support from workers, employers and small to medium businesses.

"There are lots of complications, problems and challenges for workers, employers and governments because there is a serious, very serious impact of the Covid-19 on their employment and on economies.

"Lots of companies are closed while many companies may become bankrupt and people are losing their jobs."