This archive report was first published on 20 April 2020.
On April 20, 2020, a laboratory in Wuhan, China, rejected US claims that it is the source of the global coronavirus pandemic.
The Wuhan Institute of Virology's P4 laboratory, equipped to handle dangerous viruses, denied the allegations, with Yuan Zhiming, its head, stating, "There's no way this virus came from us. I know it's impossible."
US President Donald Trump had warned Beijing of consequences if it was "knowingly responsible" for the pandemic, which has killed at least 157,000 people worldwide and infected nearly 2.3 million.
As the world's top musicians joined forces for a virtual mega-concert to spread cheer during the pandemic, the US has the highest caseload of any country, with over 735,000 confirmed infections and 39,000 deaths.
Anti-lockdown protests drew hundreds of people in several US states, with Trump encouraging the movement, calling for a rapid return to normality to limit economic damage.
Meanwhile, governments around the world are grappling with when and how to ease lockdowns, with Spain extending its nationwide shutdown to May 9 and Japan, Britain, and Mexico expanding their movement restrictions.
However, signs that the outbreak could be easing prompted Switzerland, Denmark, and Finland to begin reopening shops and schools, and Germany is set to follow suit.
Iran allowed some Tehran businesses to reopen, despite being home to the Middle East's deadliest outbreak, and Israel has approved some easing to its tight restrictions.
Many of the world's 260 million Orthodox Christians marked Easter on Sunday without attending church services, but Easter celebrations were allowed to go ahead in Georgia.
