Across the globe more than 1.8 million people have been diagnosed with COVID-19, which has caused more than 100,000 deaths.

Italy, once the European epicentre of the virus with almost 20,000 deaths, is now finally experiencing a downward trend.

Australian chef Stefano Manfredi got stuck in Rezzato in northern Italy while on a research trip, and tells Chris Smith the lockdown restrictions there are even tougher than those back home.

People are restricted to walking 50 metres from their door, and need to fill out a declaration form with their travel details when going to the shops.

“I think it’s hit Italy particular hard because… there’s a lot of old people that live in families.

“They’re in close quarters with extended family groups.”

He says despite the pandemic, the Easter spirit has prevailed.

“Coronavirus isn’t going to stop Italians from celebrating Easter.

“While it’s been tragic over here… Italians tend to do tragedy quite well.

“They usually come out stronger the other end.”

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The epicentre of the virus has sinced moved across the Atlantic, where in the US over 22,000 people have died.

New York City has been hardest-hit, forced to bury many of their almost 7,000 dead in mass graves.

US correspondent Alexis Daish tells Chris Smith the city lost an “astronomical” 758 lives yesterday alone.

“The one glimmer of hope is that those numbers are stabilising.

“[It] suggests we are now in the plateau.”

Field hospitals have eased the burden on the health system by providing additional intensive care, and New Yorkers are largely obeying the quarantine.

“I walked past 5th Avenue on a sunny Saturday at noon and there was not a soul.

“It’s amazing how quickly the world has changed… in a way that none of us saw coming.”

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Image: Johns Hopkins University