Cafes and restaurants open for business in Vienna

Austria reopened all cafes and restaurants on Friday morning, taking a further step towards ending lockdown measures brought in to tackle the new coronavirus pandemic.

The country has so far confirmed 16,058 infections of the new virus, with 626 deaths, and was one of the first in Europe to bring in lockdown measures at the beginning of the year.

Meanwhile, Germany and several other European countries where the coronavirus spread has slowed were moving ahead Friday with relaxing border restrictions, while flare-ups in Mexico and elsewhere served as a reminder the pandemic is far from over.

Slovenia, which has been gradually easing strict lockdown measures, declared that the spread of the virus is now under control and that European Union residents could now enter from Austria, Italy and Hungary.

Germany, meantime, was preparing to open its border entirely with Luxembourg at midnight, and increase the number of crossings open from France, Switzerland and Austria. Travelers will still need to demonstrate a “valid reason” to enter Germany and there will be spot checks, but the goal is to restore free travel by June 15.