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| - Washington's top virus expert warned against easing lockdowns too quickly Tuesday as Russia and India defied surging death tolls to start getting back to work. Government epidemiologist Anthony Fauci's stark words fed concerns that even a cautious exit from the world's unprecedented economic shutdown could trigger a second coronavirus wave. In testimony to US lawmakers, Fauci admitted the true number killed by the epidemic in the United States is likely higher than the official toll of 80,000 -- the world's highest. And despite US President Donald Trump's evident desire to restart the economy, Fauci warned that if cities and states ignore guidelines on exiting their lockdowns safely "the consequences could be really serious". This follows a warning from the World Health Organization that a second wave of the disease, which has killed more than 286,000 people around the world, could erupt if new infections escape controls. And it comes as Russia began to gradually ease lockdown rules even as the country's infections surged past 232,000 -- now the second most confirmed cases in the world after the US. The country hit the dire landmark Tuesday after a week of reporting more than 10,000 daily infections and as it was confirmed that President Vladimir Putin's spokesman tested positive for the virus. But some parts of the country hummed back to life Tuesday -- the end of a "non-working" period that allowed some people to return to their jobs again. For those braving public transport, masks and gloves were a must in line with new anti-virus rules. "It's positive, because it's a necessary measure," said 25-year-old Tatiana Khan, speaking on a half-empty bus in Moscow. "If everyone had worn masks from the start, observed the precautions, I think we wouldn't have had such a spread of the epidemic," she added from behind a surgical mask. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a $270 billion economic stimulus as the Asian giant's economy lumbers back to life. Its giant railway network restarted in defiance of a recent surge in the number of infections, with 3,600 recorded on Monday, just below Sunday's record tally. Passengers wearing face masks or handkerchiefs over their mouths queued outside New Delhi station on Tuesday, waiting to be screened for coronavirus symptoms. Ajay Dewani, a photographer stranded in Ghaziabad said he walked for four hours to get to the station. "I haven't been paid for two months and my landlord was hassling us for rent," he told AFP, carrying a backpack and pulling a wheeled suitcase. Iran, meanwhile, said it would reopen mosques for three nights this week for the first time since March, after struggling to contain the outbreak that has killed more than 6,700 people there. South Korea, credited with one of the world's more successful anti-virus campaigns, said it was using mobile phone data to track Seoul nightclub visitors after a cluster of new cases. The outbreak -- which forced a delay in reopening schools -- hit gay venues and potential carriers may fear coming forward because of the stigma surrounding homosexuality. And in Britain, which already has Europe's most confirmed deaths, the Office of National Statistics said reports from care homes for the elderly suggest a government tally of 32,065 deaths underestimates the full toll. There was some encouraging news from Spain, however, when the country's probable oldest living resident -- 113-year-old US-born Maria Branyas -- recovered from the disease. Her daughter Rosa Moret told Spanish media her mother was "in shape, wanting to talk, to explain, to reflect, she has become herself again" after she tested negative following her bout with the illness. Precautionary economic and social lockdowns have cut a swathe through global economy and, while many areas are now cautiously moving back to work, world markets are trading cautiously amid fears of a second wave. The United States has by far the world's highest caseload, but Trump is keen to reopen the economy quickly amid soaring job losses. He faces resistance, however, and Fauci has warned of grim consequences if Americans return to work and group leisure activities before the pandemic is under control. On Monday, the WHO urged "extreme vigilance" against a second wave. Observers are nervously eyeing Wuhan, where the virus was first reported late last year, after the Chinese city registered the first cluster of new COVID-19 infections since it reopened after a 76-day lockdown on April 8. Chinese authorities moved to test the entire 11-million strong population of the city after the new cases were reported there. In an interview with AFP, renowned US epidemiologist Larry Brilliant urged China to be "radically transparent" with medical investigators if it wants to avoid suspicion that it is at fault in the spread of the disease. Scientists believe the virus originated in bats and jumped from them directly to humans or through other animals before reaching humans. But there have been unproven claims -- including from Trump -- that the disease somehow escaped from a Chinese lab. "We should be allowed, and the Chinese scientists should be allowed, to study the origin of the disease," said Brilliant, who helped lead the WHO drive to eradicate smallpox four decades ago. burs-dc/jv
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