More countries across the world imposed new travel restrictions and containment measures on Thursday with fears growing over a second wave of coronavirus infections as global deaths from the pandemic climbed over 700,000. The United States, however, lifted a warning to its citizens to avoid all foreign travel due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The pandemic has killed at least 708,236 people worldwide, with the U.S. recording the most deaths for any country, of more than 158,000, followed by Brazil with nearly 100,000.

Europe remains the hardest-hit region worldwide with more than 200,000 fatalities since the virus emerged late last year, but the number of deaths is rising fast elsewhere, especially in Latin America and India.

As governments across the globe struggle to salvage economies ravaged by months of lockdown, many have been forced to look at new measures to curb outbreaks of COVID-19 since they lifted initial containment orders.

In Australia, the second-largest city Melbourne entered the country's toughest lockdown yet on Thursday, closing non-essential businesses and requiring hundreds of thousands more people to stay at home.

Germany is the latest to introduce mandatory tests for travelers returning from designated risk zones, starting on Saturday, as fears grow over rising case numbers blamed on summer holidays and local outbreaks.

Germany's list of "risk zones" currently includes most non-EU countries, as well as certain provinces in Belgium and Spain.

Neighboring Austria on Thursday announced it would issue a travel warning for mainland Spain, becoming the latest country to do so amid a rise in new coronavirus cases in fellow EU members.

Finland also introduced new controls on arrivals from some EU countries, including Belgium, the Netherlands and Andorra, putting a stop to tourists arriving from there and imposing a 14-day quarantine on other returnees.

"The situation is extremely delicate," the health ministry's strategic director Liisa-Maria Voipio-Pulkki said, adding that "some sort of the second stage has begun."

"Whether we can expect a smaller wave or a larger wave depends on how we respond."

Britain has reimposed quarantine for travelers from Belgium, Andorra and the Bahamas.

Norway announced Thursday that France would be considered a red zone due to the resurgence of coronavirus cases there, meaning all travelers arriving from France face a mandatory ten-day quarantine.

Switzerland, Monaco and the Czech Republic were also hit with similar restrictions, as well as two Swedish regions, the Norwegian foreign affairs ministry said.

"The infectious situation can change quickly, as can the restrictions," Foreign Minister Ine Eriksen Soreide said in a communique.

The U.S. on Thursday bucked the trend despite its own soaring death toll, lifting a blanket warning against all foreign travel.

"Health and safety conditions (are) improving in some countries and potentially deteriorating in others," the State Department said in a statement.

"We continue to recommend U.S. citizens exercise caution when traveling abroad due to the unpredictable nature of the pandemic."

The European Union bans most Americans due to the risk of contagion.

(With input from AFP)

(Cover image from CFP)