Iran has begun to lift some of its lockdown restrictions with some shops and inter-city roads opening.

Travel between provinces had been restricted for close to a month but was permitted again from Monday. Traffic in the capital, Tehran, was also visible as residents were told to use their own cars instead of public transport.

Malls and bazaars were permitted to open from Monday, but needed to close by 6 p.m. Businesses where it is believed that coronavirus could spread more easily, such as gyms, barbershops, amusement parks, coffee shops and restaurants will remain closed, with a decision on when they could open expected later this week.

The United Arab Emirates pledged to provide 10 million food parcels and meals to communities badly affected by the coronavirus crisis, Vice President Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum said on Twitter.

The Gulf state has nearly 7,000 confirmed coronavirus cases and 41 deaths to date, according to figures from Johns Hopkins University. It is the second worst affected country in the region with only its much-larger neighbor, Saudi Arabia, reporting more cases.

The UAE also threatened to review labour ties with countries refusing to repatriate migrant workers. Often from countries like India, Pakistan and Nepal, migrant workers in the UAE form the backbone of the construction industry and often live in cramped, overcrowded accommodation.

Members of the House might need to return to Washington this week to vote on an interim coronavirus package to aid small businesses and hospitals. 

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., sent out guidance to lawmakers Sunday saying that the House could meet as early as 10 a.m. on Wednesday to consider the legislation. Negotiators said over the weekend that they were nearing an agreement on the bill. 

"Members will be given sufficient notice about the exact timing of any votes and when they will need to return to Washington, DC," the guidance said. 

Lawmakers have been home in their districts during the coronavirus outbreak, but will need to travel for the vote because there are no remote voting capabilities in place.

Russia’s lockdown looks likely to continue past the current end date of April 30, after President Valdimir Putin signed an order on Saturday extending all visas and work permits for foreign citizens until June 15 if they expire while restrictions are in place.

Another sign that the lockdown would likely stay in place past April came from the Moscow mayor’s office one week ago, when city hall unveiled an electronic pass system regulating movement throughout the city. It is unlikely such a complex system would be unveiled to be used for just two weeks. Moscow’s mayor has said that Russia was nowhere near its peak, while other officials last week predicted peak was at least two to three weeks away.

The country on Monday reported 4,268 new confirmed cases of coronavirus and 44 deaths, bringing the total to 47,121 cases and 405 fatalities, according to the Coronavirus Crisis Response Center.

Smaller shops in Germany began to reopen on Monday as the country eased some of the restrictions it put in place to tackle the spread of coronavirus. Stores allowed to reopen include bookstores, bicycle shops and car dealerships, but the businesses need to observe social distancing and hygiene requirements.

"We are not expecting a huge rush of clients," the head of the German Retailers Association, Stefan Genth, told broadcaster ZDF, NBC News' partner in Germany. "We want a partial return to normality, but we know that we still need these tough regulations."

Meanwhile, the eastern German state of Saxony announced that face masks would mandatory for shopping and travel on public transport starting Monday.

Children aged 12 and under in Spain will next Monday be allowed to leave their homes after five weeks of confinement. But Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez made clear when making the announcement on Saturday that the country's lockdown would otherwise continue until at least May 9.

“These permits for children will be limited in order to avoid new contagions,” he said. “We will progressively lift the confinement during May.”

Spain has enacted one of the strictest lockdowns in Europe and has suffered more than 20,000 coronavirus-related deaths — only Italy and the U.S. have higher death tolls.