World News Roundup: Mormon church to open first temple in mainland China; China sees rise in asymptomatic coronavirus cases and more

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

Migrant workers keep picking Swiss asparagus amid coronavirus curbs

Migrant workers drawn by attractive pay are keeping Switzerland's asparagus supplies moving during the coronavirus crisis despite fears they could be kept out by border restrictions. Seasonal farm workers in Switzerland earn about 3,300 Swiss francs ($3,400) a month for a 55-hour work week, about half the national average in one of the world's most expensive countries.

It is hard, outdoor work, in all conditions. As infections balloon, coronavirus squeezes Europe's armed forces

Military forces across Europe have scaled back operations and imposed stricter rules on personnel to try to stem the spread of the coronavirus among staff who often live and work in close quarters, making them more vulnerable to infection. Preventing the virus' proliferation among the military is important both for national security and because specialist army, navy and airforce units are being drafted in to help governments tackle the virus in many countries.

Boris Johnson in hospital with persistent COVID-19 symptoms but still working

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson was undergoing hospital tests on Monday after suffering persistent coronavirus symptoms for more than 10 days, but the government said he was in good spirits and still in charge. Johnson, who had been isolating in Downing Street after testing positive for the virus last month, was taken to St Thomas' Hospital in central London on Sunday night.

South Korea reports fewer than 50 new infections, earning WHO praise

South Korea reported fewer than 50 new coronavirus cases for the first time since its peak in late February, earning the praise of the World Health Organization for combatting the spread in one of the first countries to be hard-hit by the disease. The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) said there were 47 new infections as of midnight on Sunday compared with 81 recorded a day earlier, taking the national tally to 10,284.

China sees rise in asymptomatic coronavirus cases

Mainland China reported 39 new coronavirus cases as of Sunday, up from 30 a day earlier, and the number of asymptomatic cases also surged, as the government struggled to stamp out the outbreak despite drastic containment efforts. The National Health Commission (NHC) said on Monday that 78 new asymptomatic cases had been identified as of the end of Sunday, compared with 47 the day before.

Running out of beds and gear, Tokyo medical staff say Japan's 'state of emergency' already here

As Japan faces a fresh wave of coronavirus infections and the government prepares for a state of emergency, medical staff say a shortage of beds and a rise in cases linked to hospitals are pushing Tokyo's medical system to the brink of collapse. The crisis has already arrived at Eiju General Hospital, a pink, 10-storey building in central Tokyo, which has reported 140 cases of COVID-19 in the past two weeks. Of those, at least 44 are doctors, nurses and other medical staff.

Spain's pace of coronavirus deaths slows again

Spain's pace of new coronavirus deaths slowed for the fourth day on Monday as the government contemplated a gradual easing of a lockdown in place since mid-March in the country with the second highest death toll from the global pandemic. As with worst-hit Italy, data in Spain is giving cause for hope the peak has passed. On Monday, it reported 637 fatalities in the previous 24 hours - a 5% increase in total and less than half the pace recorded a week earlier.

Mormon church to open first temple in mainland China

The Utah-based Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, also known as the Mormon church, plans to open its first temple in mainland China at a time when Beijing has been clamping down steadily on religious freedoms. The temple in the eastern Chinese city of Shanghai will help fill a gap left by renovation work since last July at the church's temple in Hong Kong, Russell M. Nelson, president of the church, announced on Sunday.

Accused of 'piracy', U.S. denies diverting masks bound for Germany

The United States had no knowledge of a shipment of face masks bound for Germany that officials in Berlin have accused it of diverting from an airport in Bangkok, a spokeswoman for the U.S. embassy in Thailand said. The comment came after Berlin Secretary of Interior Andreas Geisel said on Friday that an order of 200,000 masks bound for Germany had been "confiscated" in Bangkok and diverted to the United States, calling it an "act of modern piracy".

Germany draws up plans to relax lockdown after April 19

Germany has drawn up a list of steps, including mandatory mask-wearing in public, limits on gatherings and the rapid tracing of infection chains, to help enable a phased return to normal life after its coronavirus lockdown is set to end on April 19. A draft action plan compiled by the Interior Ministry and seen by Reuters on Monday, says the measures should be enough to keep the average number of people infected by one person below 1 even as public life is allowed gradually to resume.

(With inputs from agencies.)