BERLIN (AP) — New coronavirus cases in China fell to zero on Saturday for the first time but surged in India and overwhelmed hospitals across Latin America – both in countries lax about lockdowns and those lauded for firm, early confinement.

Turkey imposed its toughest lockdown measures yet starting Saturday for the Eid al-Fitr holiday marking the end of Ramadan, and Yemen's Houthi rebels urged believers to use masks and stay inside, as authorities try to contain infections at a time usually marked by days of multigenerational feasting and collective prayer.

The new infections are not seen as a threat to Germany's overall virus strategy, and Chancellor Angela Merkel said the country had "succeeded so far in achieving the aim of preventing our health system being overwhelmed.".

Religious events helped spread the virus early in the pandemic, and resuming gatherings of the faithful is an especially thorny issue.

Andrew Cuomo eased the virus-ravaged state's ban on gatherings in time for the Memorial Day weekend, when Americans honor fallen military service members, hold picnics and head outdoors on what's traditionally seen as the kickoff to summer.

Some families plan to go to beaches or national parks for the first time since the virus hit, and Interior Secretary David Bernhardt is scheduled to visit the Grand Canyon on Saturday.

The US has been the hardest-hit country, with more than 96,000 deaths among 1.6 million confirmed cases, followed by Russia and Brazil, according to the Johns Hopkins count.

One sign of hope emerged Saturday: China, where the outbreak began late last year, reported no new confirmed cases for the first time.

While some countries are facing a second wave of infections, badly hit Russia is still struggling with its first, and reported more than 9,000 new daily cases Saturday.