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Several European countries are cautiously starting to loosen COVID-19 restrictions, even as infection rates and intensive care occupancy remain high in many cases, Euronews reports.

In France, a domestic travel ban was lifted on Monday as secondary and high school students returned to school for the first time in a month.

But a night-time curfew remained in place while the outdoor terraces of France's cafes and restaurants won't be allowed to reopen until May 19 along with museums, cinemas, theatres and concert halls --under certain conditions.

France is reporting about 22,000 new confirmed cases each day, down from about 40,000 earlier this month. 5,585 patients were still in intensive care on Sunday.

In Greece, several restrictions which have been in effect since November ended on Monday, with restaurants and cafes permitted to serve customers outdoors.

Tourism-related businesses and services are set to start operating again on May 15.