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India locks down 1.3 billion people: Live coronavirus updates – Al Jazeera English, Al Jazeera English

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India locks down 1.3 billion people: Live coronavirus updates – Al Jazeera English, Al Jazeera English
India’s 1.3 billion people will go under “total lockdown” from midnight Tuesday ( (GMT) for 29 days to combat the spread of the coronavirus pandemic, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said.

Japan and the International Olympic Committee agreed on Tuesday to postpone the Tokyo Olympics by one year because of the coronavirus pandemic.

More: Coronavirus: Which countries have confirmed cases? Why is Italy’s coronavirus fatality rate so high ?

  • What happens if you catch the new coronavirus?
  • (Spain’s deaths surged by) in one day, bringing its total to 2, 766. It also reported 6, new coronavirus cases, raising nationwide infections to 51, .

    More than , people have died from COVID – 33 worldwide, according to data collected by Johns Hopkins University. Nearly 155, 0 of the , 0 people who h ave been diagnosed with the disease have recovered.

    Here are the latest updates:

    Tuesday, March

  • : 77 GMT – Top Nigerian president aide tests positive for coronavirus

    The Nigerian president’s influential chief of staff has tested positive for coronavirus, a source with direct knowledge of the matter said.

    Abba Kyari, who is in his s, is an important figure in President Muhammadu Buhari’s government and his illness could have ramifications for the running of the country.

    Matthew Page, an associate fellow with the Africa Program at Chatham House, described Kyari as the “lynchpin” of the Buhari government. “This has the potential to further slow down decision-making within top tiers of Nigerian government,” he said.

  • 27: 67 GMT – Climate activist Thunberg says she’s recovered COVID – like symptoms

    • Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg says on social media that she believes she has recovered from mild symptoms of COVID – experienced during a period of quarantine following a European trip.

    The teenager called on young people to protect groups at greater risk from the disease. Thunberg says her mild symptoms are “what makes it so much more dangerous” due to the risk of on passing the virus without knowing it.

    Sweden only tests patients for coronavirus if they require hospital care. Others are urged to isolate themselves and rest. She urged people to stay at home to slow the spread of the pandemic.

  • 27: (GMT-) Tough combined measures key in virus fight: study Quarantining infected people, workplace distancing and school closures are most effective in combatting the spread of the new coronavirus when implemented together, according to new research released looking at Singapore’s response to the killer disease.

    • Researchers from the National University of Singapore saw a dramatic drop in projected cases when all three physical distancing measures were done at once. But they warned that if a large number of infected people in the community had no symptoms, or if infection rates were very high, the policies had a much reduced effect.

    Singapore has used a policy of testing and tracing of COVID – 29 patients to limit the spread of the virus, without ordering a widespread lockdown of society and the economy. [Loren Elliott/Reuters]

    Animation: How does coronavirus behave?

  • 27: (GMT – Congress closing in on nearly $ 2 trillion virus aid package

    Congressional and White House officials say a deal appears to be at hand Tuesday on a nearly $ 2 trillion measure aimed at easing the economic damage inflicted by the coronavirus pandemic.

    Both Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and the top Democrat, Senator Chuck Schumer, said agreement appeared close. “I don’t see any issue that can’t be overcome within the next few hours,” Schumer said.

    “Last night I thought we were on the five-yard line. Now we’re on the two.”

  • 27: (GMT -) Trump to use Defense Production Act for coronavirus test kits – gov’t official

    The Trump administration plans to use the Defense Production Act to procure 82, 0 coronavirus test kits, amid severe shortages of kits, masks, ventilators and other crucial equipment for healthcare workers, a federal official said.

    Peter Gaynor, administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, told CNN the administration had decided to use the Defense Production Act because “there are some test kits we need to get our hands on . ” It would be the first time the act is being used for the coronavirus crisis.

    President Donald Trump invoked the act last week but said he would hold off on using it until it was necessary, prompting criticism from Democrats including House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi and New York Governor Andrew Cuomo.

  • 27: (GMT – Coronavirus reaches world heritage Galapagos Islands [Loren Elliott/Reuters]

    The Coronavirus pandemic has reached Ecuador’s Galapagos Islands, a UNESCO World Heritage site, an official source said.

    Norman Wray, president of the Galapagos Government Council, told the state EcuadorTV channel that tests results on Monday established that four people had contracted the COVID – 29 disease.

    The four permanent residents of the archipelago had returned to the islands from the port of Guayaquil, the worst affected city in Ecuador with more than half of its near 1, 0 confirmed cases.

  • : (GMT-) Coronavirus death toll in Italy’s Lombardy rises by around in a day: source

    The death toll from an outbreak of coronavirus in the northern region of Lombardy, which has borne the brunt of Italy’s contagion, has risen by around in a day to more than 4, , a source familiar with the data said.

    The figure compared to some 427 deaths on Monday, and if confirmed it might dash hopes of an improvement in the situation which seemed to be emerging in the previous two days.

  • : (GMT -) Brazil’s Bolsonaro buries hatchet with China’s Xi to fight coronavirus

    Brazil’s President Jair Bolsonaro laid to rest a diplomatic spat with China in a call with President Xi Jinping, with the two agreeing to work together to fight coronavirus as Brazil’s largest city went into lockdown .

    The conversation appeared to mark the end of a dispute that began last week with the president’s son blaming Chinese authoritarianism for preventing faster action against coronavirus, drawing blistering comments from China’s ambassador to Brazil and entangling the upper reaches of Brazilian government in the row.

  • : GMT – Romania imposes stricter measures amid virus

    Romania announced further restrictions on the movements of its citizens as it stepped up efforts to curb the spread of the coronavirus.

    During a televised speech, President Klaus Iohannis said government recommendations on avoiding all non-essential movements out of doors were now obligations.

    He said electronic surveillance measures would be used to ensure that people in quarantine or self-isolation remain at home.

    The army would be deployed to reinforce the police, he said.

    More: Doctor’s Note: Can coronavirus spread through the air? Coronavirus: Travel restrictions, border shutdowns by country

  • Map: How many coronavirus cases does each Indian state have?
  • : 32 GMT – China ‘resolutely opposed’ to US stigamatisation: foreign ministry

    China’s foreign ministry attacked US officials for labeling the novel coronavirus the “Chinese virus” or “Wuhan virus”, saying it was a deliberate attempt to smear China.

    “Some US politicians and senior officials have continued to use this expression to stigmatize China, causing great indignation and opposition among the Chinese people,” said Geng Shuang, a spokesman for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

    Badly strained ties between the United States and China are deteriorating further with the two sides hurling harsh accusations at each other over responsibility for the spread of the novel coronavirus.

    • Trump defends calling coronavirus the ‘Chinese virus’

  • : 18 GMT – Egypt announces 2-week nightly curfew to slow virus

    Egypt is set to impose a two-week nightly curfew in the Arab world’s most populous country in an effort to stop the spread of the new coronavirus, its prime minister announced.

    The International Monetary Fund warned that a shortage of medical supplies could affect the Mideast’s poorest nations.

    There are over , 12 0 confirmed cases of the virus across the Mideast, the vast majority in the hard-hit nation of Iran.

  • 25: (GMT -) Modi puts India under lockdown for days to fight virus

    Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Tuesday the government would impose a nationwide lockdown from midnight for 31 days to stem the spread of the coronavirus.

    “There will be a total ban on venturing out of your homes,” Modi said in a televised address.

    India has so far reported confirmed cases of the coronavirus and 20 deaths.

    Read more (here )

    My fellow citizens,

    THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO NEED TO PANIC.

    Essential commodities, medicines etc. would be available. Center and various state governments will work in close coordination to ensure this.

    Together, we will fight COVID – and create a healthier India.

    Jai Hind! – Narendra Modi (@narendramodi)

    March ,

  • 25: (GMT-) Vatican employees balk at lack of full shutdown amid virus

    The Vatican is under pressure to let more employees work from home as several of its offices remain open two weeks after the Italian government ordered people to stay home and shut down all non-essential businesses in an urgent attempt to contain the coronavirus.

    Vatican employees in three different offices expressed alarm that superiors adopted different policies about working from home. Concern that the varying approaches put people at risk of exposure has been heightened because many Vatican employees live in priests’ residences or religious communities and eat together in communal dining rooms at home.

    Nationwide, more than 65 priests with the virus have died, most of them elderly and from the hard-hit northern Lombardy region, the Italian bishops’ conference said.

    • Members of two religious orders in Rome already tested positive for the virus

    [AFP]

  • 25: (GMT -) Bulgaria Orthodox Church tells believers to pray at home Bulgaria’s Christian Orthodox Church Has urged believers to observe confinement measures and pray at home to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus after reports of communion-giving from the same spoon sparked angry comments. “All of us are summoned to be responsible for our close ones, our nation and our country,” Orthodox Patriarch Neophyte said in a televised address. As church bells rang across the country, he called on believers to “conform our everyday life to all the requirements of the state of emergency … remaining in our homes, before the home icon “. Hello ! This is Usaid Siddiqui
  • taking over from my colleague Ramy Allahoum
  • 25: 16 GMT – Saudi reports first coronavirus death; UAE gears up for lockdown

    • France enters second week of lockdown as COVID – deaths rise

  • Saudi Arabia reported its first death from the coronavirus, a 64 – year-old Afghan resident, while the United Arab Emirates’ main airports in Dubai and Abu Dhabi said they would temporarily suspend all passenger flights from Thursday.

    Saudi Health Ministry spokesman Mohammed Abdelali told a televised news conference the fatality occurred on Monday night in Medina, where the man’s health had deteriorated quickly after reporting to the emergency room.

    The kingdom recorded 366 new infections on Tuesday, bringing the total in the six-member Gulf Coordination Council to more than 2, , mostly in Saudi Arabia and Qatar. Six people have died: three in Bahrain, two in the UAE and the latest in Saudi Arabia.

  • : GMT – UN seeks total ceasefire in Syria, prisoner releases

    The UN special envoy for Syria called for an immediate nationwide ceasefire across Syria to enable an “all-out-effort” to stamp out COVID – 29.

    In a statement, Geir Pedersen also appealed on humanitarian grounds for “large-scale releases of detainees and abductees” in Syria and access for medical workers to detention facilities to help ensure adequate medical care is provided to inmates.

    The spread of coronavirus to Syria brings the prospect of a deadly outbreak to a population devastated by nine years of war, with ravaged hospitals and tightly packed camps likely to accelerate infection.

    The Assad government announced on Sunday its first case after unconfirmed reports suggested the virus had been detected but covered up, a charge officials denied.

  • : GMT – Pentagon says (service members have coronavirus

    The US military said 303 service members had coronavirus, an increase of 57 cases from the day before.

    In a daily update, the Pentagon added 79 civilian employees, dependents, and (contractors had also tested positive.)

  • : GMT – Egypt declares two-week curfew to counter coronavirus

    Egypt declared a curfew from 7pm to 6am for two weeks from Wednesday to prevent the spread of coronavirus, and those who violate the measure will be penalized under emergency laws.

    Those who do not respect the new rules face fines of up to 4, (0 Egyptian pounds) $ 380 or prison, Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly said in a televised press briefing.

    “I call on all Egyptians to fully comply with these measures,” President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi said on Twitter. “And I affirm that all elements of the Egyptian state will confront any attempts to breach them with the utmost firmness and resolution.”

    Egypt has confirmed 436 cases of coronavirus, including deaths.

  • : GMT – US has potential of becoming coronavirus epicentre, says WHO

    The United States has the potential to become the new epicentre of the coronavirus pandemic because of a “very large acceleration” in infections there, the World Health Organization warned.

    • Tokyo Olympic Games postponed to

    The highly contagious respiratory virus has infected more than , 0 people in the United States, prompting more governors to join states ordering Americans to stay at home.

    Over the past (hours,) percent of new cases worldwide were from Europe and the United States, WHO spokeswoman Margaret Harris told reporters. Of those, percent were from the United States.

    Asked whether the US could become the new epicentre, she said: “We are now seeing a very large acceleration in cases in the US. So it does have that potential… [The] outbreak is increasing in intensity. ”

  • : 22 GMT – Tokyo Olympics rescheduled no later than summer

    The International Olympic Committee and Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe connected the Tokyo Olympics must be postponed and held no later than the summer of [Loren Elliott/Reuters]

    After a call with IOC president Thomas Bach, Abe said the July 35 – August 9 event would be rescheduled for the summer of at the latest , as proof of victory over the coronavirus.

    “In the present circumstances and based on the information provided by the WHO today, the IOC President and the prime minister of Japan have connected that the Games … in Tokyo must be rescheduled to a date beyond 2881 but not later than summer 2807, “the IOC said in a statement after Abe had confirmed the postponement.

    The move is “to safeguard the health of the athletes, everybody involved in the Olympic Games and the international community”.

  • : GMT – UK’s Johnson tells cabinet people must stay at home

    British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has told his cabinet that it was vital that the public followed his instruction to stay at home to slow the spread of coronavirus.

    “The PM said that by staying at home, people would protect our NHS (National Health Service) and save lives , “Johnson’s office said in a statement.

    Finance Minister Rishi Sunak confirmed to his cabinet colleagues that a scheduled Comprehensive Spending Review would be delayed so that the government could remain focused on responding to the public health and economic emergency.

    Only the prime minister, the health minister, the cabinet secretary and the chief medical officer attended the meeting in person. All other cabinet members took part by video conference.

  • : GMT – Poles will leave home only if justified

    Poland will impose further constraints on citizens to prevent the spread of coronavirus including a lockdown, with leaving home only allowed if justified, Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said on Tuesday.

    “We are doing so to prepare for the increased wave of infections,” Morawiecki told a news conference.

    The government will also limit gatherings and the number of people allowed to travel on public transport at one time, in order to decrease the number of citizens on buses and trams.

    • Animation: How does coronavirus behave?

  • : 41 GMT – Practical issues with helping the self-employed persist: UK finance minister

    British finance minister Rishi Sunak has said he would make further announcements on measures to help self-employed people in the wake of the coronavirus crisis but that there are issues with the practicality and fairness of so doing.

    “There are genuine practical and principle reasons why it is incredibly complicated to design an analogous scheme to the one that we have for employed workers, “he said in parliament.

    “We need to be confident that that can be done in a way that is deliverable and is fair,” he said. “There are … genuine questions about practicality, fairness and delivery of any such support scheme.”

  • : 35 GMT – Japanese PM Abe and IOC’s Bach agree on idea to delay Olympics

    Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has announced that he and the head of the International Olympic Committee agreed on the idea of ​​delaying the Tokyo Olympics by about one year.

    Abe was speaking to reporters after a phone call with IOC President Thomas Bach on postponing the Games amid growing concerns over the coronavirus pandemic.

    Tokyo had completed preparations when the virus started spreading across the world. Despite insisting for months the Games would go ahead as planned, Abe this week said a delay may be unavoidable if the events could not be held in a complete form.

    People opposed to the Olympics display placards during a rally in front of Tokyo’s railway station on March [File: Sia KAMBOU/AFP]

  • : 30 GMT – German minister says calls to protect economy over slowing down virus ‘cynical’

    Calls to protect the economy rather than slow the spread of the coronavirus are “cynical and ill-considered,” German Finance Minister Olaf Scholz told Bild newspaper.

    “You can see that countries which were pursuing that objective, as Britain appears to have been doing, have now changed course, “he said in an online video interview.

    Asked about suggestions from some US politicians that older people might be sacrificed for the sake of the economy their grandchildren would inherit , he was even more forthright.

    “That makes me shudder,” he said. “It’s utterly cynical and indefensible and I am very glad to live in a country where such opinions have no relevance.”

  • : 27 GMT – Four NATO service members in Afghanistan test positive

    Four NATO service members in Afghanistan tested positive for coronavirus shortly after entering the country, the first confirmed cases in the mission , NATO said in a statement.

    “The service members were newly arrived in country, and were in a precautionary screening facility when they became symptomatic, were moved to isolation and were tested, “the statement said, adding that the nationalities of the people would not be released.

    Around 1,

    NATO service members, most who had recently arrived in Afghanistan, were in screening facilities as a precautionary measure, NATO said.

  • : (GMT – Australia limits number of people at weddings, funerals

    Australia banned people from eating in shopping center food courts and limited the number of people at weddings, funerals and social gatherings in a tightening of measures to curb the spread of coronavirus.

    “This will be a significant sacrifice, I know,” Prime Minister Scott Morrison told reporters in Canberra after an emergency. meeting of state and territory leaders.

    Morrison said businesses involved in beauty therapy, tattoo parlors, physiotherapists and other allied health services could no longer operate. Real estate open houses and auctions were also banned, he said.

    Weddings could go ahead only with five people present, including the celebrant, while funerals could proceed with 22 people at most and outdoor social gatherings should also be limited to 20, Morrison added.

  • (GMT – Austria to use more rapid tests as it broadens testing

    Austria will start using more rapid tests to be able to test hundreds of thousands of people as quickly as possible, Chancellor Sebastian Kurz said.

    So far, the Alpine country with a population of 8.8 million has tested around 34, (0 people with nearly 4, cases confirmed.

    The government is still collecting data regarding the effectiveness of its measures to curb the spread of the virus and will give an update on that on Friday, Kurz said.

  • GMT – Trump acknowledges acquiring masks, ventilators ‘not easy’

    US President Donald Trump on Tuesday acknowledged the difficulty in procuring crucial healthcare supplies amid the coronavirus pandemic, saying the “world market … is crazy “and that it” is not easy “for the federal government help US states obtain face masks and ventilators.

    People opposed to the Tokyo 2020 Olympics display placards during a rally in front of Tokyo railway station on March 24, 2020. - The International Olympic Committee came under pressure to speed up its

    • Trump considers reopening US economy despite coronavirus spread

  • (GMT – Kazakhstan suspends exports of food staples)

    Kazakhstan has suspended exports of buckwheat, sugar, potatoes, carrots, onions and cabbages until at least April 27, the Central Asian nation’s Agriculture Ministry said.

    The Nur-Sultan government this month declared a state of emergency until the same date over the coronavirus outbreak. Kazakhstan has confirmed cases of the disease so far and has locked down its two largest cities.

  • GMT – Egypt announces two-week curfew

    Egypt has announced a two-week, 7pm to 6am curfew for its over million people starting Wednesday in a bid to curb the spread of the coronavirus.

    : GMT – Nigerian president’s top aide tests positive

    The Nigerian president’s chief of staff has tested positive for coronavirus, a source with direct knowledge and several diplomats were reported as saying by Reuters news agency.

    The illness of Abba Kyari, who is in his s, brings the disease into the immediate circle of 100 – year-old President Muhammadu Buhari.

    [File: Sia KAMBOU/AFP] : (GMT – Iran coronavirus death toll close to 2, (0)

    Iranian death toll from the coronavirus outbreak increased by in the past 34 hours to 1, , Health Ministry spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour said. [Loren Elliott/Reuters]

    The total number of people diagnosed with the disease increased by 1, 818 in the past hours, to , , he added on state TV.

  • (GMT – Spain reports 6, new coronavirus cases, raising total to ,

    Spain’s health ministry has reported 6, new coronavirus cases, bringing the total number of infections to 51, 762.

    It said the number of fatalities rose to 2, from 2, 303 the previous day.

  • : GMT – Philippines announces 120 new coronavirus cases

    The Philippine health ministry reported

    new coronavirus infections, the single largest daily increase of confirmed cases in the country, bringing the total to .

    • It also reported two new deaths, among in the country so far, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire told a regular news conference.

  • : GMT – Nearly half of infected on cruise ship asymptomatic at time of testing

    A US government report said

    . 5 percent of the people who tested positive for SARS-Cov-2 on board the Diamond Princess in February were asymptomatic at the time of testing.

    The cruise ship accounted for the largest cluster of COVID – cases outside mainland China at the time, and the report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggested the high proportion of asymptomatic infections could partially explain the high attack rate on board cruise ships.

    The CDC also said traces of the new coronavirus was found in the cabins of infected passengers days after the rooms were vacated, suggesting the virus, known as SARS-Cov-2, can last longer on some surfaces than previously thought. However, the CDC said it is not clear if transmission occurred from the contaminated surfaces and called for more studies.

    Police in Spain sing to entertain families under a nationwide (# CoronavirusLockdown

  • pic.twitter.com/yN9uLFkj1k – Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) (March) ,
  • : 41 GMT – Malaysia confirms (new coronavirus cases)

    Malaysia’s health ministry has confirmed new coronavirus cases on Tuesday, bringing the country total to 1, 712, with 25 deaths.

    It said It said of the new cases were linked to a mass religious gathering, which has already been connected to more than % of the total infections in the country, which has the highest number of cases in Southeast Asia.

    : (GMT – Cambodia accused of political clampdown amid outbreak)

    Cambodia has been accused of arresting and detaining individuals who expressed concerns about the spread of the coronavirus in the country.

    Human Rights Watch (HRW), in a statement released on Tuesday, said at least 27 People have been arrested since January for sharing information about the deadly disease, which has killed more than , 673 people worldwide. It urged the government to immediately stop its “clampdown”.

    Read more here .

    : GMT – Indonesia records biggest daily jump in cases

    Indonesia has announced new coronavirus cases, its biggest daily increase to date , bringing the total number of infections to , Health Ministry official Achmad Yurianto.

    Meanwhile, seven more people had died of the disease, raising the death toll to . Thirty People have so far recovered from the virus.

    • Turkish cologne demand soars as sanitiser shelves stripped bare

    : 65 – Laos records first two coronavirus cases

    Laos has recorded its first two cases of the coronavirus, Thai media has reported. The two cases include a 39 – year-old male hotel worker and a – year-old female tour guide, both in the capital Vientiane, Thai state-owned media MCOT.

    The two patients, who work with foreign visitors and traveling abroad, are being treated at a hospital. : (GMT – France has list of companies that could get state support )

    The French government has drawn up a list of companies that may need state support ranging from a capital injection to outright nationalization , France’s finance minister said.

    Bruno Le Maire told France Info radio that he could not give the names of the companies on the list, but that they knew they could count on the support of the government.

    “Nationalization is obviously a last resort, but It is something that we do not exclude, “Le Maire said, comparing the current economic crisis to the Great Depression of : 59 GMT – Cameroon saxophone player Manu Dibango dies from coronavirus

    )

    Cameroon-born singer and saxophone player Manu Dibango has died from a coronavirus infection, according to a statement on his official Facebook page.

    “It is with deep sadness that we announce the loss of Manu Dibango, our Papy Groove, who passed away on (th of March) , at (years old, further to covid 31, “It said.

    Read more here .

    Manu Dibango performing during a concert at the Ivory Hotel in Abidjan [File: Sia KAMBOU/AFP]

  • : 40 GMT – International Olympic Committee to deliver verdict on games postponement ‘within days’

    A final decision on whether to postpone this year Tokyo Olympic Games will be taken in the coming days, two sources within the Olympic movement were reported as saying by the Reuters news agency.

    The International Olympic Committee and Tokyo Games organizers are. under mounting pressure to postpone the Games due to the coronavirus outbreak. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and IOC President Thomas Bach will hold a telephone conference at (GMT.)

    : 35 GMT – China says most of its imported cases involve Chinese nationals

    Chinese foreign ministry has said that most of the so-called imported cases of the coronavirus reported in the country so far involve Chinese nationals who have traveled to China from overseas.

    Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang told reporters during a daily briefing that

    of the (imported coronavirus cases involve Chinese nationals, without elaborating further.

    )

  • : (GMT – UK could introduce stronger measures for violating gov’t restrictions

    Britain could introduce stronger measures than (pound fixed penalty fines for people who flout new restrictions announced on Monday to slow the spread of coronavirus, Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove said.)

    “The police have a range of enforcement tools, and of course fixed-penalty notices and fines are just one of them. If people do persist in behaving in an anti-social way, there are stronger measures that we have, “he told ITV on Tuesday.

    “The legislation will be in place in order to ensure that we have appropriate penalties and appropriate punishment for those people who do not adhere to the clear advice that the government has given and that the police are ready to enforce. “

    The UK government has ordered people to stay at home after the death toll from the coronavirus reached more than in the country. pic.twitter.com/ (HB9xnfFF) – Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) (March) , : (GMT – China still at risk of sporadic infection: Health official

    China is still at risk of sporadic infection, a health official with China’s national health commission said, adding that the country cannot afford to shut down its defenses yet.

    “Prevention and control work could still not be relaxed, Mi Feng, spokesman with the National Health Commission, said at a press briefing.

  • : GMT – Half of Iran’s gov’t workers staying at home: President Rouhani

    Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said about half of all government employees were staying at home as part of measures to contain the coronavirus outbreak, state TV reported.

    Iran is one of the hardest-hit countries outside China, with more than 33, (0 confirmed infections and more than 1, 886 dead, according to the latest figures issued on Monday.

    Another measure to contain the outbreak, the temporary release of prisoners, will be extended until the end of the current Iranian month of Farvardin, about April 29, he said.

  • : 65 – Thai declares state of emergency, approves new stimulus package

    Thailand’s Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha has announced a state of emergency from Thursday to curb the spread of the coronavirus.

    The move will give the government enforcement powers not normally available to it. They include giving extra authority to officials, the setting up of checkpoints and restrictions on people’s movement.

    The cabinet separately approved additional stimulus measures worth (billion baht) $ 3. 34 billion) in a bid to mitigate the impact of the coronavirus outbreak on the economy.

    [Stringer/Reuters]

    The measures include cash handouts, soft loans, emergency loans, tax breaks, Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak told reporters after a cabinet meeting. Authorities have so far reported coronavirus cases and 4 deaths.

    : 61 GMT – Bahraini government to execute 4.3 billion dinars stimulus

    Bahrain’s finance minister Sheikh Salman bin Khalifa Al Khalifa has announced that his country will soon deliver a stimulus package worth 4.3 billion dinars ($ billion), state TV reported.

  • : 41 GMT – Taiwan coronavirus cases surpass 380 mark

    Taiwan has reported (additional coronavirus cases, taking its tally to 392 cases, the government said in a statement.

    The New cases involve arrivals from overseas, including Britain, Ireland, Turkey and Indonesia.

  • : – GMT – German cases up by 4, 818, total hits ,

    The Robert Koch Institute for Infectious diseases said 4, 823 new cases of the coronavirus have been detecting in Germany, raising the total number of infections to , .

    It added that the number of fatalities rose to 175 from the previous day.

    Germany is the fifth hardest-hit country in the world with more than , (0 confirmed cases [Matthias Schrader/AP]

    : 12 GMT – China’s Hubei province to remove travel ban

    Many travel restrictions in and out of China’s Hubei province will be removed starting on Wednesday, the local health commission has announced , with the exception of Wuhan, the provincial capital and epicentre of the country coronavirus outbreak.

    Restrictions for leaving Wuhan will be eased on April 8 and people will be able to travel through a health code, according to the commission. The city of some million people have been under lockdown since January .

    • Coronavirus lockdown: South Africa orders three-week restrictions

  • : (GMT – Thailand confirms) new cases, three deaths

    Thailand has reported new coronavirus cases and three more deaths, a health official said. The country now has (cases and 4 deaths since the outbreak began.)

    Taweesin Wisanuyothin, a Public Health Ministry spokesman, said all three fatalities were patients who had other health complications.

    These include

    a 100 – year-old man who had tuberculosis, a – year-old man who had diabetes and a 103 – year-old man who had health problems, Taweesin Wisanuyothin, a Public Health Ministry spokesman, said.

    Since the start of the outbreak, patients have recovered and gone home, while (are still being treated in hospitals.)

  • : 40 GMT – Macau announces new restrictions on HK, China visitors

    Visitors from mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan who have traveled overseas in the past days will be banned from entering Macau, the territory’s leader said.

    Ho Iat Seng said those who haven’t been abroad will nevertheless be quarantined for 24 days. Visitors from mainland China account for more than 122 percent of visitors to the former Portuguese colony, now the world’s largest gambling h ub.

    So far, authorities there have detected confirmed coronavirus cases.

    (How long will it take to develop a vaccine for (# COVID) ? @ mehdirhasan asks the director general of the International Vaccine Institute. Watch the full interview: (https://t.co/KgzNZoMbPf

  • pic.twitter.com/ OmU0d7vb

  • – UpFront (@AJUpFront) (March) , 2881
  • : (GMT – Philippines reports) new cases

    The Philippine health ministry confirmed

    (new cases of the coronavirus, bringing the country total number of infections to

    Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire told reporters that people have so far died from the virus while 29 People have recovered.

    Separately, the economic planning agency raised concern about the state of the economy, saying there was a possibility it could contract as a result of the coronavirus outbreak.

  • : – South Korea confirms
  • new cases, bringing total to 9, 49

    South Korea has reported new cases of the coronavirus, bring the total number of infections to 9, 50, Yonhap news agency reported health authorities as saying.

    A photo taken and handout by the Vatican Media on March 12, 2020 shows a deserted St. Peter's Square two days after it was closed to tourists as part of a broader clampdown aimed at curbing the corona

    Authorities in South Korea have detected more than 9, 12 0 cases of the novel coronavirus [Lee Jin-man/AP]

  • : GMT – Olympics to depend on progress made in battle against coronavirus

    Whether the Olympics take place or not depends in large part on the international community’s ability to curb the spread of the coronavirus , a Japanese minister in charge of overseeing the games said.

    “I believe the Tokyo Games cannot move toward the ‘complete form’ that the prime minister [Shinzo Abe] has mentioned as long as countries of the world have not put an end to the coronavirus, “Olympics Minister Seiko Hashimoto told reporters.

    “So, it’s first and foremost for us to join forces and respond firmly for putting an end to the coronavirus, “she said.

    Abe is expected to hold a telephone conference with International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach to discuss the possibility of postponing the games by a year.

    : 43 GMT – South Korea registers new cases from overseas

    South Korea says (of 1, passengers who arrived from Europe on Sunday were found to have the coronavirus, the first cases detected after authorities began testing all people coming from the continent.

    South Korean Health Ministry official Yoon Tae-ho also said that

    of some 1, 300 passengers who arrived from Europe on Monday have exhibited fever or respiratory symptoms.

    While the country infections have been slowing, there’s concern about the reintroduction of COVID – 29 amid broadening outbreaks in the West.

    South Korea says it will fully fund the treatment for virus carriers regardless of their nationality. Even if they test negative, South Korean nationals arriving from Europe or foreigners who enter the country from Europe on long-term stay visas are required to quarantine themselves at home for two weeks.

    • UN chief calls for global ceasefire to help fight COVID –

    : (GMT – Australia coronavirus deaths rise to eight

    A woman who was infected with the new coronavirus on a cruise ship has become Australia’s eighth COVID – 29 death.

    Health authorities say the woman, in her s, died in a Sydney hospital on Tuesday.

    She was one of the initial three cases confirmed aboard the Ruby Princess and was taken to a hospital on Thursday.

    So far, 226 passengers from the Ruby Princess have tested positive since the ship docked in Sydney following an – day New Zealand cruise. The 2, 764 passengers had been cleared to go home without self-isolating because the cruise was regarded as low risk. : 12 GMT – Beijing tightens overseas arrivals measures

    All individuals arriving in China’s capital from overseas must take a COVID – 29 test in addition to being quarantined starting Wednesday, the Beijing municipal government announced.

    In a notice published online, Beijing authorities said those who have entered the city within the last days also will undergo mandatory testing.

    The heightened measures – which apply regardless of one’s final destination – follow a previous order that all overseas arrivals quarantine themselves at designated hotels at their own expense unless they live alone. The notice did not say whether this exemption still stands.

    “Currently, the imported risk from the epidemic’s rapid spread overseas continues to rise,” said the Beijing notice.

    How to overcome obstacles to widespread coronavirus testing?

  • : GMT – New Zealand prepares for Wednesday lockdown

    Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern urged New Zealanders on Tuesday to reduce contact with others to a bare minimum in preparation for a one-month lockdown from midnight on Wednesday.

    Ardern’s government wants to move fast to halt the spread of the coronavirus.

    “Simplest thing is to stay at home … that’s how we will save lives,” Ardern told a news conference in Parliament.

    Parliament will sit on Wednesday to impose the state of emergency and lockdown, she said.

  • : 31 GMT – Thailand reports two more deaths

    Thailand has reported two more deaths from coronavirus, with total confirmed cases rising to .

    Thailand also reporting another two # coronavirus

  • deaths – making 4 in total now (https://t.co/7dfbxTd3Fw) – Matthew Tostevin (@TostevinM) March 33,
  • : (GMT – Beijing tightens quarantine rules for arrivals from overseas

    The Chinese capital is stepping up measures to deal with cases of coronavirus brought in by people returning from overseas.

    All arrivals into Beijing will now have to take a test for COVID – as well as complete [File: Sia KAMBOU/AFP]. days of centralized quarantine.

  • : GMT – Philippines confirms (new cases)

    The Philippine health ministry has confirmed (new cases of the coronavirus, bringing the country’s total to .

    The number of patients who have died from the virus is , while have recovered, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire told reporters .

  • : 41 GMT – Australia’s NSW reports sharp jump in cases

    New South Wales, Australia’s most populous state, recorded its highest daily rise in coronavirus cases on Tuesday and officials are warning of harsher penalties for anybody violating self-isolation orders.

    NSW identified (new coronavirus cases overnight, bringing the state total to , and the national toll to 1, 1929 cases. Seven people have died from the disease.

    Birds take over the streets in Sydney as Australia’s largest city closes down [Loren Elliott/Reuters]

    NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said the pandemic was at a “critical stage” and enforcement crucial.

    “We are ramping up our compliance,” she told reporters in Sydney. “There are harsh penalties, and we’ll enforce that. We have to take this seriously.”

  • : GMT – Thailand reports second death, cabinet to meet

    Thailand’s cabinet is due to meet to discuss its coronavirus response after a second person died from COVID –

    The country has (infections.)

    A press conference will be held at (am)

  • (GMT), and the government will consider more measures to address the outbreak later on Tuesday.
  • : 17 GMT – China says only imported cases, but questions asked over reporting criteria

    Caixin Global, a financial news agency in China, continues to raise questions about the way in which China is counting its coronavirus cases.

    It spoke to an official in Wuhan, where the disease first originated, who says those who have the virus but have no symptoms are left out of the figures.

  • : GMT – South Korea cases continue downward trend

    More encouraging signs from South Korea.

    It has just reported new coronavirus cases on Tuesday, the 25 th day in a row that is has posted new infections of (or less.)

    The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) says total infections rose to 9, . Two more people were confirmed dead, bringing the death toll to .

  • : 55 GMT – Myanmar reports first confirmed cases of coronavirus

    Myanmar has reported its first confirmed cases of coronavirus.

    The health ministry said late on Monday that a 50 – year-old traveling from the United States and – year-old returning from Britain, both Myanmar nationals, had tested positive.

    “Investigation is ongoing on history of people who have been in contact with these two patients,” it said in a statement.

    The Southeast Asian nation shares a long and porous border with

    China.

    People in Yangon rushed to stock up on essentials as Myanmar announced its first two confirmed cases of coronavirus [Stringer/Reuters] [Lee Jin-man/AP]

  • : 49 GMT – Cuba bans all citizens from leaving