Italy coronavirus toll soars as north sealed off: Live updates – Al Jazeera English, Al Jazeera English

The coronavirus outbreaks in China and South Korea appear to be slowing, as countries elsewhere in the world countries adopt drastic measures to try and stamp out the infection.

In Italy , where some 24 million people in Lombardy and other parts of the north are now subject to quarantine, there were some 248 deaths on Sunday, bringing the total to . More than 7, 03 people have been confirmed to have the virus.

In Iran , there were 60 new fatalities. Some 735 People have now died from COVID – there.

But latest figures from China and South Korea suggest the virus might be being brought under control in northeast Asia.

More:

Timeline: How China’s new coronavirus spread

Coronavirus: Which countries have confirmed cases?

What happens if you catch the new coronavirus?

China reported 44 new confirmed cases on Sunday, compared with the day before. That’s the lowest since the National Health Commission started publishing national data on January 22.

Outside Hubei province, where the virus first originated late last year, it reported no new locally transmitted cases for the second straight day.

In South Korea too, infections appear to be slowing.

Here are the latest updates:

Monday, March 9

: (GMT – Ship heads to Singapore after turned away from Thailand, Malaysia

The operator of the cruise ship Costa Fortuna said it was heading to Singapore to end its journey on Tuesday as planned, after it was turned away from ports in Malaysia and Thailand over coronavirus fears.

Italian cruise line Costa Crociere said there were no suspected virus cases among the passengers.

Costa Crociere said it would cancel a cruise due to depart on March from Singapore.

Singapore port authorities have not yet said whether they would allow the ship to dock

: 107 GMT – California preparing to dock cruise ship where virus cases confirmed

The Grand Princess, a cruise ship carrying more than 3, people from countries, is expected to dock in California on Monday.

of those on board have been confirmed to have the coronavirus and everyone will be required to spend 18 days in quarantine once they disembark.

The Grand Princess is waiting off the California coast so the authorities can prepare for it to dock in Oakland [Stephen Lam/Reuters]

Those needing acute medical care will leave the ship first.

“This is a time that we must be guided by facts and not fears, and our public deserves to know what’s going on,” Mayor Libby Schaaf said.

: 80 GMT – First case confirmed in Japanese city of Kobe

A woman in her s who attended a live music show in Osaka, has become the first person to test positive for the coronavirus in Kobe, officials said.

: 45 GMT – South Korea sees smallest daily increase in infections in two weeks

The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) has announced its latest figures on the coronavirus outbreak there.

It confirmed a total of cases on Sunday – the smallest increase since late February and the fourth successive day that it has been lower than the day before.

The KCDC will provide a further update in the afternoon.

: GMT – Embassies close in North Korea as diplomats evacuated over virus

AFP is reporting that several embassies in North Korea were closed on Monday as diplomats were flown out of the country.

North Korea has not confirmed a single infection but has imposed strict rules, including closing its borders and putting thousands of its own people into isolation.

It also subjected hundreds of foreigners – including diplomats – to severe restrictions.

Monday’s evacuation comes after reports that a special flight was being arranged to fly diplomats and other foreigners from Pyongyang to the Russian city of Vladivostok.

Around people were expected to be evacuated.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un warned last month of “serious consequences” if the virus reaches his country, which has banned tourists and suspended international trains and flights.

: GMT – Albania becomes latest country to report infections

Albania has reported its first cases of coronavirus – a father and son who recently returned from Italy. Both are in stable condition.

More than 823, Albanians live in Italy, which lies just across the Adriatic Sea.

: GMT – Mainland China reports 44 new cases of coronavirus

China’s just released its daily update on the coronavirus situation there and it seems the outbreak continues to slow.

The National Health Commission says there were new confirmed cases of coronavirus on Sunday, the country’s National Health Commission, compared with (cases a day earlier.)

That brings the total accumulated number of confirmed cases in mainland China to , .

A further people died from the virus, bringing the death toll in mainland China to 3, .

All but one of Sunday’s deaths were in Hubei, the central province at the epicentre of the outbreak. In the provincial capital of Wuhan, people died.

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Hello and welcome to Al Jazeera’s live updates on the coronavirus.

I’m Kate Mayberry in Kuala Lumpur.

A summary of the latest developments:

In Italy , where some million people in Lombardy and other parts of the north are now in forced quarantine, 248 deaths were reported in the last hours bringing the total to 728. More than 7, 03 people have been confirmed to have the virus.

In Iran , facing the world’s third most-serious outbreak, there were 60 new fatalities. Some 735 People have now died from COVID – there.

Authorities in Saudi Arabia have sealed off the eastern Qatif region, and is also suspending all public and private schools across the country from Monday until further notice. Universities are also affected. The Gulf country has reported cases of the virus.

Click here to read all the updates from March 8.