by Summary for 12th March
- President Trump suspends travel from European countries for 30 days
- The ban does not include UK
- Greece confirms first death
- National Basketball Association in the US suspends season
- Tom Hanks and wife, Rita Wilson, say they have the virus in Australia
- Daily cases in Hubei, China - where the outbreak began - reach new low
On the day that the World Health Organization declared the outbreak a pandemic, President Donald Trump addressed the nation from the White House to announce he was suspending travel from European countries - except the UK - for 30 days.
The ban comes into force on Friday.
The announcement comes in an effort to control the spread of Covid-19 into the US, where there are now 1,135 confirmed cases and 38 deaths.
"We felt a bit tired, like we had colds and some body aches. Slight fevers too," he said on Twitter. "We will be tested, observed and isolated for as long as public health and safety requires."
The couple are in Australia, where Hanks is working on a film.
"Today President Donald J. Trump signed a Presidential Proclamation, which suspends the entry of most foreign nationals who have been in certain European countries at any point during the 14 days prior to their scheduled arrival to the United States. These countries, known as the Schengen Area, include:
The NBA has not announced who the affected player is, but Reuters suggests it is Rudy Gobert.
The league said it would use this "hiatus to determine next steps moving foward".
This is the first time Hubei's daily tally has been in the single digits.
Outside of Hubei, China had seven new cases - six of which were imported from abroad.
This brings the total number of confirmed cases in China to 80,793.
Producer, BBC News Bangkok
Eleven new cases have been reported in Thailand, bringing the total number of cases in the country to 70.
All new patients were part of a group of friends who hung out together - one of them had come into close contact with a friend from Hong Kong who reportedly had Covid-19 like symptoms.
The club says it would start "activating isolation procedures" for all those who have come into contact with the 25-year-old, who is "currently asymptomatic".
All sport in Italy has been suspended until 3 April.
Maina Sage began feeling ill on Monday, two days after returning to the French pacific territory from France.
Sage is in self-isolation at her home and her symptoms were not considered serious, officials said.
The authorities did not say how she caught the virus. On 26 February she met French Culture Minister Franck Riester, who later tested positive.
On Wednesday evening, India joined a host of countries which have imposed coronavirus-related travel restrictions on most incoming foreign traffic.
Experts say it was warranted – and the government is following the rulebook to prevent the spread of infection by visitors.
But it is also a sign of panic.
India’s Health Minister Harsh Vardhan has put on a brave front, saying India is “using all speed, scale and determination coupled with best practices” to prevent a coronavirus outbreak, which could easily overwhelm the world’s second most populous country.
It is true that despite a creaky and uneven public health care system, India has a formidable record in defeating polio, faced up to a swine flu pandemic in 2009 and most recently, handled an recent outbreak of the deadly Nipah virus .
One reason is its "integrated disease surveillance" programme which collects data on “epidemic prone diseases” every week.
The programme has rapid response teams to diagnose and control outbreaks in the event of an escalating illness in any area. It has mainly dealt with outbreaks of diarrhoeal diseases, chicken pox, food poisoning, dengue, measles and cholera.
A senior health official told me this same programme would be used for surveillance and contact tracing to battle coronavirus.
It is too early to say whether it has the ability and skills to deal with an outbreak of coronavirus. India’s health data is scanty, and mortality reporting far from robust.
"In light of the recent social media photo of our colleague wearing a sterilisation package... [we] express our strong condemnation of this behaviour," Saudi Aramco said in a statement in Arabic, which has been roughly translated to English.
"The company immediately stopped this act and took measures to prevent it from happening again."
More than 70 people were in the hotel in Quanzhou; 27 died in the rubble and two died later.
BBC News, Islamabad
Covid-19 has claimed the life of a second Pakistani, this time in Italy. The 61-year-old man lived in Brescia in Lombardy.
Yesterday a Pakistani PhD student was reported dead in Wuhan, the Chinese city where the outbreak emerged.
No coronavirus deaths have been reported on Pakistani soil.
A 14-year-old from the Gilgit-Baltistan region has tested positive, bringing the total in Pakistan to 20. The teenager had recently travelled to Iran and returned on 4 March.
Separately, a World Trade Organization ministerial conference in Kazakhstan in June has been cancelled.
It comes as the Uganda government introduced a mandatory self-quarantine policy for travellers arriving from 16 "high risk countries", including the UK and US.
The country currently has no cases of coronavirus.
But in fact, the air on a plane may well be better quality than in the average office (and almost certainly better than a train or a bus). That's because the air you breathe on a plane is being cleaned by something called a high-efficiency particulate air filter (Hepa).
Read more on the risk to travellers here.
On hard surfaces - like door handles, lift buttons or kitchen worktops, it is probably around 48 hours. Although some previous research on coronaviruses has found they can survive for perhaps a week in the right conditions.
On soft surfaces like clothes it survives for much less time, so if you have a coat that has the virus on and you don’t wear it for a day or two, the virus shouldn’t be active anymore.
Remember, simply touching an infected surface will not give you Covid-19. You have to then pass the virus to your mouth, nose or eyes, so that’s why we need to stop touching our faces when out and about
You asked when the government might advise people not to travel in confined spaces like the London Underground.
The short answer is, when its health experts advise it to do so. It might never happen.
I spoke to a senior rail industry figure yesterday and they are thinking all scenarios through. However, the sense is that we’re not close to a ban on public transport at the moment.
It’s worth noting that public transport is still running in Italy, although services have been reduced.
For now, transport bosses in the UK say they’re reviewing cleaning procedures. Transport for London says it is using a more powerful disinfectant.
But irrespective of government advice, passenger numbers on trains have fallen as more people work at home.
The patient was a 66-year-old man, who contracted the virus while on a religious bus tour of Israel and Egypt last month.
He died in hospital in Patras, about 204km (127 miles) west of Athens.
Several others who were on the tour with him are now in hospital or quarantined.
She and her partner, deputy prime minister and Podemos leader Pablo Iglesias, have been placed in quarantine, the statement added.
"This morning, all members of the government will undergo testing," it said. The results of the tests are expected to be released later on Thursday.
Schools, colleges and other public facilities in the Republic of Ireland are to close in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak.
Taoiseach (Irish prime minister) Leo Varadkar said the measures take effect from 18:00 on Thursday until 29 March.
He said Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK would be briefed on developments.
Tánaiste (Irish deputy prime minister) Simon Coveney said airports and ports will remain open.
Mr Varadkar added that indoor mass gatherings of more than 100 people and outdoor gatherings of more than 500 should be cancelled.
He said people should work remotely when possible.
The first death linked to coronavirus has been recorded in the Republic of Ireland.
Mr Varadkar said shops should remain open and public transport will continue to operate.
Speaking at First Minister's Questions in Holyrood on Thursday, she said she anticipated a "sharp rise" in coronavirus cases in Scotland.
"Mass gatherings require to be policed, to have mass ambulance cover, and at a time when we need to be reducing the pressures on these frontline workers in order to free them up for the challenge ahead, I do think it is inappropriate that we continue as normal," Ms Sturgeon said.
"The health secretary and I have decided this morning that we are minded that we will advise the cancellation, from the start of next week, of mass gatherings of 500 people or more."
Border checks will be introduced and schools, sports and leisure centres will close. Shopping centres will also only open on weekdays, the prime minister said.
The country has reported 16 cases of coronavirus so far.
Princess Cruises - which owns two coronavirus-stricken ships - will suspend all operations for two months, affecting all of its 18 vessels, it said.
The firm said passengers who are on board a Princess trip that is meant to end within the next five days will be able to continue as planned. Those who are meant to be on board for longer will have to get off at a port that suits them, it added.
Another firm, Viking, has also suspended its river and ocean cruises until 1 May.
The teams share training facilities.
As a result, the La Liga football competition has also suspended all matches for two weeks.
La Liga officials met with the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) and the Association of Spanish Footballers (AFA) on Wednesday and Thursday, before making the decision.
The Real Madrid football team was due to play Eibar in La Liga on Friday, without any spectators.
Spain has more than 2,000 cases of coronavirus.
The UK is expected to move to the delay phase of its coronavirus response. But what does that mean? And why - Jean Wright and John Barcroft want to know - has it not already been implemented?
It means further measures to try to reduce the spread and to lower the peak of any epidemic in the UK and it’s an acknowledgement that this virus cannot be contained.
We're not going to see the sort of drastic measures we've seen in Italy and in China in terms of lockdowns and shutdowns and mass school closures.
That’s because the government says they are being led by the science. They say they have to balance how much that would help reduce the spread against the impact on society and the economy.
The sort of things we will see will be advice to the elderly and vulnerable to protect themselves by avoiding crowded and enclosed spaces. There's a lot of emphasis on hand washing. People with cold and flu-like symptoms within the next few days may be asked to self-isolate for a week.
But restrictions on gatherings and that sort of thing - I don’t think we’re going to see just yet.
According to local media, he had recently returned from Italy.
The country has also seen a rise in cases from 245 to more than 300 in the last 24 hours.
Chancellor Sebastian Kurz warned on Thursday that this number would rise to 1,000 within days, and then 10,000 a week after that.
"Anything that isn't necessary shouldn't go ahead," he said, public broadcaster ORF reported. "If you're asking yourself whether I should do something, it already means it's alright to do without it."
The World Health Organization (WHO) has labelled the outbreak a pandemic. According to its latest figures, the countries worst affected are:
New daily figures, released by the country’s health ministry , show 84 people have now died - an increase from 47 on Wednesday.
It added that there was 2,968 confirmed cases of coronavirus in the country.
Mr Johnson is expected to sign off plans to move from the "containment" phase of the outbreak to "delay" - basically steps to slow the spread of the virus through the population.
Ahead of the meeting one attendee, Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, called for the cancellation of mass gatherings of 500 people or more.
Read more on how the UK could respond here.
Two people have died and 53 cases have been confirmed.
He announced a cancellation of domestic land, sea and air travel to and from the capital, as well as community quarantine measures.
The president also announced bans on mass gatherings, a month of school closures and the quarantining of communities where cases are detected.
A total of 590 people have tested positive out of 29,764 who have been tested.
15:41
There are now 590 confirmed cases in the UK, up from 456 on Wednesday - with 491 in England, 60 in Scotland, 20 in Northern Ireland and 19 in Wales.
It comes as the government is expected to announce within hours that it is stepping up its coronavirus response.
Read more here.
The prime minister said he had introduced the measures because of the likelihood of "untraceable" cases of the virus in the Netherlands.
The measure will be in place between 1 April and 30 May and will apply mainly to flights from South America to Europe and the US.
In a statement, Roberto Alvo, vice president of the Chilean-Brazilian airline, described this as a “complex and extraordinarily dynamic scenario”.
The global airline industry is facing a massive downturn in passenger numbers due to travel restrictions.
Prof Rogers tweeted the video, which demonstrates how effective soap can be and why it is important to wash your hands, on Wednesday.
Since then, it has been viewed more than 370,000 times.
Watch the video HERE
He flew back to the UK on Tuesday. Last night, he received an email from Public Health England to say another guest had tested positive for Covid-19 and he now had to stay home until 24 March.
Hotel guests say advice has been contradictory. At first, they were quarantined at the hotel until 10 March. A British person then tested positive on 2 March and they were told to extend self-isolation to two weeks from that date.
After returning to the UK on Saturday, one holidaymaker said the NHS's 111 service told him that wasn’t necessary and the original deadline of 10 March was enough.
The advice over the 24-hour travel window has also been confusing, they say.
Airlines told guests they would fly them back if they tested negative for Covid-19, but it had to be within 24 hours - when the virus could be carried undetected, but not passed on.
Some travellers have told us they flew outside that window, because of delays at the airport. Information wasn’t passed on from ground crew to airline staff and they missed their flight.
Mr Trudeau has no symptoms and is entering voluntary quarantine "out of an abundance of caution", the prime minister's office said.
"The doctor's advice to the prime minister is to continue daily activities while self-monitoring."
The closure starts immediately and will continue until 5 April, according to a statement made by the president’s office.
It includes primary schools, crèches, vocational training centres, universities, and koranic schools in both public and private sectors.
The decision followed the confirmation of the first coronavirus death in Algeria. A 67-year-old man died in hospital in Blida, south of Algiers. No further details were released.
Algeria on Thursday registered five new cases of the coronavirus, which brings the total number of confirmed cases to 24.
The authorities have also announced that eight patients who had been treated for Convid-19 in the country had fully recovered.
In a tweet, the president urged Algerians intending to travel to most affected areas of the country to delay their travel in order to prevent the spread of the virus.
The ban is another "big impact", as Mr Trump acknowledged to reporters on Thursday.
Last March, almost a third of America’s overseas visitors - about 850,000 people - came from European countries affected by the ban. They spent about $3.4bn, the US Travel Association estimates.
The ban will cancel more than 7,300 flights, or more than two million seats, with Germany and France accounting for the largest numbers, according to analysis by Cirium.
No wonder airline shares were decimated on Thursday and countries such as France were offering government assistance.
But the ramifications extend well beyond the industry.
Travel drives more than 10% of the global economy, accounting for one in 10 jobs worldwide, according to the World Travel and Tourism Council. In recent years it has been among the fastest growing sectors.
So if it’s hurting, others will too.
By the time the coronavirus hit Seattle and turned the city into the centre of the US outbreak, it had already spread rapidly in countries like Italy and Iran.
Despite this, Seattle doctors told me, their hospital wasn't ready for what was coming.
Dr Alex Adami of the University of Washington (UW) said: "None of us were actually trained in how to deal with the precautions for this disease, or what to do in terms of screening or providing care for these patients."
Hospital workers and patients were exposed to the virus as a result, he said.
Another doctor at the hospital, who asked to remain anonymous, said that failing to prepare was "foolish" and may have exacerbated the spread.
Initially, the hospital said that broader training was not needed, arguing that having only a small group of doctors working with coronavirus patients would limit exposure.
Hospitals in Seattle have since updated their procedures, but Dr Adami feared the same mistakes could be repeated elsewhere in the US.
"I want other hospitals in the US to look at this and say, 'what can we do better?'. I want people to look at this and learn the lesson that you have to be proactive and not reactive."
“The system is not really geared to what we need right now… that is a failing, let’s admit it,” he said. “The idea of anybody getting it easily the way people in other countries are doing it, we’re not set up for that. Do I think we should be. Yes. But we’re not.”
The US government has come under fire as the country has conducted far fewer tests than many other affected countries, including South Korea and Italy.
In an interview with CNN on Thursday, Vice President Mike Pence could not confirm how many Americans had been tested for the virus.
To limit the spread of Covid-19, the existing school closures and bans on public events attended by over 100 people have been ramped up. Now all events attended by over 30 people have been banned, but more critically - all bars, restaurants and pubs must now close from 20:00 to 06:00 local time.
For a country with the highest per capita beer consumption in the world, this represents an unprecedented interruption of normality.
To further prevent the spread of Coronavirus from abroad, citizens of 15 countries - China, South Korea, Iran, Italy, Spain, Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Sweden, Norway, the Netherlands, Belgium, the UK, Denmark and France - will be refused entry from midnight on Friday.
The Czech Republic is heavily reliant on foreign tourism – this will effectively suspend tourism overnight.
Those citizens with permanent or long-term residence in the Czech Republic will be allowed back in. However, a ban on Czech citizens visiting those 15 "at risk" countries will also apply to foreigners with long-term residence - meaning those who live here will now effectively be prevented from visiting their home countries for 30 days.
17:00
He begins by saying he chaired an emergency meeting with ministers from across the UK.
"It is clear that coronavirus continues and will continue to spread across the world and our country over the next few months," adds Mr Johnson.
"We have done what can be done to contain disease, which has bought us valuable time.
"But it is now a global pandemic and the worst public health crisis for a generation."
He adds: "I must level with you, the British public, more families will lose their loved ones before their time."
"The most dangerous period is not now, but some weeks away, depending how far it spreads," he says.
However, new measures are going to be in place.
They include:
Mr Johnson says they are only "considering the question of banning major events, including sporting fixtures" - not because of the spread of the virus, but because of the burden it puts on public services.
He also says schools should remain open.
17:17
Chris Witty says it is all about timing, adding: "If you move too early, people get fatigued. This is a long haul."
Mr Witty says he "cannot emphasise enough about washing hands" as it makes a real difference in the spread.
But he reiterates the call for anyone, even with mild symptoms, to stay at home for seven days.
"The virus seems to have its maximum transmission period around the time the first symptoms show and for two or three days after, then it declines, so by seven days, the majority are not infectious and fine to go into society.
"The evidence would appear to [show] some people with mild symptoms can spread this to a lot of people."
The UN's educational, scientific and cultural body, Unesco, says 46 countries now have nationwide school closures in place in response to the coronavirus outbreak.
Schools have been closed for different lengths of time in different places. For example:
Elsewhere, 13 countries have closed some schools in areas which have seen the most outbreaks, Unesco said.
These areas include Madrid in Spain and two regions in France - Brittany and the Oise region, north of Paris. Local reports also suggest most schools in Ukraine will be shut.
In the UK and Germany, a relatively small number of schools have been closed temporarily to allow for deep cleaning after staff or pupils tested positive or returned from high-risk areas.
Broadway - a key source of revenue for New York City - will shutter until 12 April, the New York Times reports .
The ban goes into full effect tomorrow, but Broadway shows will end tonight.
Many of the city's other cultural attractions, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Metropolitan Opera and Carnegie Hall, have also closed their doors because of the coronavirus outbreak.
The city currently has 62 confirmed cases of the virus. Across New York State, there are more than 200 total cases.
Narayan Prasad Bidari, Secretary of the Office of Prime Minister, said: “We have decided to halt all tourist visas until April 30."
Flanked by the health minister, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte announced new measures designed to limit the spread of the virus:
"The Netherlands is a patient and we must decide which treatment the patient needs and then look at how the patient responds to it," Mr Rutte said, rejecting criticism that the Netherlands had been too slow to react.
These new measures will remain in place until the end of the month.
Eurovision, the Invictus Games and the Dutch Grand Pix planned for May are immune, for now.
The Dutch response to the outbreak has been typically sensible, and comparatively understated within the EU - a source of pride for some and concern for others.
But in Dutch restrooms women are now scrubbing their hands more deliberately that usual.
The advice is wash your hands, and don't shake another person's.
There had been suggestions that they could be cancelled due to coronavirus.
But Mr Macron also announced that schools across the country would close from Monday.
The president also said businesses would be asked to allow staff to work from home. He also urged people over 70 and those with health issues to stay at home.
Public transport would remain operating, he added.
All schools will close from Monday and leave for medical staff has been cancelled.
Major sporting events have been cancelled. These include this weekend’s Alpine Ski World Cup at Kranjska Gora and the following weekend’s Ski Flying World Championships at Planica. All football matches have been postponed.
The incoming government - formed after Prime Minister Marjan Šarec's resignation this year - says it will enact further measures after it takes office tomorrow evening.
The NBA has suspended all matches until further notice after a Utah Jazz player tested positive for coronavirus.
The National Hockey League and the Major Soccer League have also paused their seasons.
And Major League Baseball has delayed the start of its season by at least two weeks.
From food delivery to getting paid, here's what you need to know about helping stop coronavirus.
Read more
As part of the new measures, people with symptoms are no longer required to call NHS 111, as the system is under strain. Instead they are urged to look for information on the NHS website and 111 online
Testing will now only focus on identifying people with the virus in hospital.
Read more on Boris Johnson's announcement here.
Philip Jansen said he was experiencing "relatively mild" symptoms and would work remotely. The firm is working with Public Health England to clean its offices and advise staff who had interacted with the executive.
"There will be no disruption to the business," Mr Jansen said.
The quarantine applies to four places around the village of Igualada, 50km north of Barcelona, where three people have died, Catalan media report.
Schools and universities across the country will close for two weeks, and the government announced it will give financial support to the badly affected tourism industry.
According to local media , schools will shut until at least the end of this month.
Prime Minister António Costa also said nightclubs will shut and the number of people allowed into shopping malls and restaurants will be restricted.
There have been 78 confirmed cases of coronavirus in the country.
Supermarkets and pharmacies will remain open. Other stores will remain open during the week but will close on weekends, according to local media .
The measures take effect from midnight on Saturday and will run until 3 April.
However schools are expected to remain shut for five weeks.
Three people out of 399 infected have died in Belgium.
He said on social media that he expected the results in a few hours.
His son Eduardo said earlier on Thursday that his father was not showing any symptoms.
Hours after Eduardo's tweet, a government statement said President Bolsonaro would be addressing the nation at 08:30 local time (23:30 GMT), without specifying what it would be about.
President Bolsonaro's communications secretary, Fabio Wajngarten, has tested positive for the virus. He was part of the president's entourage during a recent visit to the US, where he met President Donald Trump and Vice-President Mike Pence.
At least 73 cases have been reported in Brazil. Concerns about the virus' impact on the economy have also hit local stock markets - the B3 stock exchange dropped 13% by the close of trading on Thursday.
- President Trump suspends travel from European countries for 30 days
- The ban does not include UK
- Greece confirms first death
- National Basketball Association in the US suspends season
- Tom Hanks and wife, Rita Wilson, say they have the virus in Australia
- Daily cases in Hubei, China - where the outbreak began - reach new low
US issues travel ban to Europe
Welcome to the BBC's coverage of the ongoing coronavirus crisis.On the day that the World Health Organization declared the outbreak a pandemic, President Donald Trump addressed the nation from the White House to announce he was suspending travel from European countries - except the UK - for 30 days.
The ban comes into force on Friday.
The announcement comes in an effort to control the spread of Covid-19 into the US, where there are now 1,135 confirmed cases and 38 deaths.
US actor Tom Hanks tests positive for virus
US actor Tom Hanks and his wife actress Rita Wilson have both tested positive for coronavirus."We felt a bit tired, like we had colds and some body aches. Slight fevers too," he said on Twitter. "We will be tested, observed and isolated for as long as public health and safety requires."
The couple are in Australia, where Hanks is working on a film.
Which are the European countries affected?
Following President Trump's announcement, Homeland Security Acting Secretary Chad F. Wolf’s issued a statement with details of which countries were affected:"Today President Donald J. Trump signed a Presidential Proclamation, which suspends the entry of most foreign nationals who have been in certain European countries at any point during the 14 days prior to their scheduled arrival to the United States. These countries, known as the Schengen Area, include:
- Austria
- Belgium
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- Estonia
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- Greece
- Hungary
- Iceland
- Italy
- Latvia
- Liechtenstein
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Malta
- Netherlands
- Norway
- Poland
- Portugal
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- Spain
- Sweden
- Switzerland."
NBA suspends season
The US National Basketball Association (NBA) says it will suspend the season until a further notice after a Utah Jazz player tested positive for the coronavirus.The NBA has not announced who the affected player is, but Reuters suggests it is Rudy Gobert.
The league said it would use this "hiatus to determine next steps moving foward".
Cases in China's Hubei reach new low
China on Thursday reported eight new coronavirus cases in the province of Hubei where the virus first emerged.This is the first time Hubei's daily tally has been in the single digits.
Outside of Hubei, China had seven new cases - six of which were imported from abroad.
This brings the total number of confirmed cases in China to 80,793.
Cancelling Tokyo Olympics 'unthinkable' - Governor
Kyodo News in Japan is reporting the Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike as saying: "The classification of the coronavirus as a pandemic will have an impact on discussions about the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics, but for now cancellation is unthinkable."11 more cases in Thailand
Thanyarat DoksoneProducer, BBC News Bangkok
Eleven new cases have been reported in Thailand, bringing the total number of cases in the country to 70.
All new patients were part of a group of friends who hung out together - one of them had come into close contact with a friend from Hong Kong who reportedly had Covid-19 like symptoms.
Juventus player comes down with virus
Juventus FC have announced that Italian player Daniele Rugani has tested positive for coronavirus.The club says it would start "activating isolation procedures" for all those who have come into contact with the 25-year-old, who is "currently asymptomatic".
All sport in Italy has been suspended until 3 April.
Virus reaches French Polynesia
A member of France's parliament representing French Polynesia has tested positive, reports AFP.Maina Sage began feeling ill on Monday, two days after returning to the French pacific territory from France.
Sage is in self-isolation at her home and her symptoms were not considered serious, officials said.
The authorities did not say how she caught the virus. On 26 February she met French Culture Minister Franck Riester, who later tested positive.
India travel ban - a sign of panic?
Soutik Biswas, India CorrespondentOn Wednesday evening, India joined a host of countries which have imposed coronavirus-related travel restrictions on most incoming foreign traffic.
Experts say it was warranted – and the government is following the rulebook to prevent the spread of infection by visitors.
But it is also a sign of panic.
India’s Health Minister Harsh Vardhan has put on a brave front, saying India is “using all speed, scale and determination coupled with best practices” to prevent a coronavirus outbreak, which could easily overwhelm the world’s second most populous country.
It is true that despite a creaky and uneven public health care system, India has a formidable record in defeating polio, faced up to a swine flu pandemic in 2009 and most recently, handled an recent outbreak of the deadly Nipah virus .
One reason is its "integrated disease surveillance" programme which collects data on “epidemic prone diseases” every week.
The programme has rapid response teams to diagnose and control outbreaks in the event of an escalating illness in any area. It has mainly dealt with outbreaks of diarrhoeal diseases, chicken pox, food poisoning, dengue, measles and cholera.
A senior health official told me this same programme would be used for surveillance and contact tracing to battle coronavirus.
It is too early to say whether it has the ability and skills to deal with an outbreak of coronavirus. India’s health data is scanty, and mortality reporting far from robust.
Saudi Aramco apologises for sanitiser stunt
Saudi Arabia's oil giant Saudi Aramco has apologised after pictures started circulating on social media, showing a man walking around the Aramco office dressed up as a "human hand sanitiser"."In light of the recent social media photo of our colleague wearing a sterilisation package... [we] express our strong condemnation of this behaviour," Saudi Aramco said in a statement in Arabic, which has been roughly translated to English.
"The company immediately stopped this act and took measures to prevent it from happening again."
Death toll in collapsed hotel rises to 29
The number of people killed when a Chinese hotel collapsed at the weekend has risen to 29. The hotel was being used for virus quarantine.More than 70 people were in the hotel in Quanzhou; 27 died in the rubble and two died later.
Pakistani man dies in Italy
M Ilyas KhanBBC News, Islamabad
Covid-19 has claimed the life of a second Pakistani, this time in Italy. The 61-year-old man lived in Brescia in Lombardy.
Yesterday a Pakistani PhD student was reported dead in Wuhan, the Chinese city where the outbreak emerged.
No coronavirus deaths have been reported on Pakistani soil.
A 14-year-old from the Gilgit-Baltistan region has tested positive, bringing the total in Pakistan to 20. The teenager had recently travelled to Iran and returned on 4 March.
Kazakhstan suspends all public events
Kazakhstan is suspending all public events and taking other virus prevention measures, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev wrote on Twitter on Thursday.Separately, a World Trade Organization ministerial conference in Kazakhstan in June has been cancelled.
Uganda to 'spray' passengers
All passengers at Uganda's Entebbe International Airport will soon be sprayed with a disinfectant upon entry.It comes as the Uganda government introduced a mandatory self-quarantine policy for travellers arriving from 16 "high risk countries", including the UK and US.
The country currently has no cases of coronavirus.
Is it safe to fly?
It's a common belief that you are more likely to become ill on a plane, because you're breathing "stale" air.But in fact, the air on a plane may well be better quality than in the average office (and almost certainly better than a train or a bus). That's because the air you breathe on a plane is being cleaned by something called a high-efficiency particulate air filter (Hepa).
Read more on the risk to travellers here.
How long does virus last on surfaces?
It varies a lot on the type of surface.On hard surfaces - like door handles, lift buttons or kitchen worktops, it is probably around 48 hours. Although some previous research on coronaviruses has found they can survive for perhaps a week in the right conditions.
On soft surfaces like clothes it survives for much less time, so if you have a coat that has the virus on and you don’t wear it for a day or two, the virus shouldn’t be active anymore.
Remember, simply touching an infected surface will not give you Covid-19. You have to then pass the virus to your mouth, nose or eyes, so that’s why we need to stop touching our faces when out and about
Could London underground be closed?
Tom Burridge - Transport CorrespondentYou asked when the government might advise people not to travel in confined spaces like the London Underground.
The short answer is, when its health experts advise it to do so. It might never happen.
I spoke to a senior rail industry figure yesterday and they are thinking all scenarios through. However, the sense is that we’re not close to a ban on public transport at the moment.
It’s worth noting that public transport is still running in Italy, although services have been reduced.
For now, transport bosses in the UK say they’re reviewing cleaning procedures. Transport for London says it is using a more powerful disinfectant.
But irrespective of government advice, passenger numbers on trains have fallen as more people work at home.
First coronavirus death in Greece
The Greek health ministry has confirmed the country's first death of coronavirus.The patient was a 66-year-old man, who contracted the virus while on a religious bus tour of Israel and Egypt last month.
He died in hospital in Patras, about 204km (127 miles) west of Athens.
Several others who were on the tour with him are now in hospital or quarantined.
Entire Spanish government to undergo virus tests
The entire Spanish government are having tests for Covid-19 after Spain's equality minister Irene Montero tested positive for the new coronavirus, officials have announced.She and her partner, deputy prime minister and Podemos leader Pablo Iglesias, have been placed in quarantine, the statement added.
"This morning, all members of the government will undergo testing," it said. The results of the tests are expected to be released later on Thursday.
Republic of Ireland closes all schools
Schools, colleges and other public facilities in the Republic of Ireland will be closed from Friday, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said.Schools, colleges and other public facilities in the Republic of Ireland are to close in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak.
Taoiseach (Irish prime minister) Leo Varadkar said the measures take effect from 18:00 on Thursday until 29 March.
He said Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK would be briefed on developments.
Tánaiste (Irish deputy prime minister) Simon Coveney said airports and ports will remain open.
Mr Varadkar added that indoor mass gatherings of more than 100 people and outdoor gatherings of more than 500 should be cancelled.
He said people should work remotely when possible.
The first death linked to coronavirus has been recorded in the Republic of Ireland.
Mr Varadkar said shops should remain open and public transport will continue to operate.
'Inappropriate for Scotland to carry on as normal'
Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has said she will advise that mass gatherings of 500 people or more should be cancelled from the start of next week.Speaking at First Minister's Questions in Holyrood on Thursday, she said she anticipated a "sharp rise" in coronavirus cases in Scotland.
"Mass gatherings require to be policed, to have mass ambulance cover, and at a time when we need to be reducing the pressures on these frontline workers in order to free them up for the challenge ahead, I do think it is inappropriate that we continue as normal," Ms Sturgeon said.
"The health secretary and I have decided this morning that we are minded that we will advise the cancellation, from the start of next week, of mass gatherings of 500 people or more."
Slovakia to shut its borders
Slovakia is closing its borders to non-residents and shutting down international airports to prevent travel to and from the country, Prime Minister Peter Pellegrini has announced.Border checks will be introduced and schools, sports and leisure centres will close. Shopping centres will also only open on weekdays, the prime minister said.
The country has reported 16 cases of coronavirus so far.
Cruise ship firms cancel trips
Cruise ship firms have suspended upcoming trips in response to the coronavirus pandemic.Princess Cruises - which owns two coronavirus-stricken ships - will suspend all operations for two months, affecting all of its 18 vessels, it said.
The firm said passengers who are on board a Princess trip that is meant to end within the next five days will be able to continue as planned. Those who are meant to be on board for longer will have to get off at a port that suits them, it added.
Another firm, Viking, has also suspended its river and ocean cruises until 1 May.
Real Madrid players quarantined, La Liga suspended
Real Madrid has sent all of its football and basketball players home to self-isolate after a member of the Spanish club's basketball team tested positive for the virus.The teams share training facilities.
As a result, the La Liga football competition has also suspended all matches for two weeks.
La Liga officials met with the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) and the Association of Spanish Footballers (AFA) on Wednesday and Thursday, before making the decision.
The Real Madrid football team was due to play Eibar in La Liga on Friday, without any spectators.
Spain has more than 2,000 cases of coronavirus.
What is the coronavirus delay phase?
Fergus Walsh - Medical correspondentThe UK is expected to move to the delay phase of its coronavirus response. But what does that mean? And why - Jean Wright and John Barcroft want to know - has it not already been implemented?
It means further measures to try to reduce the spread and to lower the peak of any epidemic in the UK and it’s an acknowledgement that this virus cannot be contained.
We're not going to see the sort of drastic measures we've seen in Italy and in China in terms of lockdowns and shutdowns and mass school closures.
That’s because the government says they are being led by the science. They say they have to balance how much that would help reduce the spread against the impact on society and the economy.
The sort of things we will see will be advice to the elderly and vulnerable to protect themselves by avoiding crowded and enclosed spaces. There's a lot of emphasis on hand washing. People with cold and flu-like symptoms within the next few days may be asked to self-isolate for a week.
But restrictions on gatherings and that sort of thing - I don’t think we’re going to see just yet.
Austria reports first coronavirus death
Austria has reported its first death of coronavirus - a 69-year-old man who died in hospital in Vienna.According to local media, he had recently returned from Italy.
The country has also seen a rise in cases from 245 to more than 300 in the last 24 hours.
Chancellor Sebastian Kurz warned on Thursday that this number would rise to 1,000 within days, and then 10,000 a week after that.
"Anything that isn't necessary shouldn't go ahead," he said, public broadcaster ORF reported. "If you're asking yourself whether I should do something, it already means it's alright to do without it."
How the virus has spread - and how the world is responding
Globally, authorities have confirmed more than 124,000 cases of the coronavirus and more than 4,600 deaths.The World Health Organization (WHO) has labelled the outbreak a pandemic. According to its latest figures, the countries worst affected are:
- China - 80,980 confirmed cases and 3,136 deaths
- Italy - 12,462 cases, with 827 deaths
- Iran - 9,000 cases, with 354 deaths
- South Korea - 7,869 with 66 deaths
- France - 2,269 cases, with 48 deaths
- Spain - 2,140 cases, with 49 deaths
Death toll jumps in Spain
Coronavirus-related deaths and infections have jumped in Spain.New daily figures, released by the country’s health ministry , show 84 people have now died - an increase from 47 on Wednesday.
It added that there was 2,968 confirmed cases of coronavirus in the country.
UK ministers and scientists gather for emergency meeting
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson is hosting an emergency meeting with some of the country's chief scientists this afternoon.Mr Johnson is expected to sign off plans to move from the "containment" phase of the outbreak to "delay" - basically steps to slow the spread of the virus through the population.
Ahead of the meeting one attendee, Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, called for the cancellation of mass gatherings of 500 people or more.
Read more on how the UK could respond here.
Philippine capital Manila to be locked down
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has announced a "lockdown" of the capital Manila in a bid to combat the spread of coronavirus.Two people have died and 53 cases have been confirmed.
He announced a cancellation of domestic land, sea and air travel to and from the capital, as well as community quarantine measures.
The president also announced bans on mass gatherings, a month of school closures and the quarantining of communities where cases are detected.
UK deaths rise to 10 out of 590 confirmed cases
The number of coronavirus related deaths have risen to 10, according to the Department of Health and Social Care.A total of 590 people have tested positive out of 29,764 who have been tested.
15:41
More on the rise in UK deaths and confirmed cases.....
As we mentioned earlier, the number of deaths in the UK has risen to 10.There are now 590 confirmed cases in the UK, up from 456 on Wednesday - with 491 in England, 60 in Scotland, 20 in Northern Ireland and 19 in Wales.
It comes as the government is expected to announce within hours that it is stepping up its coronavirus response.
Read more here.
Netherlands bans gatherings of more than 100
Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte has banned meetings of more than 100 and told people they should work from home if possible, until at least 31 March. Companies are also being advised to rotate staff to reduce the risk of infection from coronavirus.The prime minister said he had introduced the measures because of the likelihood of "untraceable" cases of the virus in the Netherlands.
Latin America’s biggest airline cuts international flights
Latam, Latin America’s biggest airline, has announced it is cancelling 30% of its international flights because of falling demand as a result of the coronavirus.The measure will be in place between 1 April and 30 May and will apply mainly to flights from South America to Europe and the US.
In a statement, Roberto Alvo, vice president of the Chilean-Brazilian airline, described this as a “complex and extraordinarily dynamic scenario”.
The global airline industry is facing a massive downturn in passenger numbers due to travel restrictions.
'Soap is so ordinary - but it can kill a virus'
A video posted on social media by Lucy Rogers, a judge on the BBC's Robot Wars TV show, has been gaining interest online.Prof Rogers tweeted the video, which demonstrates how effective soap can be and why it is important to wash your hands, on Wednesday.
Since then, it has been viewed more than 370,000 times.
Watch the video HERE
Tenerife hotel guest told to extend self-isolation after flight home
One of the last British guests to leave the quarantined Costa Adeje Palace Hotel in Tenerife has been told he has to self-isolate for another 14 days.He flew back to the UK on Tuesday. Last night, he received an email from Public Health England to say another guest had tested positive for Covid-19 and he now had to stay home until 24 March.
Hotel guests say advice has been contradictory. At first, they were quarantined at the hotel until 10 March. A British person then tested positive on 2 March and they were told to extend self-isolation to two weeks from that date.
After returning to the UK on Saturday, one holidaymaker said the NHS's 111 service told him that wasn’t necessary and the original deadline of 10 March was enough.
The advice over the 24-hour travel window has also been confusing, they say.
Airlines told guests they would fly them back if they tested negative for Covid-19, but it had to be within 24 hours - when the virus could be carried undetected, but not passed on.
Some travellers have told us they flew outside that window, because of delays at the airport. Information wasn’t passed on from ground crew to airline staff and they missed their flight.
Canada's prime minister is self-isolating over virus
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will be self-isolating while he awaits the results of tests on his wife, Sophie Grégoire Trudeau.Mr Trudeau has no symptoms and is entering voluntary quarantine "out of an abundance of caution", the prime minister's office said.
"The doctor's advice to the prime minister is to continue daily activities while self-monitoring."
Algerian president orders school closures after death
Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune has ordered schools to close throughout the country in an attempt to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.The closure starts immediately and will continue until 5 April, according to a statement made by the president’s office.
It includes primary schools, crèches, vocational training centres, universities, and koranic schools in both public and private sectors.
The decision followed the confirmation of the first coronavirus death in Algeria. A 67-year-old man died in hospital in Blida, south of Algiers. No further details were released.
Algeria on Thursday registered five new cases of the coronavirus, which brings the total number of confirmed cases to 24.
The authorities have also announced that eight patients who had been treated for Convid-19 in the country had fully recovered.
In a tweet, the president urged Algerians intending to travel to most affected areas of the country to delay their travel in order to prevent the spread of the virus.
Trump travel ban: America and Europe will feel the pain
Even before President Trump announced the European travel ban, the airline industry was facing a more than $100bn hit due to the coronavirus. Companies at home and abroad have slashed flights, frozen hiring and taken out extra money to get them through the crisis.The ban is another "big impact", as Mr Trump acknowledged to reporters on Thursday.
Last March, almost a third of America’s overseas visitors - about 850,000 people - came from European countries affected by the ban. They spent about $3.4bn, the US Travel Association estimates.
The ban will cancel more than 7,300 flights, or more than two million seats, with Germany and France accounting for the largest numbers, according to analysis by Cirium.
No wonder airline shares were decimated on Thursday and countries such as France were offering government assistance.
But the ramifications extend well beyond the industry.
Travel drives more than 10% of the global economy, accounting for one in 10 jobs worldwide, according to the World Travel and Tourism Council. In recent years it has been among the fastest growing sectors.
So if it’s hurting, others will too.
'We weren't prepared for this' - Seattle doctors
Ashitha Nagesh -BBC News, LondonBy the time the coronavirus hit Seattle and turned the city into the centre of the US outbreak, it had already spread rapidly in countries like Italy and Iran.
Despite this, Seattle doctors told me, their hospital wasn't ready for what was coming.
Dr Alex Adami of the University of Washington (UW) said: "None of us were actually trained in how to deal with the precautions for this disease, or what to do in terms of screening or providing care for these patients."
Hospital workers and patients were exposed to the virus as a result, he said.
Another doctor at the hospital, who asked to remain anonymous, said that failing to prepare was "foolish" and may have exacerbated the spread.
Initially, the hospital said that broader training was not needed, arguing that having only a small group of doctors working with coronavirus patients would limit exposure.
Hospitals in Seattle have since updated their procedures, but Dr Adami feared the same mistakes could be repeated elsewhere in the US.
"I want other hospitals in the US to look at this and say, 'what can we do better?'. I want people to look at this and learn the lesson that you have to be proactive and not reactive."
Top US health official: Virus testing 'is failing'
The testing system for the coronavirus in the US is currently failing, according to the top health official on infectious diseases, Dr Anthony Fauci.“The system is not really geared to what we need right now… that is a failing, let’s admit it,” he said. “The idea of anybody getting it easily the way people in other countries are doing it, we’re not set up for that. Do I think we should be. Yes. But we’re not.”
The US government has come under fire as the country has conducted far fewer tests than many other affected countries, including South Korea and Italy.
In an interview with CNN on Thursday, Vice President Mike Pence could not confirm how many Americans had been tested for the virus.
Czechs refuse entry to citizens of 15 countries
Czechs famously like to appear stoical in the face of adversity, but the state of emergency declared by the government on Thursday afternoon is draconian in the extreme.To limit the spread of Covid-19, the existing school closures and bans on public events attended by over 100 people have been ramped up. Now all events attended by over 30 people have been banned, but more critically - all bars, restaurants and pubs must now close from 20:00 to 06:00 local time.
For a country with the highest per capita beer consumption in the world, this represents an unprecedented interruption of normality.
To further prevent the spread of Coronavirus from abroad, citizens of 15 countries - China, South Korea, Iran, Italy, Spain, Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Sweden, Norway, the Netherlands, Belgium, the UK, Denmark and France - will be refused entry from midnight on Friday.
The Czech Republic is heavily reliant on foreign tourism – this will effectively suspend tourism overnight.
Those citizens with permanent or long-term residence in the Czech Republic will be allowed back in. However, a ban on Czech citizens visiting those 15 "at risk" countries will also apply to foreigners with long-term residence - meaning those who live here will now effectively be prevented from visiting their home countries for 30 days.
17:00
Johnson: 'Worst public health crisis for a generation'
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson is beginning a press conference from Downing Street.He begins by saying he chaired an emergency meeting with ministers from across the UK.
"It is clear that coronavirus continues and will continue to spread across the world and our country over the next few months," adds Mr Johnson.
"We have done what can be done to contain disease, which has bought us valuable time.
"But it is now a global pandemic and the worst public health crisis for a generation."
He adds: "I must level with you, the British public, more families will lose their loved ones before their time."
New measures to be put in place, UK PM says
Prime Minister Boris Johnson says it is time to move to the next stage of planning."The most dangerous period is not now, but some weeks away, depending how far it spreads," he says.
However, new measures are going to be in place.
They include:
- Staying at home for seven days if you have, however mild, a new continuous cough or higher temperature
- Advise all those over-70s not to go on cruises
- Advise against international school trips
Mr Johnson says they are only "considering the question of banning major events, including sporting fixtures" - not because of the spread of the virus, but because of the burden it puts on public services.
He also says schools should remain open.
17:17
'This is a long haul' - UK chief medical officer
The UK's chief medical officer says the actions taken so far by the government has delayed the virus taking hold - but they must move to the next stage.Chris Witty says it is all about timing, adding: "If you move too early, people get fatigued. This is a long haul."
Mr Witty says he "cannot emphasise enough about washing hands" as it makes a real difference in the spread.
But he reiterates the call for anyone, even with mild symptoms, to stay at home for seven days.
"The virus seems to have its maximum transmission period around the time the first symptoms show and for two or three days after, then it declines, so by seven days, the majority are not infectious and fine to go into society.
"The evidence would appear to [show] some people with mild symptoms can spread this to a lot of people."
Italy death toll passes 1,000
Following news that the number of infections in Italy rose to 15,113 on Wednesday, officials have just reported that the death toll in the country has jumped in the last 24 hours by 189 to 1,016.The UN's educational, scientific and cultural body, Unesco, says 46 countries now have nationwide school closures in place in response to the coronavirus outbreak.
Schools have been closed for different lengths of time in different places. For example:
- Denmark is among the latest countries to shut all schools - and universities - for a fortnight. It took the decision after a sharp rise in overall cases, with 514 now confirmed
- Kazakhstan - where there are zero confirmed cases - has also announced schools will be closed from Monday
- Last week, Italy shut schools for about a month. It came after 2,500 cases were confirmed in the country
- Late last month, officials in Japan asked all schools to close until the end of school year in late March. The move came after 186 cases were confirmed
- Ireland closed all of its schools and colleges from 18:00 GMT today until 29 March
- Schools and universities have also been closed in Algeria, and will remain shut until 5 April
Elsewhere, 13 countries have closed some schools in areas which have seen the most outbreaks, Unesco said.
These areas include Madrid in Spain and two regions in France - Brittany and the Oise region, north of Paris. Local reports also suggest most schools in Ukraine will be shut.
In the UK and Germany, a relatively small number of schools have been closed temporarily to allow for deep cleaning after staff or pupils tested positive or returned from high-risk areas.
Broadway shuts down in New York City
New York State's Governor Andrew Cuomo has banned gatherings of more than 500 people - and those rules also apply to New York City's famous Broadway theatre shows.Broadway - a key source of revenue for New York City - will shutter until 12 April, the New York Times reports .
The ban goes into full effect tomorrow, but Broadway shows will end tonight.
Many of the city's other cultural attractions, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Metropolitan Opera and Carnegie Hall, have also closed their doors because of the coronavirus outbreak.
The city currently has 62 confirmed cases of the virus. Across New York State, there are more than 200 total cases.
Nepal cancels Everest climbing season
Nepal's government has cancelled the Everest expedition season amid the coronavirus pandemic.Narayan Prasad Bidari, Secretary of the Office of Prime Minister, said: “We have decided to halt all tourist visas until April 30."
White House to close to the public
One of the United States's iconic buildings, the White House, is closing its doors to the public. Normally visitors can apply for a guided tour of the building where the president lives and works, but that's been suspended until further notice.Dutch get serious about coronavirus
“Doe normaal” – behave normally - is a popular Dutch phrase which has neatly encapsulated the Dutch government response. Until today.Flanked by the health minister, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte announced new measures designed to limit the spread of the virus:
- A ban on gatherings of more than 100 people
- Colleges and universities told to offer students online tutorials (but primary and secondary schools will remain open)
- People with low immunity and the elderly advised to isolate themselves
- People who have coronavirus symptoms – cough plus fever - told to stay at home
"The Netherlands is a patient and we must decide which treatment the patient needs and then look at how the patient responds to it," Mr Rutte said, rejecting criticism that the Netherlands had been too slow to react.
These new measures will remain in place until the end of the month.
Eurovision, the Invictus Games and the Dutch Grand Pix planned for May are immune, for now.
The Dutch response to the outbreak has been typically sensible, and comparatively understated within the EU - a source of pride for some and concern for others.
But in Dutch restrooms women are now scrubbing their hands more deliberately that usual.
The advice is wash your hands, and don't shake another person's.
Macron confirms French elections will go ahead
French President Emmanuel Macron has confirmed that the country's local elections will go ahead.There had been suggestions that they could be cancelled due to coronavirus.
But Mr Macron also announced that schools across the country would close from Monday.
The president also said businesses would be asked to allow staff to work from home. He also urged people over 70 and those with health issues to stay at home.
Public transport would remain operating, he added.
Slovenia declares epidemic
Slovenia has declared a coronavirus epidemic. It follows a steep rise in the number of cases. There are now almost 100 patients with Covid-19.All schools will close from Monday and leave for medical staff has been cancelled.
Major sporting events have been cancelled. These include this weekend’s Alpine Ski World Cup at Kranjska Gora and the following weekend’s Ski Flying World Championships at Planica. All football matches have been postponed.
The incoming government - formed after Prime Minister Marjan Šarec's resignation this year - says it will enact further measures after it takes office tomorrow evening.
US suspends all major sport
All major sport in the US has been suspended amid the coronavirus outbreak.The NBA has suspended all matches until further notice after a Utah Jazz player tested positive for coronavirus.
The National Hockey League and the Major Soccer League have also paused their seasons.
And Major League Baseball has delayed the start of its season by at least two weeks.
Should I self-isolate and how do I do it?
From food delivery to getting paid, here's what you need to know about helping stop coronavirus.
Read more
A recap on advice from the UK government
As we mentioned earlier, Prime Minister Boris Johnson has announced that the UK government is moving to the "delay" phase of its plan to tackle coronavirus.As part of the new measures, people with symptoms are no longer required to call NHS 111, as the system is under strain. Instead they are urged to look for information on the NHS website and 111 online
Testing will now only focus on identifying people with the virus in hospital.
Read more on Boris Johnson's announcement here.
BT chief tests positive
In the UK, the chief executive of telecoms company BT Group has tested positive for coronavirus.Philip Jansen said he was experiencing "relatively mild" symptoms and would work remotely. The firm is working with Public Health England to clean its offices and advise staff who had interacted with the executive.
"There will be no disruption to the business," Mr Jansen said.
Leader of Spanish Vox party tests positive
Santiago Abascal, the leader of Spanish far right party Vox, has tweeted he tested positive for coronavirus and has gone into self-isolation.Meanwhile, four towns in Catalonia are the first in Spain to go into lockdown, after a cluster of cases was identified in the area.The quarantine applies to four places around the village of Igualada, 50km north of Barcelona, where three people have died, Catalan media report.
Schools and universities across the country will close for two weeks, and the government announced it will give financial support to the badly affected tourism industry.
How many cases in your area of the UK?
If you're living in the UK, you can use this BBC tool to find out how many cases of coronavirus are in your area.Portugal to shut schools from Monday
Portugal has become the latest European country to announce the closure of schools, starting on Monday.According to local media , schools will shut until at least the end of this month.
Prime Minister António Costa also said nightclubs will shut and the number of people allowed into shopping malls and restaurants will be restricted.
There have been 78 confirmed cases of coronavirus in the country.
Belgium closes schools and restaurants
Belgium has announced it is closing schools, cafes, bars and restaurants.Supermarkets and pharmacies will remain open. Other stores will remain open during the week but will close on weekends, according to local media .
The measures take effect from midnight on Saturday and will run until 3 April.
However schools are expected to remain shut for five weeks.
Three people out of 399 infected have died in Belgium.
Brazil's president tests for virus
Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has been pictured wearing a mask as he awaits the results of his test for coronavirus.He said on social media that he expected the results in a few hours.
His son Eduardo said earlier on Thursday that his father was not showing any symptoms.
Hours after Eduardo's tweet, a government statement said President Bolsonaro would be addressing the nation at 08:30 local time (23:30 GMT), without specifying what it would be about.
President Bolsonaro's communications secretary, Fabio Wajngarten, has tested positive for the virus. He was part of the president's entourage during a recent visit to the US, where he met President Donald Trump and Vice-President Mike Pence.
At least 73 cases have been reported in Brazil. Concerns about the virus' impact on the economy have also hit local stock markets - the B3 stock exchange dropped 13% by the close of trading on Thursday.
by 
61-BLUES
