by Summary for 20th March
Death toll passes 10,000, confirmed cases near 250,000
California announces a state-wide stay at home order for its 40 million people
China again reports no new domestic cases
Italy reported 427 more deaths on Thursday, overtaking China's toll
Argentina imposes a nationwide lockdown, the first Latin American country to do so
In the UK retired medics are being asked to return to work
The chancellor is preparing a wage subsidy plan to help protect jobs
Before the statewide California lockdown was announced, Los Angeles had already ordered all residents of the second-largest city in the US to stay inside their homes to "immediately limit all nonessential movement" in the face of the pandemic.
The pace of these developments really brings home how US officials seem to be racing against time to contain the virus.
"We're taking this urgent action to limit the spread of Covid-19 and save lives," Mayor Eric Garcetti said during an afternoon news conference before the state-wide measures were announced.
That's all "non-essential retail businesses" closing for now. The mayor said the orders would require the shutting of all indoor shopping malls, playgrounds and other gathering places - at least until the end of the month.
But Governor Gavin Newsom says he hopes the stay at home order will bring these numbers down.
"The point of the stay at home order is to make these numbers moot, so the projection no longer becomes a reality because we changed our behaviour."
"This is a dynamic situation. I don't expect this will be many many months but for the time being we are recognising the next eight weeks and we want to get that curve down. We want these numbers to be in the dustbin of history - that's why it's an order without a specific deadline."
California is the most populous state in the US with about 40 million residents.
You can read the full story here: California issues 'stay at home' order
Or at least, the leaders and delegations won't be meeting in person - turns out even a global summit can be done from home.
The White House said the meetings would take place remotely by videoconference "in order for each country to focus all of its resources on responding to the health and economic challenges of Covid-19," White House spokesman Judd Deere said.
The G7 summit is an annual get-together of the world's seven largest economies. That's Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States.
But all those countries are currently in crisis mode to stop the spread of the coronavirus and to shore up their economies against the impact the crisis is expected to have.
If the test is negative:
If they test positive for the virus:
Three of 13 people tested for the virus have returned positive tests, New South Wales Health Minister Brad Hazzard said.
The ship docked on Thursday with 2,700 passengers.
All citizens are banned from leaving their homes except to buy food and medicines until the end of March.
The number of coronavirus cases in Latin America has not reached European proportions.
But the BBC's Katy Watson in Sao Paulo, Brazil, says judging by decisions taken in the last few days, governments there are not taking any chances.
The nation banned non-essential gatherings of more than 100 people earlier this week to reduce the spread of the virus. Schools, public transport, and public squares are not included.
But this restriction will undoubtedly affect pubs, restaurants and other spaces.
Mr Morrison says: "If you've got a room, if you've got a premises, if you've got a meeting room or something like that, that's 100 square metres, then you can have 25 people in that room."
The nation's cases have more than doubled to over 700 in the past week.
The story is very different in each country, but there are some more vulnerable than others.
Here's one we think is important to point out: Haiti just had its first two cases. The country is already suffering from widespread poverty and the poor health care system would likely be unable to handle a widespread outbreak of the virus.
Haiti was one of the last Caribbean nations to remain coronavirus-free and had already stopped flights from many international destinations earlier this week in a bid to prevent the disease's entry.
The country declared a state of emergency, closing borders and imposing a curfew.
Only citizens, permanent residents and their families can travel to Australia after then. (Read more here)
Why is a densely populated country with more than a billion people testing so little?
The official assumption is the disease has still not spread in the community. Health authorities say 826 samples collected from patients suffering from acute respiratory disease from 50 government hospitals across India between 1 and 15 March tested negative for coronavirus. Also, hospitals have not yet reported a spike in admissions of respiratory distress cases.
But experts are not so sure.
Many of them believe India is also testing below scale because it fears that its under-resourced and uneven public health system could be swamped by patients.
National health officials are advising against gatherings of 10 or more people. But these spring breakers appear to have other ideas.
Enlarge this image Click to see fullsize
This is what a local train in Mumbai usually looks like
With Prime Minister Narendra Modi asking all citizens to stay home to avoid the spread of the coronavirus, India's massive public transit systems are severely curtailing services.
Public transport remains the main mode of travel for a majority of the country's citizens.
In the northern state of Punjab, all public transport has been suspended with immediate effect.
In the capital Delhi, the metro rail service in the capital Delhi will no longer stop at crowded stations, train frequency will be altered, and there will be random thermal scanning of passengers.
In Mumbai, there is talk that the local railway lines - considered the lifeblood of the city - could be halted in coming days. Uddhav Thackeray, the chief minister of Maharashtra state where Mumbai is located, said he "wants to see empty trains".
Buses in major cities will also no longer allow standing passengers, and the number of buses that ply has been halved in most cities.
The flame arrived on special chartered flight and was received by former Japanese Olympians, Saori Yoshida and Tadahiro Nomura.
But the event had been dramatically scaled back. The flame was taken through a guard of honour to a cauldron in the shape of a cherry blossom. The 200 local children who were due to welcome the flame were not there.
There has been mounting criticism of Japan insisting on sticking to the Olympics plans. Athletes have accused the IOC of putting them "in danger" by insisting it remains fully committed to the Games.
NASA's plan to return Americans to the Moon by 2024 has been dealt a blow as the space agency on Thursday ordered the shutdown of two rocket production facilities after one employee tested positive for Covid-19.
The two affected sites are in New Orleans and Mississippi.
The measure was announced a day after the election commissioner postponed parliamentary elections that were scheduled for next month.
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa had earlier said there was no reason to postpone elections.
He had been hoping to win a two-thirds majority in parliament, which would allow him to change the constitution.
The country has seen a spike in cases in the last few days - the number of active infections has almost doubled in the last three days.
The Government Medical Officers Association - a trade union of state medical professionals - has warned that Sri Lanka's case trajectory is even worse than that of Italy.
Later on in the UK, Chancellor Rishi Sunak is set to announce an employment and wage subsidy package to try to protect millions of jobs threatened by the pandemic.
Talks went on into the night with business groups and union leaders, who urged the government to help pay wages.
Many firms are warning of collapse, wiping out thousands of jobs, as life in the UK is largely put on hold.
BBC Economics Editor Faisal Islam says: "All sides were speaking with one voice about an unprecedented scheme to help workers get through a temporary economic stoppage."
The announcement will come just days after the government unveiled a range of financial measures , including £330bn ($385bn) in loans, £20bn in other aid, a business rates holiday, and grants for retailers and pubs.
Senior officials say the ex-employees are needed to boost frontline services.
Final-year medical students and student nurses could also be given temporary work to boost the ranks.
Some of these messages warn that doing this has led to several critical cases of coronavirus, especially in youth people.
Speaking to the BBC, medical professionals said that ibuprofen is not recommended for managing coronavirus symptoms.
The NHS says that, while "there is currently no strong evidence that ibuprofen can make coronavirus (Covid-19) worse, until we have more information take paracetamol to treat the symptoms of coronavirus, unless your doctor has told you paracetamol is not suitable for you".
Find out here.
Domestic flights to and from Manila are currently suspended, school classes have been cancelled and police and army personnel are manning quarantine checkpoints and enforcing evening curfews.
The British embassy in Manila say around 200 Britons in the country are currently affected by the travel restrictions. But the Philippine government says all foreign visitors will be allowed to leave the country unimpeded.
The ruling comes after the Philippines suspended the issuance of visas and visa-free privileges worldwide.
However there are exemptions to the rule. Foreign spouses and children of Filipino nationals are exempted, as are foreign government and international organisation officials and their dependents with previously issued visas.
The suspension of visas will last until 12 April.
There are 217 confirmed cases in the country but experts believe the real number of cases is likely to be much higher.
So how can you tell whether you might have the virus? What are the symptoms? And how is Covid-19 different from a normal flu?
Read more here on why cruise ships could be "petri dishes" for the viruses.
One person, Martin in Peterborough in the UK, asked: "Singapore got Covid-19 early. They now have only 313 cases reported and are cautiously re-opening schools. Should they be a model for others?"
The virus reached Singapore in late January. So far it hasn't actually closed all its schools - but it has just had the Easter holidays and schools are reopening as scheduled, at present.
Singapore took action very early to limit travel and take temperatures everywhere, and brought in a very efficient system to track and isolate close contacts of confirmed cases.
It has been widely praised but it wouldn't necessarily be possible in all countries, and now Singapore is seeing more imported cases, it may not be possible here much longer.
Read more on this here: How Singapore stayed one step ahead of the virus
Healthcare workers are urging people not to empty shelves as they - the ones who have to work the hardest right now - will then be unable to get food or provide for their families.
But can panic-buying be controlled and what is being done to restock shops?
Read our explainer trying to answer this question here.
He told the BBC that if the same mathematical models applied in the US or UK were applied to India, the country could be dealing with about 300 million cases, of which about four to five million could be severe. India has already implemented a series of wide-ranging measures to slow the spread of the virus.
Official figures show the country has 149 active cases, but many public health experts worry that the country has conducted far too few tests.
More information here.
- The government has pledged to ensure that all hospitals have enough protective gear and ventilators
- A list of key workers whose children will still be able to go to school after they shut later has been published
- The chancellor is set to announce an employment and wage subsidy package to try to protect millions of jobs, with many firms warning of collapse
- The death toll has risen to 144
- Train operators will gradually reduce services from Monday
- And the Catholic Church will suspend public Masses from Friday evening until further notice
Germany has had 31 deaths, up 11 in 24 hours. The number of cases has risen to 13,957, a rise of 2,958.
"We're seeing exponential growth," says Lothar Wieler of the Robert Koch Institute.
Hundreds of reservist medics have been contacted, the minister says, to help protect infrastructure and hand out medicines and equipment. The Bundeswehr has some 180,000 soldiers and 75,000 reservists and has already taking part in missions such as bringing Germans home from China.
Here is the latest advice from the UK Foreign Office broken down:
British nationals are advised against all but essential international travel. Any country or area may restrict travel without notice.
If you are currently abroad:
There's lots of information available about various travel circumstances here.
In a televised address to mark Nowruz, the Persian New Year which falls on Friday, he said: "Our nation has managed to reach its goals, despite difficulties... Iran will overcome the coronavirus with unity."
Some of Iran's busiest religious shrines have been closed. Shia pilgrims visiting the religious sites from across the Muslim world have inadvertently spread the virus to surrounding countries.
Senate Intelligence Committee chairman Richard Burr and his wife sold up to $1.7m (£1.4m) in stock in February shortly before the global market downturn.
Senate documents show the North Carolina Republican and his wife made 33 transactions, US media report. This is despite an article by Sen Burr shortly before the sell-off that said the US government was “taking steps to protect you” in the face of the outbreak.
Conservative Fox News host Tucker Carlson has said Sen Burr must resign. The senator denies any impropriety.
The historic measure does not affect citizens, permanent residents or their families.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has warned the nation that “things need to change” to halt the spread of coronavirus after more than 600 confirmed cases, with six deaths.
Travel plans have already been upended for many people, and families are likely to be split. There is uncertainty for about two million temporary visa holders currently in Australia.
This comes after the government asked people to work from home and avoid public places.
Among services affected:
Medical experts have warned of the renewed risk of a sustained outbreak because of residents returning from overseas, the South China Morning Post reports.
“This is the worst time to relax because we’re at the highest risk since this began,” said Prof Gabriel Leung, dean of the University of Hong Kong’s medical faculty and a member of an official expert panel on the outbreak.
“It is absolutely critical especially as we have this influx of Hong Kong returnees starting from a few days ago and continuing for the next few days. This is the highest risk and we must be extra vigilant.”
Hong Kong has had 208 cases confirmed so far and four deaths, Reuters news agency reports.
Under pain of a fine, everyone is told to stay at home unless they have a valid cause.
If you’re stopped by police, you need to have a document with you giving your address and the reason for your trip – which can be one of five:
If you don’t have the document, or if your reason is deemed to be fake or unsatisfactory, then you are in breach of the law, and thousands of fines have already been imposed.
In the main the orders are being followed, and across the country a strange silence and emptiness have descended – only comparable to what it must have been like in wartime, when normal activity stops and people hunker down at home, venturing out only occasionally to sniff the wind or to stay sane.
Being cooped up with children in a tiny Paris flat or on the 20th floor of a high-rise in the suburbs cannot be fun – and one of the key questions in the weeks ahead (and everyone assumes the fortnight’s confinement announced thus far is only a start) will be how people cope psychologically with this enforced domestic imprisonment.
Buckingham Palace said the move was “in line with government advice to avoid mass gatherings”.
The palace added in a statement that the situation would be “reviewed on an ongoing basis, with a view to restarting when appropriate”.
Defence Minister Ismail Sabri told reporters the decision was taken after people continued to go for walks in parks and eat out in restaurants, despite being asked to restrict their movements.
"We are confident that with the army's help, stricter enforcement can be carried out," he said, according to news agency AFP.
Malaysia has recorded more than 900 cases of the virus, with more than 500 infections stemming from a religious gathering at a mosque near Kuala Lumpur in February.
Two people have died so far.
The government is hoping the two-week lockdown - which has seen all businesses, schools, government offices and religious institutions close down - will help them contain the spread.
Elsewhere in the region:
But the president of the Rural Doctors Association of Australia has warned that trying to use those places – and other rural and regional areas – as a bolthole to isolate away from the cities is “a bad idea”.
Many worst-hit places in New South Wales, for example, already have higher-than-average proportions of older people, and few intensive care beds.
“People are thinking they are going to find protection – but if they become unwell they are likely to find themselves in a situation where it’s difficult accessing healthcare," Dr John Hall told the ABC’s Radio National.
Stopping short of imposing a full lockdown, the state prime minister, Markus Soeder, said that, as of Saturday, leaving the house was only allowed with good reason, including going to work, shopping, visits to the doctor or pharmacy, supporting others or visiting partners.
Outdoor sports and activity are still allowed, but only alone or with people from the same household.
The island passed emergency legislation requiring new arrivals to quarantine themselves for 14 days regardless of symptoms on Tuesday.
The 26-year-old man, who was arrested after failing to self-isolate on arrival, could face a fine of up to £10,000 or three months in prison.
Over in the US, some university students have also been defying warnings. Watch the video below of students flocking to Florida for their spring break.
In England, there have been 128 deaths and 2,756 confirmed cases. Services on the London Undderground network have been reduced further as part of efforts to reduce the spread of the outbreak.
Six people have died in Scotland , and there are 266 confirmed cases.
Northern Ireland has 77 confirmed cases , and the first coronavirus-related death was confirmed there yesterday. First Minister Arlene Foster has said she is asking people to "embrace the spirit of Northern Ireland and work together" to combat the outbreak.
Death toll passes 10,000, confirmed cases near 250,000
California announces a state-wide stay at home order for its 40 million people
China again reports no new domestic cases
Italy reported 427 more deaths on Thursday, overtaking China's toll
Argentina imposes a nationwide lockdown, the first Latin American country to do so
In the UK retired medics are being asked to return to work
The chancellor is preparing a wage subsidy plan to help protect jobs
California issues 'stay at home' order
California's governor has issued a statewide "stay at home" order to all residents due to the pandemic. They can only leave their homes when necessary.Before the statewide California lockdown was announced, Los Angeles had already ordered all residents of the second-largest city in the US to stay inside their homes to "immediately limit all nonessential movement" in the face of the pandemic.
The pace of these developments really brings home how US officials seem to be racing against time to contain the virus.
"We're taking this urgent action to limit the spread of Covid-19 and save lives," Mayor Eric Garcetti said during an afternoon news conference before the state-wide measures were announced.
That's all "non-essential retail businesses" closing for now. The mayor said the orders would require the shutting of all indoor shopping malls, playgrounds and other gathering places - at least until the end of the month.
More than half of California could contract virus
There's a lot of anxiety in California tonight after its governor shared projections that more than half of its population - roughly 20 million people - could come down with the virus.But Governor Gavin Newsom says he hopes the stay at home order will bring these numbers down.
"The point of the stay at home order is to make these numbers moot, so the projection no longer becomes a reality because we changed our behaviour."
"This is a dynamic situation. I don't expect this will be many many months but for the time being we are recognising the next eight weeks and we want to get that curve down. We want these numbers to be in the dustbin of history - that's why it's an order without a specific deadline."
California is the most populous state in the US with about 40 million residents.
You can read the full story here: California issues 'stay at home' order
G7 summit called off
The US has called off this year's G7 summit which had been scheduled for June in Camp David.Or at least, the leaders and delegations won't be meeting in person - turns out even a global summit can be done from home.
The White House said the meetings would take place remotely by videoconference "in order for each country to focus all of its resources on responding to the health and economic challenges of Covid-19," White House spokesman Judd Deere said.
The G7 summit is an annual get-together of the world's seven largest economies. That's Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States.
But all those countries are currently in crisis mode to stop the spread of the coronavirus and to shore up their economies against the impact the crisis is expected to have.
South Korea to test everyone coming from Europe
From 22nd March, as the number of imported cases start rising across Asia - South Korea is leaving nothing to chance - the country is set to test all arrivals coming from Europe.If the test is negative:
- South Korean citizens or those on long term visas will still be asked to isolate themselves for 14 days, either at home if they have an address in the country or in a government facility.
- If a foreigner arrives in South Korea from Europe for just a short term stay and tests negative for the virus, they will have to download a phone application to check their symptoms daily and they will be called by health officials every day.
If they test positive for the virus:
- They will be quarantined and treated according to their symptoms. All other travellers from overseas will face special entry procedures including a temperature check, medical questionnaire and daily checks on their symptoms via an application on their phone.
Urgent warning for cruise ship passengers
Passengers who disembarked the Ruby Princess cruise ship in Sydney, Australia, are being warned to self-isolate immediately, after three people tested positive for coronavirus.Three of 13 people tested for the virus have returned positive tests, New South Wales Health Minister Brad Hazzard said.
The ship docked on Thursday with 2,700 passengers.
Argentina locks down nationwide
Argentina earlier became the first country in South America to announce a national lockdown.All citizens are banned from leaving their homes except to buy food and medicines until the end of March.
The number of coronavirus cases in Latin America has not reached European proportions.
But the BBC's Katy Watson in Sao Paulo, Brazil, says judging by decisions taken in the last few days, governments there are not taking any chances.
Australia orders '4sq m per person' indoors
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison minutes ago announced that for indoor gatherings, people will need to have "four square metres per person in an enclosed space".The nation banned non-essential gatherings of more than 100 people earlier this week to reduce the spread of the virus. Schools, public transport, and public squares are not included.
But this restriction will undoubtedly affect pubs, restaurants and other spaces.
Mr Morrison says: "If you've got a room, if you've got a premises, if you've got a meeting room or something like that, that's 100 square metres, then you can have 25 people in that room."
The nation's cases have more than doubled to over 700 in the past week.
First cases in vulnerable Haiti
With all the focus on the US and California right now, the virus remains a global story and one by one is spreading to new countries.The story is very different in each country, but there are some more vulnerable than others.
Here's one we think is important to point out: Haiti just had its first two cases. The country is already suffering from widespread poverty and the poor health care system would likely be unable to handle a widespread outbreak of the virus.
Haiti was one of the last Caribbean nations to remain coronavirus-free and had already stopped flights from many international destinations earlier this week in a bid to prevent the disease's entry.
The country declared a state of emergency, closing borders and imposing a curfew.
Australia travel ban - an added stress for many
Australia’s ban on all visitors entering the country – which starts in about six hours – is the nation’s most far-reaching travel restriction yet.Only citizens, permanent residents and their families can travel to Australia after then. (Read more here)
Why is India testing so little?
India had tested some 14,175 people in 72 state-run labs as of Thursday evening - one of the lowest testing rates in the world.Why is a densely populated country with more than a billion people testing so little?
The official assumption is the disease has still not spread in the community. Health authorities say 826 samples collected from patients suffering from acute respiratory disease from 50 government hospitals across India between 1 and 15 March tested negative for coronavirus. Also, hospitals have not yet reported a spike in admissions of respiratory distress cases.
But experts are not so sure.
Many of them believe India is also testing below scale because it fears that its under-resourced and uneven public health system could be swamped by patients.
'Coronavirus is not going to stop me from partying'
Crowds of US university students have flocked to Florida for their spring break, defying recommendations from US authorities of social distancing and self-isolation to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus.National health officials are advising against gatherings of 10 or more people. But these spring breakers appear to have other ideas.
India restricts public transport
Enlarge this image Click to see fullsize
This is what a local train in Mumbai usually looks like
With Prime Minister Narendra Modi asking all citizens to stay home to avoid the spread of the coronavirus, India's massive public transit systems are severely curtailing services.
Public transport remains the main mode of travel for a majority of the country's citizens.
In the northern state of Punjab, all public transport has been suspended with immediate effect.
In the capital Delhi, the metro rail service in the capital Delhi will no longer stop at crowded stations, train frequency will be altered, and there will be random thermal scanning of passengers.
In Mumbai, there is talk that the local railway lines - considered the lifeblood of the city - could be halted in coming days. Uddhav Thackeray, the chief minister of Maharashtra state where Mumbai is located, said he "wants to see empty trains".
Buses in major cities will also no longer allow standing passengers, and the number of buses that ply has been halved in most cities.
Olympic flame arrives in Japan to uncertain future
The Olympic flame has arrived in Japan although it's anything but certain the Tokyo 2020 Games will even go ahead.The flame arrived on special chartered flight and was received by former Japanese Olympians, Saori Yoshida and Tadahiro Nomura.
But the event had been dramatically scaled back. The flame was taken through a guard of honour to a cauldron in the shape of a cherry blossom. The 200 local children who were due to welcome the flame were not there.
There has been mounting criticism of Japan insisting on sticking to the Olympics plans. Athletes have accused the IOC of putting them "in danger" by insisting it remains fully committed to the Games.
Virus shuts down Nasa sites
As millions of Americans are told they can't go the mall anymore, it turns out the US also might not be able to go to the Moon - or at least not when they'd hoped to.NASA's plan to return Americans to the Moon by 2024 has been dealt a blow as the space agency on Thursday ordered the shutdown of two rocket production facilities after one employee tested positive for Covid-19.
The two affected sites are in New Orleans and Mississippi.
Sri Lanka imposes curfew, postpones election
Sri Lanka has imposed a nationwide curfew from 18:00 pm local time (12:30 GMT) on Friday until 06:00am on Monday.The measure was announced a day after the election commissioner postponed parliamentary elections that were scheduled for next month.
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa had earlier said there was no reason to postpone elections.
He had been hoping to win a two-thirds majority in parliament, which would allow him to change the constitution.
The country has seen a spike in cases in the last few days - the number of active infections has almost doubled in the last three days.
The Government Medical Officers Association - a trade union of state medical professionals - has warned that Sri Lanka's case trajectory is even worse than that of Italy.
UK prepares package to protect jobs
If you're waking up in the UK and turning straight to news, good morning and welcome to our live coverage. We've covered major developments from the US, Australia and across Asia so far today from here in Singapore.Later on in the UK, Chancellor Rishi Sunak is set to announce an employment and wage subsidy package to try to protect millions of jobs threatened by the pandemic.
Talks went on into the night with business groups and union leaders, who urged the government to help pay wages.
Many firms are warning of collapse, wiping out thousands of jobs, as life in the UK is largely put on hold.
BBC Economics Editor Faisal Islam says: "All sides were speaking with one voice about an unprecedented scheme to help workers get through a temporary economic stoppage."
The announcement will come just days after the government unveiled a range of financial measures , including £330bn ($385bn) in loans, £20bn in other aid, a business rates holiday, and grants for retailers and pubs.
Retired medics urged to return to NHS
Letters are being sent to more than 65,000 retired doctors and nurses in England asking them to return to the NHS to help tackle the coronavirus outbreak.Senior officials say the ex-employees are needed to boost frontline services.
Final-year medical students and student nurses could also be given temporary work to boost the ranks.
The truth about coronavirus and ibuprofen
You might have received a WhatsApp message or two telling you not to take ibuprofen if you have the coronavirus.Some of these messages warn that doing this has led to several critical cases of coronavirus, especially in youth people.
Speaking to the BBC, medical professionals said that ibuprofen is not recommended for managing coronavirus symptoms.
The NHS says that, while "there is currently no strong evidence that ibuprofen can make coronavirus (Covid-19) worse, until we have more information take paracetamol to treat the symptoms of coronavirus, unless your doctor has told you paracetamol is not suitable for you".
Find out here.
Philippines bans entry of foreigners
Foreigners will no longer be allowed to enter the Philippines starting from midnight on Sunday, the Department of Transport has said.Domestic flights to and from Manila are currently suspended, school classes have been cancelled and police and army personnel are manning quarantine checkpoints and enforcing evening curfews.
The British embassy in Manila say around 200 Britons in the country are currently affected by the travel restrictions. But the Philippine government says all foreign visitors will be allowed to leave the country unimpeded.
The ruling comes after the Philippines suspended the issuance of visas and visa-free privileges worldwide.
However there are exemptions to the rule. Foreign spouses and children of Filipino nationals are exempted, as are foreign government and international organisation officials and their dependents with previously issued visas.
The suspension of visas will last until 12 April.
There are 217 confirmed cases in the country but experts believe the real number of cases is likely to be much higher.
Do you have the virus? Check these symptoms
With many people now confined to their homes, this doesn't mean they might not have caught the virus beforehand. And for all those who still have to go out, they're of course still at risk of getting infected.So how can you tell whether you might have the virus? What are the symptoms? And how is Covid-19 different from a normal flu?
- The symptoms start with a fever followed by a dry cough, which can lead to breathing problems.
- It takes five days on average to start showing the symptoms, but some will get symptoms much later than this.
- The incubation period lasts up to 14 days, the World Health Organization (WHO) says. But some researchers say it may be up to 24 days. More
Cruise ships and coronavirus
Cruise ships are again in the spotlight after three passengers on the Ruby Princess tested positive for the coronavirus. Here's a quick sum-up of the major cruise ship liners that have been affected by the virus:- Diamond Princess - This was the first and most major cruise ship incident, taking place earlier in February. The alarm was sounded after a former passenger tested positive for the virus and later died. Around 600 people on the cruise ship later tested positive for the virus. The ship docked off the coast of Japan and passengers were quarantined on the ship for weeks before they were eventually allowed to disembark
- MS Westerdam - This cruise, which left Hong Kong on 1 February, was turned away from more than five places in Asia over coronavirus fears - despite no passengers testing positive. It was eventually allowed to dock in Cambodia, but shortly afterwards, news emerged that a passenger who disembarked had tested positive for the virus. It was later revealed that this was a false alarm
- Grand Princess- This cruise liner was kept off the coast of San Francisco for five days after 19 crew members and two passengers tested positive for the virus. Passengers were eventually allowed off the ship in mid-March - those requiring urgent medical care were taken to hospital. Those not needing treatment were taken into quarantine
- Ruby Princess - Three passengers from the Ruby Princess tested positive for the virus after thousands of passengers disembarked in central Sydney. The passengers were on a cruise from Sydney to New Zealand. However, the danger now is that passengers came off the cruise with no knowledge of the virus being on the ship - it's highly likely that they might have walked around the city. The race is on now to contact the passengers
Read more here on why cruise ships could be "petri dishes" for the viruses.
Is Singapore a model for others?
Yesterday the BBC ran a dedicated live page with our experts answering your questions - you can read the whole page here.One person, Martin in Peterborough in the UK, asked: "Singapore got Covid-19 early. They now have only 313 cases reported and are cautiously re-opening schools. Should they be a model for others?"
The virus reached Singapore in late January. So far it hasn't actually closed all its schools - but it has just had the Easter holidays and schools are reopening as scheduled, at present.
Singapore took action very early to limit travel and take temperatures everywhere, and brought in a very efficient system to track and isolate close contacts of confirmed cases.
It has been widely praised but it wouldn't necessarily be possible in all countries, and now Singapore is seeing more imported cases, it may not be possible here much longer.
Read more on this here: How Singapore stayed one step ahead of the virus
Why stockpiling is wrong
We get stories on panic buying from pretty much around the globe. In the UK, Prime Minister Boris Johnson has urged shoppers to be sensible when buying food and groceries but it seems to have little effect.Healthcare workers are urging people not to empty shelves as they - the ones who have to work the hardest right now - will then be unable to get food or provide for their families.
But can panic-buying be controlled and what is being done to restock shops?
Read our explainer trying to answer this question here.
'India must prepare for a tsunami of coronavirus cases'
Dr Ramanan Laxminarayan, director of the Center for Disease Dynamics, Economics and Policy has warned that India could soon be dealing with a "tsunami" of coronavirus cases.He told the BBC that if the same mathematical models applied in the US or UK were applied to India, the country could be dealing with about 300 million cases, of which about four to five million could be severe. India has already implemented a series of wide-ranging measures to slow the spread of the virus.
Official figures show the country has 149 active cases, but many public health experts worry that the country has conducted far too few tests.
Who can still send their kids to school in the UK?
The government's advice is clear: if you can keep your children at home, do so. But key workers still have the right to send their children to school. These are workers in:- health and social care, including doctors, nurses, midwives, paramedics, social workers, care workers, and other frontline health and social care staff
- education and childcare
- key public services including those essential to the running of the justice system, religious staff, charities and workers delivering key frontline services, "those responsible for the management of the deceased", and journalists and broadcasters who provide public service broadcasting
- local and national government
- food and other necessary goods, including those involved in food production, processing, distribution, sale and delivery
- public safety and national security, including police and support staff; Ministry of Defence civilians, contractor and armed forces personnel; fire and rescue service employees, border security, prison and probation staff and other national security roles
- transport
- utilities, communication and financial services
More information here.
What's happening in the UK
- Letters are being sent to more than 65,000 retired doctors and nurses in England and Wales asking them to return to the NHS to help tackle the outbreak- The government has pledged to ensure that all hospitals have enough protective gear and ventilators
- A list of key workers whose children will still be able to go to school after they shut later has been published
- The chancellor is set to announce an employment and wage subsidy package to try to protect millions of jobs, with many firms warning of collapse
- The death toll has risen to 144
- Train operators will gradually reduce services from Monday
- And the Catholic Church will suspend public Masses from Friday evening until further notice
German army prepares to join fight against pandemic
Germany has so far seen fewer deaths than other major European countries but Defence Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer says the armed forces have been mobilised to take part in the fight, which she called a "marathon".Germany has had 31 deaths, up 11 in 24 hours. The number of cases has risen to 13,957, a rise of 2,958.
"We're seeing exponential growth," says Lothar Wieler of the Robert Koch Institute.
Hundreds of reservist medics have been contacted, the minister says, to help protect infrastructure and hand out medicines and equipment. The Bundeswehr has some 180,000 soldiers and 75,000 reservists and has already taking part in missions such as bringing Germans home from China.
Your UK travel questions
We've been getting a lot of questions from Asia to our User Generated Content team about travel to and from the UK.Here is the latest advice from the UK Foreign Office broken down:
British nationals are advised against all but essential international travel. Any country or area may restrict travel without notice.
If you are currently abroad:
- Check the travel advice for your location regularly and sign up to email alerts
- If you wish to leave the country you are in, contact your airline or travel company and your insurance provider as soon as you are able, and keep up to date with the latest developments. International travel may become more difficult. Assisted departure is only organised in exceptional circumstances
There's lots of information available about various travel circumstances here.
Iranian president praises healthcare workers
President Hassan Rouhani of Iran has praised doctors and nurses for their courage in fighting coronavirus which has killed 1,284 people and infected 18,407, in the world's third-worst outbreak.In a televised address to mark Nowruz, the Persian New Year which falls on Friday, he said: "Our nation has managed to reach its goals, despite difficulties... Iran will overcome the coronavirus with unity."
Some of Iran's busiest religious shrines have been closed. Shia pilgrims visiting the religious sites from across the Muslim world have inadvertently spread the virus to surrounding countries.
US senator urged to resign over stocks sell-off
A senator from President Donald Trump’s Republican party is facing calls to resign over allegations he used insider knowledge to sell off shares before their prices tumbled over coronavirus fears.Senate Intelligence Committee chairman Richard Burr and his wife sold up to $1.7m (£1.4m) in stock in February shortly before the global market downturn.
Senate documents show the North Carolina Republican and his wife made 33 transactions, US media report. This is despite an article by Sen Burr shortly before the sell-off that said the US government was “taking steps to protect you” in the face of the outbreak.
Conservative Fox News host Tucker Carlson has said Sen Burr must resign. The senator denies any impropriety.
Australia’s entry ban comes into force
(10:00) - Australia’s ban for all non-residents to enter the country has just come into effect (10:00 GMT).The historic measure does not affect citizens, permanent residents or their families.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has warned the nation that “things need to change” to halt the spread of coronavirus after more than 600 confirmed cases, with six deaths.
Travel plans have already been upended for many people, and families are likely to be split. There is uncertainty for about two million temporary visa holders currently in Australia.
Public transport services reduced around UK
Travellers face disruption as operators continue to cut their services because of falling demand.This comes after the government asked people to work from home and avoid public places.
Among services affected:
- Train companies Northern, TransPennine Express, South Western Railway and Great Western Railway are already running reduced timetables
- Other train operators will gradually cut services from Monday - although they will still run core services to ensure key workers can get to their jobs
- Transport for London have closed 40 Underground stations until further notice , while bus services will be reduced
- Buses in the West Midlands and Greater Manchester are cutting services
Hong Kong records biggest daily jump in cases
The Chinese territory says it has recorded 48 new cases of the virus, its biggest daily jump.Medical experts have warned of the renewed risk of a sustained outbreak because of residents returning from overseas, the South China Morning Post reports.
“This is the worst time to relax because we’re at the highest risk since this began,” said Prof Gabriel Leung, dean of the University of Hong Kong’s medical faculty and a member of an official expert panel on the outbreak.
“It is absolutely critical especially as we have this influx of Hong Kong returnees starting from a few days ago and continuing for the next few days. This is the highest risk and we must be extra vigilant.”
Hong Kong has had 208 cases confirmed so far and four deaths, Reuters news agency reports.
Spanish death toll passes 1,000
The death toll from the coronavirus in Spain now stands at 1,002, authorities say. Nearly 20,000 people have been infected while 1,588 people recoveredImprisoned at home in Paris
We are now on day four of the confinement restrictions announced by President Emmanuel Macron.Under pain of a fine, everyone is told to stay at home unless they have a valid cause.
If you’re stopped by police, you need to have a document with you giving your address and the reason for your trip – which can be one of five:
- Essential work
- Medical
- Urgent family matters
- Food shopping
- A brief excursion for exercise or to walk the dog
If you don’t have the document, or if your reason is deemed to be fake or unsatisfactory, then you are in breach of the law, and thousands of fines have already been imposed.
In the main the orders are being followed, and across the country a strange silence and emptiness have descended – only comparable to what it must have been like in wartime, when normal activity stops and people hunker down at home, venturing out only occasionally to sniff the wind or to stay sane.
Being cooped up with children in a tiny Paris flat or on the 20th floor of a high-rise in the suburbs cannot be fun – and one of the key questions in the weeks ahead (and everyone assumes the fortnight’s confinement announced thus far is only a start) will be how people cope psychologically with this enforced domestic imprisonment.
No more Changing of the Guard for now
The Changing of the Guard ceremonies at Buckingham Palace, St James’s Palace and Windsor Castle have been postponed until further notice.Buckingham Palace said the move was “in line with government advice to avoid mass gatherings”.
The palace added in a statement that the situation would be “reviewed on an ongoing basis, with a view to restarting when appropriate”.
Army to help enforce lockdown in Malaysia
Malaysia's army has been drafted in to help police enforce a nationwide lockdown as the country battles south-east Asia's largest outbreak.Defence Minister Ismail Sabri told reporters the decision was taken after people continued to go for walks in parks and eat out in restaurants, despite being asked to restrict their movements.
"We are confident that with the army's help, stricter enforcement can be carried out," he said, according to news agency AFP.
Malaysia has recorded more than 900 cases of the virus, with more than 500 infections stemming from a religious gathering at a mosque near Kuala Lumpur in February.
Two people have died so far.
The government is hoping the two-week lockdown - which has seen all businesses, schools, government offices and religious institutions close down - will help them contain the spread.
What’s the latest in the Middle East?
This year's celebrations of Nowruz, the Persian New Year, have been clouded by coronavirus in Iran, where 1,433 people have died and 19,644 have been infected. The authorities are hoping that people will stay at home during a two-week public holiday so that infection rates are reduced significantly.Elsewhere in the region:
- Saudi Arabia, where 238 people have tested positive, has placed restrictions on worship at Mecca’s Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque in Medina - the two holiest sites in Islam. Worshippers will no longer be allowed to pray in the overflow areas outside the mosques. Prayer services at all of the country’s other mosques have already been suspended.
- The Supreme Court in Israel ruled on Thursday night that a parliamentary committee must be set up to oversee the emergency powers given to the Shin Bet internal security agency that allow it to monitor the mobile phones of people with Covid-19 and tell people who may have been in contact with them to self-isolate. The health ministry said on Friday that 705 people were infected.
- In Egypt, where 196 cases and six deaths have been reported, the authorities have released four prominent activists who were demanding that prisoners be freed because of the risk of Covid-19 spreading through jails. Rabah al-Mahdy, Mona Seif, Ahdaf Soueif and Laila Soueif were released from a police station in Cairo on Thursday, the news site Mada Masr reported. They have been charged with taking part in an unlawful protest and spreading false news.
Australians warned against exodus from cities
After Australia’s devastating bushfires, a tourism campaign urged people to visit the hardest hit areas to help get the economy back on track.But the president of the Rural Doctors Association of Australia has warned that trying to use those places – and other rural and regional areas – as a bolthole to isolate away from the cities is “a bad idea”.
Many worst-hit places in New South Wales, for example, already have higher-than-average proportions of older people, and few intensive care beds.
“People are thinking they are going to find protection – but if they become unwell they are likely to find themselves in a situation where it’s difficult accessing healthcare," Dr John Hall told the ABC’s Radio National.
Bavaria restricts personal movement
It has become the first German state to order widespread restrictions on personal movement.Stopping short of imposing a full lockdown, the state prime minister, Markus Soeder, said that, as of Saturday, leaving the house was only allowed with good reason, including going to work, shopping, visits to the doctor or pharmacy, supporting others or visiting partners.
Outdoor sports and activity are still allowed, but only alone or with people from the same household.
First British arrest for failing to self-isolate
A man has been arrested for allegedly failing to self-isolate after arriving on the Isle of Man - thought to be the first person held in the British Isles for breaching quarantine rules.The island passed emergency legislation requiring new arrivals to quarantine themselves for 14 days regardless of symptoms on Tuesday.
The 26-year-old man, who was arrested after failing to self-isolate on arrival, could face a fine of up to £10,000 or three months in prison.
Over in the US, some university students have also been defying warnings. Watch the video below of students flocking to Florida for their spring break.
Third death in Wales
A third person has died in Wales after being diagnosed with coronavirus. Aged 71, the person had underlying health conditions. There are 170 confirmed cases in Wales, according to the latest figures. As in the rest of the UK, all schools are to shut today.In England, there have been 128 deaths and 2,756 confirmed cases. Services on the London Undderground network have been reduced further as part of efforts to reduce the spread of the outbreak.
Six people have died in Scotland , and there are 266 confirmed cases.
Northern Ireland has 77 confirmed cases , and the first coronavirus-related death was confirmed there yesterday. First Minister Arlene Foster has said she is asking people to "embrace the spirit of Northern Ireland and work together" to combat the outbreak.
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