Coronavirus - 25th March

Summary for 25th March


   -  India's 1.3 billion people went into lockdown at midnight
   -  PM Narendra Modi announced a "total ban" on leaving homes, but some shops are staying open
   -  US lawmakers have agreed a $2 trillion stimulus package
   -  New York's governor says virus is racing "like a bullet train" through state
   -  Global cases exceed 400,000 with deaths approaching 20,000

---

Australia 'very worried about rate of rise'

Good morning from Australia, which is ramping up response measures. About 2,300 people here have now tested positive – it was about 600 a week ago.
"We are very worried about the rate of the rise. It is a very, very steep growth," chief medical officer Dr Brendan Murphy told Australians last night.
From midnight, strict limits will apply to people attending funerals and weddings. Many businesses have been ordered to close - we have more details here .
For the first time, Prime Minister Scott Morrison has also expressly discouraged gatherings at home.
This morning, he added elective surgeries would be banned and a new taskforce would be created to stimulate businesses.
New South Wales, which has more than 1,000 cases, said its first children under 10 had tested positive: a two-month-old boy and a seven-year-old girl.

'Hunger may kill us before the virus'

Millions of daily-wage workers across India have found themselves in a predicament - do they abide by a government lockdown and stay at home with no wages? Or do they risk their lives to go out to work?
Some say they don't have much of a choice.
"I know everything about coronavirus. It's very dangerous," a water bottle-seller told the BBC's Vikas Pandey.
"But for people like us, the choice is between safety and hunger. What should we pick?"
Read more about their struggles, here.

Officials point fingers over Australia ship 'disaster'

As we’ve been reporting, the decision to allow passengers off the Ruby Princess cruise ship in Sydney last Thursday is being seen as a catastrophic error.
One woman has died and there are least 130 cases.
Passengers have contacted the BBC saying they received no warnings at all. A furious public has been calling for accountability.

• How did the Ruby Princess disaster happen?
  

In response, the Australian Border Force (ABF) spoke out this morning to point the finger squarely at state health officials.
ABF commissioner Michael Outram said the ship’s doctor flagged flu-cases two days before arrival in Sydney.
New South Wales (NSW) Health assessed this information but cleared the ship as “low risk”. It dismissed doing an on-board medical check at port, and told the Ruby it was free to disembark.
“The decision to allow them off … was one of the New South Wales Health,” said Mr Outram.
NSW Health has defended itself, saying it followed national protocols. This morning it stressed all cases so far had been exposed on the ship – something they couldn’t have prevented.
But they didn’t address the critics questioning why they let infected passengers off the ship to then go home to their individual countries.
Authorities were still seeking to “identify an onward transmission from any contact with those people travelling home”.

Why are 1.3 billion people under lockdown?

India is a crowded place and many of life's every day activities include being around lots of people - which is what makes it a difficult place to control the virus.

• Taking the train to work - between 85 - 90% of people who use trains travel in overcrowded second-class coaches
  
• Going to a place of worship, for many it's a daily activity to take part in congregations or religious musical functions
  
• Big or joint families - it's not uncommon for three generations to live together. One infected person could mean the entire family, including grandparents, get sick.
  

The BBC's Soutik Biswas in Delhi says these are the reasons India requires a "hard" lockdown to fight the virus.
But the lockdown isn't without its challenges. Read more from him here.

Enlarge this image Click to see fullsize

What is open after India lockdown?

Indians across the country were told to stay at home starting today, and it kicked off a night of chaos which saw long lines and panic buying across supermarkets, pharmacies and other essential shops.
After the speech by PM Narendra Modi announcing the complete shutdown a ministry statement clarified what exactly would be allowed to stay open:

• Shops dealing with food, groceries, fruits and vegetables etc. However, district authorities may encourage home deliveries to be carried out instead
  
• Banks, insurance offices and ATMs
  
• Print and electronic media
  
• Petrol stations
  

When and how people can step outdoors varies by state and authorities are expected to clarify the rules today.

Indian students stranded on Bangladesh border

Wailur Rahman - BBC Bengali Service
About 100 medical students from India are stranded on the Bangladesh border, as they are not being allowed to enter the country.
Benapole land port deputy director Mohammed Mamun Kabir Tarafder told the BBC that Bangladesh had cleared the students to leave, but Indian port authorities are refusing to let anyone enter.
Bangladesh has closed all its educational institutes in a bid to stop the spread of coronavirus.
The 100 students are all from Indian-administered Kashmir, Mr Mamun said.
"Everyone here has Indian passports and legal visas, so we don’t know what to do in this situation," he added.

US death toll almost at 800

The United States has seen its deadliest day of the outbreak so far with the overall death toll now at almost 800.
The World Health Organization (WHO) says the US could become the next global epicentre of the pandemic, citing a "very large acceleration" in infections.
The WHO had first identified the epicentre in China where the virus first broke out, then in Europe where Italy has seen the highest number of deaths worldwide.
The US is thought to be only at the beginning of its outbreak and authorities are warning they are expecting things to get worse over the next weeks. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has warned that his state's soaring numbers are giving a bleak outlook for what has to be expected for the country as a whole.
Across the US, there are around 55,000 people confirmed to be infected. The worst hit states are New York and California. Many states have implemented lockdowns to a varying degree, shutting down much of daily life in many major cities.

US sailors test positive for virus

Three sailors on board aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt in the Philippine Sea have now tested positive for the virus.
A US defence official told me all staff who were in close contact with the three sailors have been identified and are now being tested for the coronavirus.
This is the first known case of the virus on board a US military ship at sea.
The official wouldn’t disclose the number of people who had been placed in quarantine but did say the warship has around 5,000 people on board.
The three sailors are due to be evacuated from the ship by helicopter to a Department of Defence hospital in the Pacific.The official confirmed that the facility isn’t in the Philippines.
Earlier this month the warship docked in Da Nang, Vietnam, and the sailors were allowed to go ashore, although it hasn’t been confirmed where they contracted the virus.

Quarantine among quokkas for 800 cruise passengers

Following the Ruby Princess debacle in Sydney, Western Australia has effectively banned cruise ships from docking in Perth.
Eight hundred Australian passengers on cruise liner Vasco de Gama, due to arrive on Friday, will now be quarantined on nearby Rottnest Island - best known as home to the quokka, a famously cute marsupial.
Foreign passengers, however, will have to stay on board until they can be flown out directly, said Premier Mark McGowan.
The state has also blocked two other cruise ships from docking. The Magnifica and Artana have both reported unwell passengers on board.

Singapore's surgical knife 'lockdown'?

As India joins several other countries around the world in imposing a total lockdown, here in Singapore the government has been taking a more delicate approach.
We're seeing a second spike in cases caused by returning residents infected with the virus, and in recent days authorities have swiftly and progressively introduced social distancing measures.
The latest round was announced last night - all bars, nightclubs, cinemas, theatres and tuition centres must close, religious services are suspended, and people cannot meet in groups larger than 10. But schools remain open, as do malls, shops and restaurants.
You could call it a surgical knife "lockdown", where the government methodically carves out areas of public life to shut down, while still maintaining some semblance of normality.
Singaporeans for the most part have calmly complied, even as day by day our lives are becoming increasingly restricted.But don't call it an actual lockdown - at least to the leaders' faces. In a press briefing last night, the minister overseeing the government's coronavirus taskforce Lawrence Wong rejected suggestions that Singapore was entering a lockdown

Diamond Princess leaves Japan

Remember the Diamond Princess? That's the cruise ship in Japan which at one time had the biggest coronavirus cluster outside China.
The Japanese city of Yokohama on Wednesday said the cruise ship would leave the port later today.
In early February, the vessel was quarantined in Yokohama and remained on lockdown for nearly a month. In the end, more than 700 of the 3,711 passengers and crew were infected, and at least 20 of those have died.
Since then, a number of cruise ships around the world have had coronavirus infections or been blocked from ports.
The latest cruise ship drama is the Ruby Princess.

Conflict-torn Libya confirms first coronavirus case

Libya's Centre for Disease Control has announced the North African country’s first confirmed case of coronavirus.
This comes after both the internationally-recognised government in Tripoli and the rival administration in the east of the country imposed strict travel measures, shutting their air space and land borders last week.
Libya has been torn by conflict since Nato-backed forces overthrew long-serving ruler Muammar Gaddafi in 2011.

'Only go to work if you can't do it from home'

That's the message from UK Health Secretary Matt Hancock, who said Britons should only leave home to go to work "where absolutely necessary and [it] cannot be done from home".
Pictures on Tuesday showed workers in London packed tightly together in Tube carriages, despite warnings that people should keep two metres paprt.
The mayor of London Sadiq Khan called for people to stop packing into trains, saying "stop Tube travel or more will die". Last week, a number of stations were closed and services reduced , which has exacerbated the congestion.
More than 130 people have died in London from Covid-19 - a third of the whole of the UK total.

Facebook sees massive surge on video calls

Facebook has seen usage across its platforms surge in countries that have brought in virus lockdowns.
Italy - with some of the toughest restrictions - has seen the biggest rise, with group video calls rocketing by more than 1,000% in the last month.
The social media giant said total messaging traffic on all its platforms had increased 50% on average across the hardest hit countries.

Barbecue-goers defy new rules

The barbecue most go on?
That was clearly the aim for 20 people in the English city of Coventry, who stood "shoulder to shoulder" for a barbecue - despite the government ordering an end to gatherings of more than two people.
They refused to disperse even after police reminded them of the new measures. Officers eventually had to tip the barbecue over to put an end to the party.

US lawmakers agree deal

The Senate and White House have reached a deal on a $2 trillion stimulus package for the US economy.
"At last, we have a deal," Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said, citing the massive "wartime level of investment into our nation".
The Senate and House of Representatives still need to pass the legislation before sending it to President Donald Trump for his signature.

A breakdown of the virus in India - more than 500 cases

India is now reporting 512 active Covid-19 cases, but some states have been hit worse than others.
The first case was in Kerala, a southern state with a robust public health system - a student from Wuhan university tested positive at the end of January, and has since recovered.
But a month on, Kerala has the highest number of infections at 109, followed by Maharashtra, which has 101.
Cases across India have spiked in the last week.
Rajasthan, a popular tourist destination, where 16 Italians tested positive in early March has reported 32 cases, but the BBC's Soutik Biswas reports that one of its cities could be a virus hotspot

'Significant milestone' as Hubei edges out of lockdown

As we've mentioned, China's Hubei has resumed its first transport links with the rest of the country as the province where the coronavirus outbreak started emerges from months of lock down.
Trains are now leaving Hubei province but not yet Wuhan city; it’s the same story with flights, though several large airports remain closed.
Chinese television has carried images of residents cheering as roadblocks came down, allowing people who’ve been cooped-up for months to finally drive out of the province.
The lockdown in Hubei is being lifted in stages. The worse hit city of Wuhan won’t re-establish transport links until the 8th of April and only those with health clearance are being allowed to travel.
However, the re-opening of Hubei to the outside world is seen as a significant milestone in China where the coronavirus emergency appears to be under control, at least for the time being.

'Extremely likely' Greta Thunberg had virus

Swedish teenager Greta Thunberg says it is "extremely likely" that she had the Covid-19 virus.
In an Instagram post, the teenager who inspired climate strikes across the world, said she had felt ill after she and her father returned from a trip around Europe.
She said she had "shivers, sore throat and cough" and decided to self-isolate. She has now "basically recovered".
She called on young people to take the virus seriously, saying their actions could be "the difference between life and death for many others".

South Korea to send test kits to US

South Korean President Moon Jae-in has revealed that the US has asked South Korea to provide coronavirus testing kits.
He made the remarks during a visit to a Covid-19 test kit supplier in the capital Seoul. He said his government was getting ready to export testing kits around the world.
“Yesterday, the US President Donald Trump made a request to us for the urgent provision of test kits and quarantine products," President Moon said.
The presidential office said that the South Korean leader told Mr Trump that his administration is willing to send the supplies if spare equipment is available.

UK Parliament 'to close' on Wednesday

Several sources have told the BBC that the UK Parliament will close tonight, after the emergency laws to deal with the coronavirus crisis have been passed and granted royal assent.
MPs will vote on whether to close Parliament later, with the plan to return on 21 April.

Japan reels from Olympics delay decision

In Japan the questions and recrimination have begun over who is going to pay the cost of delaying the Olympic Games by a year. According to some Japanese newspapers that cost could be as high as $6bn (£5.1bn). Tens of thousands of hotel bookings will be cancelled.
But, they claim, the International Olympic Committee will not lose a penny. Japan will have to bear the whole cost itself.
Others question why on Monday the Japanese Olympic committee said there would be no decision for another month, and then a day later suddenly announced the Games were being moved. Was the decision forced on Japan by the Olympic Committee?
Most ordinary Japanese people seem to have accepted that a delay was inevitable. Opinion polls before the announcement showed 70% thought the Games could not go ahead because of the Covid-19 pandemic. But on social media many are now asking whether a delay of one year will be enough – and whether the decision was based on scientific data – or on politics.
Some have already pointed out that Shinzo Abe will have to step down as Prime Minister in September 2021.

UK prisoners may be freed to ease pressure

Some prisoners in England and Wales could be released temporarily in a bid to ease pressure on jails.
Around 3,500 prison staff have taken time off work - the majority of them sick or self-isolating. Many prisons in the country are already overcrowded as it is.
Justice Secretary Robert Buckland said releasing some inmates could help "alleviate" pressures.
He said he was looking "very carefully" at whether 50 pregnant prisoners could be released, adding that around 9,000 inmates who are awaiting trial could be transferred to bail hostels.

Hand sanitiser factory 'up and running' in days

UK chemical giant Ineos is set to build a plant within about 10 days dedicated to hand sanitiser near Middlesbrough. It’s thought that it will produce one million bottles a month.
Tom Crotty, the firm’s director, spoke to the BBC’s Today programme.
“We already make the fundamental raw material, ethanol, at one of our sites. It was apparent that there just wasn’t enough gel in the market for people to get - certainly not enough for the NHS, but even on the supermarket shelves. So why not make the gel ourselves, bottle it and get it out there?”
He added: “We already have expertise in this area, we have a spare building we can use, we’re installing the new kit as we speak and we’re hoping to have production up and running within those 10 days.
“Normally, we’d spend six months researching a market. But we’ve done none of that - we thought let’s just start and see how it goes."

Malaysia extends lockdown

Malaysia will extend its two-week lockdown and is also planning another stimulus package to help its economy.
The country is already the worst-hit one in south east Asia and the number of confirmed infections continues to grow.
With another 172 positive tests, the total number confirmed cases is now just under 1,800. The country closed its borders last week, cut down internal movement and shut down all schools and non-essential businesses until end of March. The extension will now take that to 14 April.
Malaysia has recorded 17 virus deaths so far. Most of the positive tests have been linked to a religious gathering in February, which had more than 16,000 people attending.

9:16

Tube carriages remain 'squashed'

London Underground passengers have been complaining about carriages being crowded again this morning despite continued warnings to limit non-essential travel.
One passenger - a senior nurse named Danny - posted on Twitter: “Another busy tube. Can we not stagger people’s start times so we aren’t all squashed on the same tube!"
London Mayor Sadiq Khan said early data from Wednesday morning suggested Tube travel was down a third compared to yesterday.
He added that a third of Transport for London staff, including drivers, were off sick or self-isolating, meaning the service couldn't run any more trains.

Worsening outbreak - the latest in Europe

European governments have put in place strict measures to stop the spread of coronavirus. But there are fears still more needs to be done, as the outbreak continues to worsen across the continent.
Here are the latest developments

• Spain: Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez will today ask parliament to extend the country's state of emergency for another two weeks to 11 April. Spain's infection numbers and the death toll have soared in recent days, making it the worst affected European country after Italy. Worryingly, more than 5,000 of its 40,000 confirmed cases are healthcare workers.
  
• France: On Tuesday, France became the fifth country to suffer more than 1,000 deaths since the outbreak began. And Jerome Salomon, the country's top health official, has warned that the number could be even higher - the 1,100 confirmed total only counts people who died in hospitals. Scientific advisers say the strict lockdown measures are the only effective tool, and want them extended for up to six weeks, from the initial 15 day period.
  
• Italy: The world's worst affected country has increased punishments for breaking its control measures, including fines of thousands of euros and five-year prison terms for anyone who tests positive for the coronavirus and breaks quarantine. Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte has denied suggestions the lockdown will last until July, saying it will end as soon as possible.
  

Prince Charles tests positive for coronavirus

Prince Charles - the heir to the British throne - has tested positive for coronavirus, according to palace officials.
A little more on the news that Prince Charles has tested positive for coronavirus.
A Palace statement says: "He has been displaying mild symptoms but otherwise remains in good health and has been working from home throughout the last few days as usual."
The spokesman says his wife, the Duchess of Cornwall, has also been tested but does not have the virus.
The royal couple are now self-isolating at home in Scotland.
The statement added: "It is not possible to ascertain from whom the Prince caught the virus owing to the high number of engagements he carried out in his public role during recent weeks."
Prince Charles attended what is believed to be his most recent public appearance on 12 March.
According to the Court Circular record of the Royal Family's engagements, the Prince of Wales attended a dinner in aid of the Australian Bushfire Appeal at Mansion House in the City of London.
Pictures from the occasion show Prince Charles giving a speech and mingling with attendees.
We also now understand that he met his mother the same day, though precise details of that occasion are unclear. The Queen remains "in good health", according to palace officials.

Jordan eases curfew - the latest in the Middle East

n Jordan, where 153 confirmed cases of Covid-19 have been reported, the government has eased an indefinite curfew.
Ministers announced on Monday that people would not be permitted to leave their homes and that municipalities would deliver essential goods like bread and water.
But on Tuesday, Prime Minister Omar Razzaz said people would now be allowed to leave the homes on foot during the day to go to local grocery shops, bakeries and pharmacies.
In other developments:

• Iran: President Hassan Rouhani has warned that his government is set to impose tough new measures against the coronavirus. He said they would include restrictions on movement and were likely to be “difficult” for the public. Despite being by far the hardest-hit country in the region, Iran has so far resisted lockdowns. It has reported 2,077 deaths linked to Covid-19 and 27,017 cases, although the actual figures are thought to be far higher.
  
• Israel: The government has approved new restrictions that will take effect at 17:00 (15:00 GMT). Israeli media reported that people were likely to be required to stay within 100m (330ft) of their homes. Five people have died In israel and another 2,030 have been infected.
  
• United Arab Emirates: Dubai-based airline Emirates has become the largest international carrier to completely ground its fleet in response to the pandemic. It came after the authorities in the UAE, which has reported 248 confirmed cases and two deaths, closed all its airports.
  

25th March continued ... (Part 2)

How will India protect its poor?

India's 21-day lockdown is unprecedented, confining more than a billion people to their homes.
But the hardest hit will be the country's poor - domestic helpers, street vendors and construction workers.
They make up much of India's labour force, but have no benefits such as health insurance or sick leave.
Several states - including Uttar Pradesh, India's most populous state and among its poorest - have announced direct cash transfers, unemployment benefits, free grain and more staples at government-licensed fair-price shops.
But the biggest challenge will be enforcement as so many informal workers don't have bank accounts - many are also migrants, who now find themselves suddenly stranded in cities where they may or may not have access to welfare schemes.

Thousands volunteer to help NHS

There has been a big response to the UK government's call for NHS volunteers with more than 250,000 people so far having registered online.
The scheme is aimed at relieving pressure on the health service by recruiting helpers to deliver food and medicines, drive patients to appointments and phone the isolated.
GoodSam, which is registering volunteers, said the total number of people who had given their details online was now 252,000.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock tweeted that he was "delighted" by the level of response.

Brazil's president criticises coronavirus 'hysteria'

As Brazil's largest city - São Paulo - goes into lockdown, President Jair Bolsonaro has continued to downplay the threat of coronavirus.
In a televised speech last night, he criticised the media for "fear-mongering" and called on the country's mayor and governors to roll back restrictions they have introduced to curb the spread.
Mr Bolsonaro added that people aged over 60 were at risk, but most people - including himself - had nothing to fear.
"With my history as an athlete, if I were infected with the virus, I would have no reason to worry, I would feel nothing, or it would be at most just a little flu," he said.
Critics of Mr Bolsonaro have accused him of a cavalier attitude to coronavirus.
Concerns have also been raised about him having possibly contracted the disease. Over the last couple of weeks, 22 officials who joined him on a trip to the US have tested positive. Mr Bolsonaro has twice said that his test came back negative, but he has refused to release the results.
Over 2,200 infections have been reported in Brazil, along with 46 deaths related to coronavirus.

Putin dons protective gear for hospital visit

Russia's President Vladimir Putin put on special protective gear as he visited coronavirus patients at a hospital in Moscow on Tuesday.
Mr Putin has so far declared the outbreak "under control" in Russia.
However, the official number of people infected in Russia rose to 658 on Wednesday - the largest one-day increase in cases so far.
The mayor of Moscow told him during his hospital visit that the number of cases in the Russian capital far exceeded the official figures.
"A serious situation is unfolding," Sergei Sobyanin told the president.
Russia has closed cinemas, nightclubs and children's entertainment venues.
Meanwhile, MPs have proposed imposing severe punishments - including up to seven years in prison and hefty fines - for people breaking coronavirus quarantine rules.

Spain's death toll now exceeding China's

The death toll in Spain from the coronavirus has just officially surpassed that of China to become the second highest in the world.
New data from the Health Ministry shows that there have now been 3,434 deaths in Spain - an increase of 738 in just 24 hours. It is the steepest daily increase in the death toll since the virus hit Spain.
The overall number of cases increased to 47,610 from 39,673 on Tuesday.
Spain is now second only to Italy in the number of coronavirus deaths.
According to data collated by Johns Hopkins University, at least 6,820 people have died in Italy and 3,285 in China.

World’s largest lockdown – the latest in Asia

India is on day one of its lockdown, which prompted panic-buying.
The health ministry says India has 519 Covid-19 cases and nine deaths. Why so low in a country of 1.3bn? Very low testing rates could be to blame, making it a possible pandemic hotspot.
In other developments:

• China's Hubei province is lifting all travel restrictions today – a significant milestone for 60 million people locked down since January. Wuhan - where the global outbreak began - will ease restrictions on 8 April.
  
• South Korea said all arrivals from the US would need to self-isolate for two weeks, from Friday. South Korea's imported cases jumped by 34 to 101 on Tuesday, its biggest single-day rise as it battles a second wave of infections. European arrivals already face a two-week quarantine and virus tests.
  
• Malaysia is extending its two-week lockdown. With just under 1,800 confirmed cases, the country is the worst-hit in south east Asia, recording 17 virus deaths.
  
• Pakistan, which has 991 confirmed cases and seven deaths, said it had recorded its first coronavirus death due to local transmission. The Lahore resident had no travel history.
  
• In Central Asia, people in Uzbekistan face fines for not wearing masks in public and Kazakhstan’s main cities are under quarantine. Meanwhile, Turkmenistan says it has yet to record a single case – perhaps not surprising for one of the most secretive states in the world.
  

Corbyn: When will testing be a priority in UK?

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn is now questioning the PM for his last time as leader of the opposition.
At his 136th weekly appearance at Prime Minister's Questions, Mr Corbyn will be allowed to ask 12 questions instead of his usual six, as the length of questioning is doubled for social distancing measures.
He begins by paying tribute to public services, saying they are the "unsung heroes" of this crisis - paying special tribute to cleaners.
Mr Corbyn then pushes the PM on testing, saying a leaked email showed Mr Johnson appealing to research institutes for testing machines just three days ago. He asks: "Why wasn't this done weeks ago?"
After paying tribute to Mr Corbyn on his last appearance, Mr Johnson says the government is increasing testing every day and it has been "a priority ever since the crisis was obviously upon us".

Corbyn: 'Appalling' levels of equipment for NHS staff

After more questions on testing, and calls for help for care workers, Mr Corbyn then asks about protective equipment for NHS staff.
He says the Healthcare Supply Association has been forced to use Twitter to ask DIY shops to donate equipment to NHS staff.
"This is an appalling situation," he adds.
But Mr Johnson says he has been "assured" stocks are on the way, saying the army has distributed 7.5 million pieces of equipment in the past 24 hours.
The Labour leader says it is "important" they get it - and points to a survey where 77% of NHS chiefs said lack of testing and shortages were the two biggest concerns for them.

Greece urged to move 'most vulnerable' from migrant camps

The European Commission has asked the Greek government to move “the most vulnerable people” from packed migrant camps on the Greek islands, to areas that are less concentrated in light of the coronavirus pandemic.
There are currently no confirmed Covid-19 cases in any camps on the islands, or at camps on the Greek mainland, but this is seen as a key area of concern.
More than 42,000 people are now held in overpopulated camps the islands of Lesbos, Samos, Chios, Leros and Kos.
The Greek authorities have recently tightened the rules of movement around the camps, including preventing entry for all but essential staff, as well as carrying out temperature checks for new arrivals.
A spokesman for the European Commission has told the BBC that there is an “ongoing dialogue with the Greek government” over moving the most vulnerable and looking at the best ways to prevent an outbreak.

Lancet editor says UK failed to heed early warnings

The editor of prominent medical journal The Lancet has told UK MPs that the government’s scientific advisers failed to take into account early warnings of the seriousness of the epidemic in China.
Dr Richard Horton told the Science Select Committee that this led to them adopting a “pedestrian approach” in preparing for the epidemic.
Dr Horton said papers from Chinese researchers published in the Lancet at the beginning of the year showed that the NHS was likely to be overwhelmed by cases. He said February was a “missed opportunity” to buy protective equipment and increase NHS capacity.
The government’s chief scientific and medical officers say they have drawn on advice from leading experts around the world – including from China.
One of the government’s leading advisers, Professor Neil Ferguson, said his modelling indicated that the NHS should be able to cope with the surge if people followed current government advice.

Corbyn: Construction workers putting people at risk

We are now moving to the second half of an extended Prime Minister's Questions in the UK Parliament, which means another six questions from the outgoing Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn.
He begins by criticising Boris Johnson for not coming to the Commons to make regular statements, instead using press conferences, saying: "This House is the place the government should be held to account."
The Labour leader then moves onto the controversial decision to keep construction sites open, telling the story of a self-employed construction worker who had to go into work, despite having coronavirus, "as he had no other source of income to feed his family".
Mr Johnson says: "Everyone should work at home unless they cannot."
He also calls on employers to only remain open "in accordance with guidance" and reminds them "they have duty of care to employees".

Intensive care unit demand to peak in 'two-and-a-half to three weeks'

Demand on intensive care units in the UK will peak in “two-and-a-half to three weeks’ time” if current measures for tackling the coronavirus outbreak work, says a top epidemiologist advising the government.
Professor Neil Ferguson told a British parliamentary committee he was “moderately confident” the demand would then decline.
“If the current measures work as we would expect them to then we will see intensive care unit demand peak in approximately two-and-a-half to three weeks' time and then decline thereafter," he said.
Deputy chief medical officer Dr Jenny Harries says this will only happen “if people have continued to do as we have asked and cut down their social interactions”.
“That means the peak will be pushed forward but the height of it will be lower and we can manage all those who need hospital and healthcare safely through our NHS,” she told a Mumsnet webchat.

Canada backs $57bn coronavirus relief bill

Canada's multi-billion-dollar relief package to respond to the coronavirus slowdown has passed in the House of Commons.
It allows the government to spend C$82bn ($57bn, £48bn) in emergency aid and economic stimulus.
The bill received approval on Wednesday with support from all parties.
It must now go to the Senate for approval.
Legislators passed the package, worth about 3% of the country's GDP, after a debate that went into the early morning hours.

Corbyn: 'Urgent action' needed on UK benefits

Jeremy Corbyn says he is "not asking for the entire UK economy to close down", but wants more resources to be given to support the Department for Work and Pensions to ensure people get the help they need.
He calls for a rise in the weekly statutory sick pay of around £94, saying: "Unless we increase [sick pay] and give protection and access to benefits for those on zero-hour contracts, then there is a danger of those people going into work or trying to work when they shouldn't. We do need urgent action."
Boris Johnson agrees it is a time for "serious action", and says there has been a "serious response to the crisis" from the government.
Mr Corbyn also reiterates his plea for the government to remain open to scrutiny, even after Parliament closes.
The PM says the government has tried to be "as open and transparent as we can" and he will work with the Speaker on how to keep MPs in the loop.

Corbyn: 'Huge collective effort' needed from society

In his final contribution to PMQs as the leader of the Labour Party, Jeremy Corbyn tells the Commons the coronavirus crisis has shown "how deeply we depend on each other".
He says the wealthiest businessman will depend on the cleaner keeping his office safe, adding: "We can only come through this as a huge collective effort. No one is an island, no one is self made."
Mr Corbyn concludes: "At times like this, we have to recognise the value of each other and the strength of a society that cares for each other and cares for all."
Boris Johnson says he wants to associate himself fully with the Labour leader's comments.
He adds: "We are coming together as a nation like I haven't seen in a lifetime.... to help save the lives of many, many thousands of our citizens.
"We all understand that we will need to make a sacrifice, but we are gladly making that sacrifice."

UK Parliament to close today

Prime Minister's Questions has come to an end and Leader of the House, Jacob Rees-Mogg, is making a business statement.
He confirms what we expected - that the UK Parliament will finish for its Easter Break today, rather than on Tuesday 31 March as planned.
Mr Rees-Mogg says the "aim" is for MPs to return to work on 21 April, but he will "keep the situation under review in terms of medical advice".

Coronavirus in Latin America - latest updates

As the virus continues to spread across the continent, here are the latest updates from the region:

• Colombia begins a period of “mandatory preventive isolation” today meaning people all over the country will have to stay in their homes. Exceptions include medical appointments, shopping for essential goods like food, medicine and cleaning products, and going to the bank.
  

• Paraguay is the latest Latin American country to close its borders. The government announced on Tuesday that they would remain sealed until Sunday following a second death in the country from coronavirus.
  

• Mexico has called on businesses to stop employment that involves the movement of people from their homes to their workplaces. The country has entered the second stage of coronavirus transmission, meaning it has detected a case that has been passed from person to person locally, rather than coming from abroad.
  

• Brazil’s president Jair Bolsonaro has criticised the media for "fear-mongering" and has called on mayors and governors to roll back restrictions they have introduced to curb the spread. Mr Bolsonaro added that people aged over 60 were at risk, but most people - including himself - had nothing to fear. Over 2,200 cases of the virus have been reported in the country. The president has been accused of having a cavalier attitude to the pandemic.
  

Federer donates money

Tennis star Roger Federer is the latest celebrity to donate money towards coronavirus causes.
The 38-year-old, considered one of the greatest sportspeople of all time, and his wife Mirka, have donated 1m swiss francs (about £861,000) to “vulnerable families in Switzerland”.
“Nobody should be left behind,” the 20-time Grand Slam winner wrote on Instagram. “Our contribution is just a start. We hope that others might join in supporting more families in need. Together we can overcome this crisis! Stay healthy!”
Married actors Blake Lively and Ryan Reynonds previously gave $1m to US and Canadian foodbanks.
Rihanna’s Clara Lionel Foundation donated $5m to various charities to help with medical supplies, equipment and access to food.

Help for UK self-employed to be announced on Thursday

During Prime Minister's Questions, Boris Johnson faced even more pressure to introduce measures to help self-employed people in the UK during this crisis.
Well, the BBC's political editor Laura Kuenssberg says it is on its way.
She says the chancellor will announce the new measures at the government's daily press conference on Thursday.
But there is no detail yet on how the government plans to assist this section of the economy.

Corporation to 'pause' BBC News job cuts

In a briefing to staff this afternoon, BBC Director-General Tony Hall said that a planned modernisation of BBC News would be “paused”. This was due to contribute £40m of savings, toward an overall target of £80m.
The DG said it would be inappropriate to pursue this target while BBC News was so stretched in covering the pandemic. As a result, around 450 planned redundancies will be delayed.
While these savings will probably be implemented under Hall’s successor (he leaves at the end of the summer), the BBC is racking up a huge bill because of coronavirus. It has already said it will delay changes to free TV Licences for the over-75s by two months (at least) – and absorb that cost, which is coincidentally around £80m (at least).
The next Director-General is going to inherit an even bigger financial black hole that she or he imagined. However, negotiations with a government that had threatened to “whack” the BBC may be made marginally easier if the BBC – like other public service broadcasters – can prove its worth through this crisis.

Vietnam steps up propaganda campaign

The Vietnamese government has launched a war-like media campaign to suppress the coronavirus outbreak - despite the fact that there has been no officially reported death in the 95-million nation.
Top leaders like PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc are calling on the people to support “the Spring Offensive in a long war” against Covid-19.
The language clearly reminds older citizens of the anti-American “Spring Offensive” in 1975 by North Vietnamese and Viet Cong forces, leading to the Communist victory in Saigon in April that year.
This dramatic language is also a hint that the virus may have spread across Vietnam.
Official confirmed cases have remained frozen at 113 for some time - but Deputy PM Vu Duc Dam said the country “must be ready to accept thousands of coronavirus patients” in the coming months.
Vietnam has already stopped all foreign nationals from entering the country, and from 24 March even overseas Vietnamese cannot fly back home until further notice.

New restrictions in London on the Tube

New measures have been brought in to stop non-essential London Underground journeys, as passengers posted pictures of crowded carriages again this morning.
Queues are being introduced at ticket gates and some escalators are being turned off to slow the flow of passengers to platforms.
British Transport Police is also deploying 500 officers to patrol the network and remind the public that they should only be making essential journeys for work. Read more here

What's the latest in the US?

As the US wakes up, here's a quick summary of the latest headlines from around the country:

• The White House and the Senate have agreed a huge stimulus package worth more than $1.8 trillion (£1.5tn) to help ease the economic impact of the virus
  
• While the full details of the deal aren't yet known, it reportedly includes payments of $1,200 to most American adults and aid to help small businesses pay their workers
  
• It also includes tax rebates, loans, money for hospitals and rescue packages
  
• The deal was announced shortly after President Trump said he hoped the US would shake off the coronavirus by Easter, but experts have sounded caution on that timeline
  
• New York state remains at the centre of the US crisis. Governor Andrew Cuomo has warned that the illness is spreading faster than "a bullet train" in the state
  

• And after 802 deaths and 55,225 confirmed infections, America is more than midway through a 15-day attempt to slow the spread of the virus through social distancing
  
• Earlier, the World Health Organization (WHO) warned that it could become the new epicentre of the virus
  

Holland reports 80 more deaths

Dutch authorities have confirmed 80 more virus-related deaths in the country during the last 24 hours. They also confirmed 852 additional cases.
This latest figures bring the total to 6,412 cases and 356 deaths in the country of 17 million.
The Netherlands' health ministry stressed the actual number of infections will be higher because not everyone has been tested.
A ban on public gatherings has been extended until 1 June to help fight the Netherlands' outbreak.

---

Quarter of the world now under lockdown

India’s decision to enforce a lockdown on its 1.3 billion people means that at least a quarter of the world’s population of 7.8 billion is now living under tough restrictions on movement and social contact.
From Rwanda to California and New York to New Zealand, the coronavirus has shut down large parts of our planet – leaving normally heaving streets deserted and towering office blocks empty.
And there’s more to come – about half the US population are believed to be living under stay at home orders and measures are expected in further states. From midnight on Thursday, all South Africans will have to stay at home for a 21-day period.
Over the last few weeks, you will have kept hearing that the coronavirus crisis has changed the world. The fact that so many of you reading this will be doing so from home, because you’ve been told to stay inside, is perhaps the starkest illustration of how this has affected all of us.
The public will soon be able to conduct coronavirus antibody tests at home, the director of the national infection service at Public Health England says.
Prof Sharon Peacock told the science and technology MPs' committee that 3.5 million tests had been bought and would be available in the "near future".
She said the tests would allow key workers, such as doctors and nurses, to return to work if they have developed antibodies.
"Once we are assured that they do work, they will be rolled out into the community. Testing the test is a small matter, and I anticipate that it will be done by the end of this week," Prof Peacock said.
"In the near future, people will be able to order a test that they can test themselves, or go to Boots, or somewhere similar to have their finger prick test done."
Asked if tests would be available in days, rather than weeks or months, she added: "Absolutely."
Antibodies are produced by the body to fight off infection, and tests could indicate whether someone has had the disease in the past.
These tests could also help work out how widespread the disease has been.

Deaths rise in the UK

A further six people with coronavirus in Scotland have died, taking the total number of deaths there to 22.
There have also been five more deaths in Wales, raising the toll there to 22, and a further two in Northern Ireland - which has now recorded seven deaths in total.
The figures for England, and the UK as a whole, will be released later. On Tuesday, the number of deaths in the UK stood at 433.

UK not part of EU effort to secure equipment

The UK government has confirmed it is not working with the European Union (EU) to secure more personal protective equipment and ventilators for the NHS.
Asked whether the UK was taking part in the Brussels scheme, Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s official spokesman said: "I think the short answer to that is no."
The EU has been working for weeks to acquire crucial equipment - like face masks and other medical products - since the coronavirus epidemic spread to the continent earlier this year.

Are food deliveries and takeaways safe?

Many of us are wondering about the risk of catching coronavirus from anything we touch - including food and packaging.
However, there is no evidence of Covid-19 being transmitted through food.
And while there is no such thing as "zero risk", says Prof Sally Bloomfield from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, it is only the packaging - handled by other people - that would be of concern for potential transmission of the virus.
For takeaway food, you can minimise that risk, Prof Bloomfield advises, by: "Emptying the contents, disposing of the packaging into a refuse bag and washing your hands - thoroughly for 20 seconds with soap and water - before you eat."
How safe are delivered groceries?
Deliveries are far less risky than a trip to the supermarket, because the risk of transmission comes from surfaces – when a person with contaminated hands touches a surface, they can transfer the virus onto it.
So shopping for a vulnerable neighbour and delivering food to them would mean they could avoid that risky environment.
"We know that coronavirus does not 'breed' outside the body, so by the time [food] is delivered, any chance of infectivity is already lower because the virus starts to lose its infectivity as soon as it leaves the infected person," says Prof Bloomfield.
She suggests spraying or wiping plastic or glass containers with carefully diluted household bleach.
"For fresh goods - which were unwrapped when you brought them and could be handled by anyone - wash thoroughly under running water and leave to dry," she adds.
"It may be better for the moment, if possible, to stick to freshly cooked rather than raw foods, which will destroy any residual virus."

'We're asking the country to help us'

Here are some more updates from Andrew Cuomo, the governor of New York state - which has almost half of all cases in the US.

• Crowds forming in New York City's parks has been a problem - as a result, the city is going to pilot closing certain streets to cars, so that pedestrians can use them.
  
• Mr Cuomo said he had spoken to President Donald Trump, and White House officials, several times. He has asked the White House for more essential equipment and personnel, as "our apex is first and our numbers are the highest", and pledged to redeploy equipment and personnel to the next hot spot "as soon as we get past our critical moment... we're asking the country to help us - we will return the favour".
  
• He reminded young people to stay cautious. "I've been as blunt as I can... you may think you're a superhero, but you can catch it and you can transfer it."
  
• He also asked mental health professionals to sign up to provide services online, saying: "No one's really talking about that. Don't underestimate the emotional trauma people are feeling."
  
• Mr Cuomo said the $2tn (£1.7tn) stimulus bill agreed in the Senate would be "terrible" for New York, as the state had already spent $3.8bn combating the outbreak, and would only receive $1.3bn from the bill.
  

---

UN pleas for $2bn in aid for vulnerable countries

The United Nations has launched a huge humanitarian funding drive to help fight Covid-19 in the most vulnerable countries.
It is asking all states that can, to contribute to $2bn (£1.7bn) in cash for nations that will struggle to contain the outbreak.
The world body says a number of those countries are already devastated by conflict or natural disasters.
"To leave the world’s poorest and most vulnerable countries to their fate would be both cruel and unwise," warned the UN's Under-Secretary for Humanitarian Affairs, Mark Lowcock.
"If we leave coronavirus to spread freely in these places, we would be placing millions at high risk, whole regions will be tipped into chaos and the virus will have the opportunity to circle back around the globe."
It is hoped that the extra funds raised will provide vulnerable countries with laboratory test equipment, handwashing facilities in refugee camps and an airbridge for humanitarian workers to get to the worst affected areas.

Doctor explains risks facing healthcare staff

Doctors around the world are battling against the new coronavirus, putting their own lives at greater risk in a bid to cure patients.
We've spoken to Dr Michelle Au, an anaesthesiologist in the US state of Georgia whose work now includes putting breathing tubes into patients infected with Covid-19.
She said that she and many other healthcare professionals are "basically behaving with the assumption that many of us will get it".
She told the BBC that a shortage of vital equipment means that masks intended for single use are currently being used until they are "visibly soiled or we can't breathe through them anymore, or the elastic breaks".
Dr Au recently moved into her basement to separate herself from her family, and she and her husband - who is also a doctor - are making changes to their will.
"You're very aware of the risks, but you're also very aware of the duty to your job. It doesn't make you not want to do it but you're aware constantly of the risk," she said.

Assange coronavirus bail request denied

Wikileaks founder Julian Assange has been denied bail from a British prison after his lawyers said he was at particular risk of catching the new coronavirus.
Assange suffered several respiratory tract infections while in the Ecuadorean embassy in London, his defence said, and if he caught the virus in prison "the risk could be fatal".
But the judge at Westminster Magistrates' Court rejected the request, saying the Australian's past efforts to evade legal proceedings showed he might try to escape again if released.
"As matters stand today, this global pandemic does not as of itself provide grounds for Mr Assange's release," Judge Vanessa Baraitser said.
Currently in London's Belmarsh prison, Assange is wanted for questioning in the US for allegedly hacking and publishing military databases. The 48-year-old says the charges are politically motivated.

How does the UK approach stack up against others?

Chris Morris - BBC Reality Check
It often feels like Italy and Spain are doing things much more rigorously and radically than in the UK.
But if you look at the rules in Italy, you can leave to go out for work if you have to, for medical reasons, to buy food, or go to the pharmacy. It doesn’t sound that dissimilar from what we have here.
The key difference is the enforcement of the rules. If you go out in Italy, you need to be carrying a piece of paper to specify why you’re out. The police are stopping people regularly. There are fines being issued.
In Spain, as of last night, there have been 926 arrests, 102,000 police reports filed for disobeying the rules and roughly 81,000 fines have been issued. If people under quarantine go out there's the potential of jail sentences.
We know that level of enforcement is something UK police are reluctant to get into. One of the key issues is how well the encouraging language works - the government saying we're all enlisting in a national effort.
If that works, the police won’t have to get as involved as they have in Spain and Italy.

Work begins on London's makeshift field hospital

Work is under way to boost NHS capacity by turning London's ExCel Centre in the Docklands into a makeshift field hospital capable of serving up to 4,000 patients.
NHS medics will treat coronavirus patients at the facility, which will be known as the Nightingale Hospital.
It will initially provide about 500 beds equipped with ventilators and oxygen.

• Read more here
  

Italy sees slight fall in new cases

Away from the UK, Italy has reported another 683 deaths in the past 24 hours and a further 5,210 cases. That is a slight fall from Tuesday's 743 deaths, but it brings to 7,503 the number of people who have died in Italy since the outbreak there began.
Details are normally given by Italy's head of civil protection, Angelo Borrelli, but he has a mild fever.

Whitty: Antibody virus test 'quite close'

Boris Johnson defends the government's programme to support businesses, calling it "unprecedented".
He says the country is "coping very well indeed" under challenging circumstances.
Asked about the rate of testing in the UK, Prof Chris Whitty, the UK government’s chief medical adviser, says testing of people to determine whether they have the virus is being "ramped up".
He says an antibody test - to see whether people have had it - is "quite close", but has not yet finished being evaluated.
Sir Patrick Vallance, the UK government’s chief scientific adviser, says testing is "crucial" and the UK needs to do more of it.

'We don't know UK-wide infection rate'

Sir Patrick Vallance, the UK government’s chief scientific adviser, is asked about a recent Oxford University study which said as much as 50% of the UK population may have been exposed to the virus.
He says that they "don't know" yet how many people in the UK have had the virus, which is why more testing is vital.

We've ordered huge numbers of tests, says UK PM

There's a question about how long it will be before NHS staff will get greater access to coronavirus tests.
In reply, Boris Johnson says the UK is ordering "huge numbers of tests". He says UK-wide testing should hit 250,000 "very soon".
Prof Chris Whitty, the UK government's chief medical adviser, says the UK has to face the "practical reality" that other countries want the components as well.
The prime minister says the UK has done more tests than "most" European countries.

Johnson: Employers should protect you

The PM is asked if more lives could be saved if he stopped more people going to work.
Mr Johnson says he wants to "repeat the basic message, if you can stay at home then you overwhelmingly should".
But he says for those who have to go to work, it is "vital" for employers to follow rules on social distancing and "ensure" the necessary protection.
Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty says every country is approaching this “slightly differently and has a slightly different epidemic pattern”.
But he says the modelling in the UK was “based on the idea quite a lot of people would have to go to work”.
However, he adds that people should avoid anything that is “discretionary”.

Johnson: More tricky to help self-employed

Boris Johnson again faces pressure to do something to help the self-employed.
The PM says the government has “moved with extraordinary speed to support and prop up the whole of the economy of this country, putting our arms around workers of all kinds to the best extent we possibly can”.
He admits it was “easiest” to help employees and more “tricky” to work out a package for the self-employed.
“But that has been done at incredible speed,” adds the PM, promising that Chancellor Rishi Sunak will make an announcement on the plan tomorrow.
He adds: “I don't think there has been a time in our history in the last century that a government of this country has put its arms around so many people to get through such a tough time.”
Mr Johnson concludes the press conference saying: “We will beat this and we will beat this together, and we will do it by protecting our NHS and staying at home. That is how we will save lives."

Whitty: Tests won't be available online next week

There has been talk of antibody tests being available to buy online. These tests would allow people to see if they have been infected - meaning they should then be immune.
Chief medical officer Chris Whitty says: “Once we are confident of which tests work… there is a hierarchy of things we need to do.”
First, experts will need to assess what proportion of people get coronavirus without any syptoms, he says.
Then it will be a case of testing NHS workers to “work out who is immune to this infection and who isn’t”, then moving from there to others.
But Prof Whitty adds: “I do not think this is something we will suddenly be ordering online for next week."

Firms should stop profiteering, says PM

In response to a question about his strategy, Boris Johnson says the UK will follow scientific advice not "political diktat".
Asked about firms profiteering during the crisis, he says firms should not be "exploiting" the needs of the public at a time of "national emergency".
He says the government is "looking very carefully" at what it "may be necessary to do" using the law to stop profiteering, "as in wartime".

British diplomat, 37, dies of coronavirus

A British diplomat has died in Hungary after contracting coronavirus.
Steven Dick, the deputy ambassador in the capital, Budapest, was aged 37.
Mr Dick, an Arabic speaker who had worked for some years in Kabul and Riyadh, took up his post in Hungary last year.
It is not known if he had any underlying medical conditions.
UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said: "I am desperately saddened by the news of Steven’s death and my heart goes out to his parents Steven and Carol.
"Steven was a dedicated diplomat and represented his country with great skill and passion. He will be missed by all those who knew him and worked with him."

What happened at the latest UK press conference?

Boris Johnson’s latest press briefing on the UK’s response to the coronavirus pandemic has come to an end. Here’s what happened:

• The PM revealed that 405,000 people had volunteered to help the NHS following a call from the government
  
• He warned firms against profiteering during times of shortage and said the government might use the law to stop it
  
• The UK government's chief medical adviser said there was a "bottleneck" in ramping up testing amid global demand
  
• He said an antibody test - to see if people had had the virus - was being developed but would not be online next week
  
• He added the UK's modelling on the spread of the virus was based on "quite a lot of people" still having to go in to work
  

What's the latest from Africa?

Let's take a look at what's happening in other parts of the world now.
Charges of attempted murder in South Africa and a man killed by a crocodile while defying Rwanda's lockdown are some of the developments in Africa.
The continent may only have around 2,000 recorded cases, but countries with weak health systems are preparing for the worst:

• A 52-year-old hair salon owner in South Africa has been charged with attempted murder for defying a doctor’s order to self-quarantine in the town of Ladysmith, police say. He had tested positive and had put the lives of others at risk, police said, adding that he had been detained in hospital
  
• Meanwhile, South Africans have been panic buying ahead of a three-week lockdown that comes into force for its 50 million citizens on Friday
  
• In Lagos, the commercial capital of Nigeria, all markets and shops have been closed, except for those selling food and medicine. Meanwhile, Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka has hit out at preachers in the country, Africa's most-populous, for flouting rules about social distancing and large gatherings
  
• In Rwanda, a man who went to a river, apparently to fish in defiance of a lockdown, has been eaten by a crocodile, a local official has told the BBC
  
• Libya and Mali, both conflict-hit countries, have recorded their first cases of the virus
  
• Jean-Joseph Mukendi wa Mulumba, a top human rights lawyers in the Democratic Republic of Congo and an aide to the president, has died of Covid-19
  
• In Zimbabwe, doctors and nurses are refusing to work until they can access protective clothing while on duty because of fears over coronavirus infection
  
• Ethiopia is to release more than 4,000 prisoners to contain the spread of the virus in jails
  

Latest developments in Europe

It's been another dramatic day in Europe, with infection rates and death tolls rising rapidly in many countries. Here's what you need to know:

• Spain’s death toll surpassed China's, becoming the second highest in the world after Italy. The country saw its steepest daily spike in deaths - up by 738 in just 24 hours to a total of 3,434. Deputy Prime Minister Carmen Calvo is among those who have tested positive for the virus. She was admitted to hospital on Sunday
  

• Italy reported another 683 deaths in the past 24 hours and 5,210 more cases. That is slightly lower than Tuesday's tally of 743 deaths, but takes the total to 7,503. The figures are normally given at a daily press conference by Italy's head of civil protection, Angelo Borrelli, but he has a mild fever
  
• Russia's President Vladimir Putin postponed the public vote on constitutional changes that would allow him to stay in office, but gave no details about when it would take place. He also announced new measures to combat the virus, telling all except key workers to stay at home for a week. Meanwhile, Moscow officials said two elderly coronavirus patients had died. They did not, however, cite the virus as the cause of death. Russia has not yet confirmed any deaths from Covid-19. Latest figures show a rapid rise in infections in the country
  

• Germany's parliament approved a huge rescue package to protect the country’s economy. The measures – worth 750 billion euros (£688bn; $813bn) – include support for workers, direct cash grants for small firms and self-employed people, and financial support for families. The programme is being funded by taking on new debt, which is something Germany hasn’t done in years
  

• Poland has extended the closure of its borders by 20 days until 13 April. Goods will still be able to move freely across the borders, the country’s government says
  

Palestinians report first death - latest from the Middle East

The first Palestinian has died as a result of Covid-19. The woman, who was in her 60s, was a resident of Bidu, near Ramallah, the Palestinian Authority said.
Sixty-two confirmed cases have been reported in the occupied West Bank and two in the Gaza Strip.
In other developments in the region:

• In Israel, where five people have died and another 2,030 have been infected, the government has approved new restrictions to reduce the spread of the coronavirus. People will be required to stay within 100m (330ft) of their homes; prayer will only be allowed in open spaces; and public transport will be reduced to a quarter of its usual capacity
  
• The Church of the Holy Sepulchre in the Old City of Jerusalem - where many Christians believe Jesus was crucified, buried and resurrected - was closed on Wednesday as a precaution against the coronavirus
  

• Testing has started in opposition-held north-western Syria after the World Health Organization delivered 300 kits. The government has meanwhile imposed a 12-hour overnight curfew in areas under its control and closed all borders, a day after it confirmed the first Covid-19 case in the war-torn country
  
• Saudi Arabia has reported its second death and tightened a 21-day nationwide curfew that started on Monday. People will now be stopped from entering or leaving the capital Riyadh and the Muslim holy cities of Mecca and Medina
  
• In Egypt, a two-week partial curfew keeping people off the streets between 19:00 and 06:00 has taken effect. There was also an extension of school closures until mid-April. The country has reported 402 cases of Covid-19 and 20 deaths
  

NHS worker makes emotional 'stay at home' plea

An NHS worker's emotional plea for people to stay at home has been shared thousands of times.
In an emotional video, Chanice Cushion says she will leave her family home to protect her mother-in-law who has an underlying condition.
"I really thought I could put across to people you really need to stay indoors - this is serious," she tells the BBC.

25th March continued ... (Part 3)

Global death toll passes 20,000 - Johns Hopkins

The global death toll has now passed 20,000, according to data compiled by John Hopkins University. 
The number of confirmed cases has exceeded 451,000, the US university reports.
It started tracking the coronavirus outbreak soon after it emerged in China late last year.

Irish postal staff to check on elderly

Postal delivery workers in the Republic of Ireland are to check on elderly and vulnerable people as part of their rounds.
They will knock on doors to find out if people in those groups need food or medication, and make sure those requests are fulfilled, the Irish postal system An Post has confirmed.
They will also deliver parcels and letters from the elderly and vulnerable - about 160,000 homes - for free.
Each home in the Irish Republic will get a Covid-19 public information booklet through the post.
The UK’s Royal Mail has not implemented any similar systems but says it "takes the health and safety of its colleagues, its customers and the local communities in which we operate very seriously".

News summary: What you need to know

If you're just joining us, here's a quick summary of the latest headlines as countries around the world work to slow the spread of coronavirus:

• The number of people who have tested positive for the virus worldwide has passed 400,000, with more than 20,000 recorded deaths. But more than 100,000 people have now recovered
  
• A quarter of the world's population is living under some form of lockdown. That figure surged when India - the world's second most populous country - imposed a strict lockdown on its 1.3bn citizens at midnight
  
• Southern Europe remains at the epicentre of the pandemic. Spain's death toll has surpassed China's, where the virus originated, and Italy reported another 683 deaths
  
• In the US, the White House and the Senate have agreed a huge stimulus package worth more than $1.8 trillion (£1.5tn) to help ease the economic impact of the virus
  
• New York state is at the centre of the crisis there, but its governor says social distancing measures appear to be working
  
• In the UK, some 405,000 people have signed up in 24 hours to volunteer with the National Health Service (NHS) to help vulnerable people
  
• Meanwhile, Prince Charles, the 71-year-old heir to the throne, has tested positive for the virus
  
• The number of coronavirus deaths in the UK now stands at 440, with figures from England due imminently
  

France reports 231 new deaths

France says the number of coronavirus deaths has risen by 231 to a total of 1,331.
The total number of confirmed cases is now 25,233 - they include 2,827 people who are in a serious condition requiring life support.
The French death toll is so far only counting those who have died in hospital. But French authorities say they will soon have figures for deaths in care homes, which could result in a large jump in the overall number of fatalities

Coronavirus 'public enemy number one'

Coronavirus is "public enemy number one", says the director general of the World Health Organization.
Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has urged countries on lockdown to take measures to "find, isolate, test, treat and trace" cases, and warned those who don't that they could face a "resurgence" of the virus.
Dr Ghebreyesus said: "Aggressive measures to find, isolate, test, treat and trace are not only the best and fastest way out of extreme social and economic restrictions - they're also the best way to prevent them."
The secretary general of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), Angel Gurría, has warned that the world will take years to recover from the pandemic and told the BBC the economic shock was already bigger than the financial crisis in 2008.

US refuse collectors strike over lack of protection

Sanitation workers in the US city of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, are refusing to collect rubbish until the city provides them with face masks and hazard pay.
"We risk our life every time we grab a garbage bag," one striking worker told reporters as he announced that rubbish would not be collected on Wednesday.
Sanitation workers are considered essential employees that are exempted from the city's lockdown orders.
"We’re playing Russian roulette with every garbage bag that we’re grabbing," Sheldon White told local channel WPXI-TV.
"Half the people don't tie their bags, so when the stuff spills out, they tell you to pick it up. There's Kleenexes that people blow their nose and cough in."
In a statement, the City of Pittsburgh said that workers had been supplied with cleaning wipes and gloves and were being "encouraged" to wash their uniforms daily.
The refuse collectors were sent home with pay on Wednesday and told to report back to work on Thursday, according to WPXI.

---

Pompeo deepens US-China row

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo says the G7 group of big economies have discussed China’s "intentional disinformation campaign" on the new coronavirus during a virtual meeting.
He says all the leaders were aware of the campaign, which, he says, Beijing continued to engage in so as to deflect attention from what really happened.
The Trump administration has repeatedly alleged that China was and is suppressing information about the coronavirus.
President Trump has called it the "Chinese virus" – angering Beijing and ignoring World Health Organization guidelines.
Mr Pompeo said the world needed transparency and accurate information from China in order to fight the pandemic.
Some Chinese officials have suggested that the virus was brought to China by the US military.
Mr Pompeo dismissed that as "crazy talking".
He also appeared to dismiss China’s sales of medical supplies to combat the pandemic, saying Beijing was now trying to claim that it was the "white hat" (showing moral leadership).

Can we trust China’s numbers?

Robin Brant - BBC News China correspondent
China has a bad record on official government numbers that the world believes. It’s not down to incompetence, it's by design. Communist party dominance sometimes depends on living up to forecasts or targets - even if they aren’t actually met - and, conversely, burying reality when it shines a light on wrong doing or, worse still, failure that puts a dent in the party’s credibility to govern.
So China comes to the table, so to speak, with much scepticism awaiting it. Its GDP figures have long been regarded as more of a guide to the trends in its economy but not an accurate reflection of its actual growth.
Doubts about the official government figures on coronavirus, that are collated at 3am every morning, are fuelled by several specific issues: First, there was the (admitted) cover up and subsequent three-week delay in publicising and acting upon the outbreak.
Second, the empirical integrity of the numbers has been repeatedly questioned; just a few days ago officials in Hubei revealed that they didn’t count asymptomatic positive cases or those that didn’t require hospitalisation.
Third - and this may appear simplistic but it's an obvious question - could it really be the case that a couple of weeks ago for a short period of time there were no new confirmed cases - zero - of the virus in all of mainland China, except Hubei?

A new kind of normal in China

With the exception of the central Chinese city of Wuhan, most areas across China are seeing life return to some version of normal.
But many schools and businesses are still erring on the side of caution and implementing special measures to keep people protected - should there be a resurgence of Covid-19 in the country.In north-western Xinjiang, many schools have reopened, but primary school children are under strict instructions to wear masks in the classrooms.Popular video website Pear Video shows how one karaoke bar in central Hunan has reopened for visitors. But they must have their temperature checked and scan a QR code before they enter, so that if they exhibit any symptoms their travel history can be traced.
Companies are also requiring that passengers scan a QR code before they travel. This is the case in Wuhan, which is taking the measures ahead of coming out of lockdown on 8 April.And many in southwestern Sichuan are talking online about whether they might go on wearing masks, now that they are allowed to play Mahjong - a game played with a set of 144 tiles based on Chinese characters and symbols - again.
The game was banned in early February to ensure that people, particularly China’s elderly, avoided sitting too close together.

More US states issue 'stay at home' orders

The governors of Minnesota and Idaho have issued state-wide "stay at home" orders - sayings residents should not leave home for non-essential activities.
In Minnesota, the order will last for two weeks - and restaurants and bars will be closed, although pharmacies and grocery stores will remain open. "The virus will still be here when this two-week period is over, but we’ll be better prepared," says Governor Tim Walz.
The Idaho order is expected to remain in place for 21 days, local media report. Local residents can still go outdoors for exercise, but must stay 2m (6ft) away from others.
They join at least 16 other US states that have already issued stay at home orders, including New York and California.

Major UK supermarkets bring in safety measures

Major supermarkets in the UK are bringing in measures to prevent the spread of coronavirus, including limiting the number of people in stores and floor markings to help customers maintain a safe distance while queuing.
Sainsbury’s, Tesco, Asda and the Co-Op are among those to implement changes, including extra hand sanitisers in stores for staff and customers to use, cleaning products to wipe down baskets or trolleys and putting up protective screens at checkouts.
Stores have also asked people to try to arrive throughout the day, rather than first thing in the morning, and to pay by card.
Sainsbury’s chief executive Mike Coupe wrote to customers on Wednesday to say “we will limit the number of people allowed in our stores and at our ATMs at any one time”.

Canada brings in mandatory quarantine for all arrivals

Jessica Murphy, BBC News, Toronto
Canada is implementing a mandatory 14-day self-isolation period for all travellers returning to the country from abroad.
The decision to make the self-isolation measure legally required follows reports people weren't following the existing guidelines.
Officials had warned travellers not to stop and pick up groceries or visit friends upon their return.
Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland told a news conference that self-isolation would be a "legal obligation" across the country as of midnight.
People could face fines or criminal charges.

'These stay at home orders are real'

The governor of California, Gavin Newsom, is giving an update. The state currently has more than 2,600 confirmed cases - it's the American state with the third-most cases, after New York and New Jersey.
Governor Newsom said:

• California has secured 100 million new N95 masks – although more procurement is required. The state has also procured more ventilators
  
• They are expecting 120,000 new test kits, through a partnership with private companies
  
• About 4,000 hotel rooms have been made available across the state for homeless people
  
• Most banks have agreed to a 90-day grace period for mortgage payments for those affected by coronavirus
  

He warned people to take physical distancing seriously. “We can defeat this virus. But we can’t defeat it unless we commit to fulfilling individual obligations. These stay at home orders are real – they’re a bipartisan order.”

Another 28 deaths from virus recorded in England

Another 28 people have died from coronavirus in England, according to the latest numbers from the NHS.
This brings the total number of deaths in the country to 414.
NHS England said the patients who died were aged between 47 and 93 years old.
All of the people, except the 47-year-old, had underlying health conditions.
The figure brings the total number of deaths in the UK to 465.
Earlier today, a further five were recorded in Wales, a further six in Scotland and two more in Northern Ireland.

First supplies ready to go to 'shielded' people

The UK government has been sending letters to 1.5 million people telling them to stay indoors for 12 weeks to avoid contracting coronavirus.
The measure is known as "shielding" and covers people most at risk of requiring hospital treatment if they are diagnosed, such as those with organ transplants and some cancer patients.
Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick promised that those without the support of friends and family nearby would get help from the government for their essentials.
This evening the minister tweeted a picture of what he said was the first food and supplies box ready to be delivered to one of the "shielded" people.

Trump tweets about the economy - and his election prospects

US President Donald Trump has again expressed his desire that people go back to work as soon as possible - even as more states have issued "stay at home" orders.
Observers believe there could be growing divisions between medical professionals in the administration and those whose focus might lie on the economic impact of the virus.

"The LameStream Media is the dominant force in trying to get me to keep our Country closed as long as possible in the hope that it will be detrimental to my election success. The real people want to get back to work ASAP. We will be stronger than ever before!"

Stay-at-home orders are issued and lifted by state governors, so Mr Trump doesn't have the power to directly order people back to work.
However, his November re-election campaign is built around the claim that he has presided over record economic growth and low unemployment - both of which have been hit hard by the coronavirus outbreak.
He also routinely attacks the media - which he describes as "fake news" - in a way that appeals to his base.
You can read more about why Mr Trump wants stay-at-home orders lifted here , and read about what the crisis reveals about the US, and its president, here.
Our Reality Check team has also fact-checked some of Mr Trump's latest tweets

Peru arrests 16,000 for failing to observe social distancing

Over 16,000 people have been arrested in Peru for ignoring compulsory social distancing measures announced in the country, President Martín Vizcarra has said.
They were taken to police stations where they were detained for a few hours and reprimanded. The government is considering a fine for repeat offenders.
Mr Vizcarra declared a state of emergency on 15 March and imposed an overnight curfew in many cities between the hours of 20:00 and 05:00. Those living in the areas under the state of emergency are only allowed out to buy food or to go to the hospital.
Videos shared on social media showed residents of the capital, Lima, openly flouting the measures by drinking on the streets and playing football.
Meanwhile, more than 1,000 Britons have been stranded in the South American country after it closed its borders and stopped all flights amid the coronavirus outbreak.
UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said special flights will be laid on later this week to bring them back.
Peru has recorded 480 cases of the virus so far, and nine deaths.

Food parcels for foreign tourists in the Himalayas

In Nepal, a restaurant owner is giving away freshly cooked food to stranded foreign tourists. Dorji Lama, who runs a popular restaurant in the town of Pokhara, says he wants to help tourists who can't travel or find restaurants to eat at, due to the nationwide lockdown.
He opens a side door of his restaurant for two hours daily to hand out the parcels and fresh water. He told BBC Nepali that on the first day of the lockdown, 56 tourists came to his place for food, and today there were 78.
Mr Lama says he felt obliged to help during this time of crisis.

UK orders 10,000 ventilators from Dyson

British manufacturer Dyson has received an order for 10,000 ventilators from the UK government.
BBC Business editor Simon Jack reports that the order will be ready in April, and that the firm will also donate an extra 1,000 to the UK, and 4,000 to other countries.
Ministers have asked manufacturers to switch their production in order to make the equipment, which can be used to help keep the worst-affected Covid-19 patients alive. The UK has even published the design onlinein a bid to help.
Around the world, major car firms - including Ford, Tesla and Fiat - have been among those to answer similar calls from governments.

Trump declares 'major disaster' in Florida and Texas

President Trump has declared a "major disaster" in Florida and Texas over the coronavirus pandemic.
The phrase "major disaster" may sound scary, but it's actually something that states want - the declaration makes them eligible for federal assistance for relief work.
Mr Trump has already issued disaster declarations for New York, Washington state, California, Iowa and Louisiana.

France pulls troops out of Iraq

France is withdrawing its contingent of almost 200 soldiers from Iraq because of the pandemic that has caused 27 deaths there. Iraq's president has said the medical infrastructure is not up to required standards.
In a statement the French military said the US-led coalition had "decided to adjust its deployments". The French contingent is involved in training Iraqi soldiers and working at coalition headquarters in Baghdad.

Trump criticises European Union

President Trump is now taking questions from reporters. Asked about his comments that the US should not rely on other countries, Mr Trump takes a swipe at the European Union (EU).
"We make the best medical equipment in the world… but they have specifications, designed specifically so that our equipment can't come into their countries," he says.
The EU has its own safety and specification standards for a variety of products - and the US does not meet all of them.
"They're all playing games against us OK? They've been playing games against us for years... Some of the people who took the biggest advantage of us? Our allies. They took advantage – financially but even militarily as well."
Mr Trump has long argued that Nato allies should contribute more financially to the alliance, and that other countries should shoulder more of the burden.