by Summary for 26th March
- The US has almost 70,000 confirmed cases and at least 1,050 deaths
- But New York state, the worst-affected, says social restrictions are slowing hospital admissions
- US Senate passes $2 trillion stimulus bill, which includes $1,200 for most adults
- In the UK, financial support for the self-employed is due to be unveiled
- The number of deaths in the UK has risen to 465, out of 9,500 confirmed cases
- In China, no new cases were reported in Hubei province, where the virus emerged
Latest figures suggest the doubling of hospitalisation numbers is not coming every two days - as was expected earlier - but only every 4.7 days.
This crucial change gives medical staff more time to treat patients and slows down the overcrowding of hospitals.
Mr Cuomo said the peak of patients needing hospital care in the state was expected in about 21 days, but that the trend showed that social distancing was working.
New York is the worst hit state in the US, accounting for more than half of overall cases.
That number includes the marrying couple and their celebrant – so only two guests are allowed.
Facing the prospect of nuptials postponed for an indeterminable time, or perhaps a live-streamed ceremony (see here and here ), some opted to tie the knot immediately, to beat the Wednesday midnight deadline.
According to the US CDC, the death toll also rose by 193 cases, bringing it to 737.
The state of New York has more than half of the country's overall cases - with more than 30,800 patients.
New Zealand's is a month-long lockdown that allows only essential workers to leave home, and forces the closure of all schools and non-essential businesses. The country has almost 300 cases of the virus.
Last night, as streets emptied, PM Jacinda Ardern answered people's questions live on Facebook .
Australia's new rules do not go as far, but place strict limits on how many people can attend weddings and funerals. Many public places and businesses are now shut , after more than 2,600 positive tests and 11 deaths.
Other businesses, however, remain open – a point of continuing debate.
PM Scott Morrison has now scrapped a controversial 30-minute limit on hairdressing appointments – “following the receipt of feedback on the practical implementation of [those] measures".
He co-owned the hugely popular Mumbai restaurants Bombay Canteen and O Pedro.
The Mumbai-born chef was a pioneer of modern Indian cuisine and first shot to fame as executive chef at the restaurant Tabla in New York City.
He was diagnosed with Covid-19 on 18 March in New Jersey, according to Hunger Inc where he was culinary director.
The food world has been in mourning since news of his death on Wednesday.
The US now has the third most Covid-19 cases in the world, behind China and Italy.
It's worth bearing in mind that the CDC numbers we reported earlier are announced once daily, whereas JHU keeps a rolling, live count of the numbers as they come.
Despite the slowing hospitalisation rate, Governor Andrew Cuomo warned that “much remains to be done” and announced new steps aimed at containing the virus.
New York City – with more than 8 million people – is making some streets pedestrian-only to allow more room for social distancing between people.
The city also plans to ban basketball and other contact sports in public parks, urging individuals to comply on a voluntary basis.
"Our closeness makes us vulnerable," Mr Cuomo warned.
In a sign that things are expected to get worse before they get better, New York along with North Carolina and Hawaii, has requested the Federal Emergency Management Agency to send special mortuary teams that can be deployed for mass casualties.
One clip that went viral was a young man saying: "If I get corona, I get corona. At the end of the day, I'm not gonna let it stop me from partying."
That was Brady Sluder, on spring break in Miami, and he was criticised for these comments that made the rounds on news and social media around the globe.
Since then US infections and deaths have surged.
Now, Brady has apologised "for the insensitive comment I made in regards to Covid-19".
On Instagram, he said "our generation may feel invincible, like I did when I commented, but we have a responsibility to listen and follow the recommendations in our communities".
After Italy, Spain has become the second country to surpass the death toll of China. The number of deaths rose by 738 in 24 hours - a daily record - to 3,434, higher than the 683 announced in Italy.
By comparison, China has officially reported 3,285 deaths, while Italy – the worst affected country – has 6,820.
Spain's rate of infection has increased by a fifth and almost 27,000 people are being treated in hospital.
Other hard-hit countries in Europe are Germany, France, the UK and Switzerland.
At least 18 cases were reported late on Wednesday at one PCF Sparkletots centre.
The affected branch is just one of over 300 in Singapore run by PCF Sparkletots - Singapore's biggest pre-school operator which has links to the country's ruling party.
However none of the confirmed cases are children at the pre-school - 14 are staff and four are family members of the principal.
The chief executive of the centre has now apologised, after it was revealed that staff were at work despite feeling unwell.
The centre has now been closed and all children and other staff have been put in quarantine. All 359 other centres will also be closed for four days.
Another three cases were linked to Dover Court - a British international school in Singapore. Again, all three patients are staff at the school.
While a number of children globally have been infected, the symptoms tend to be milder in children - studies show.
What are the symptoms of the virus and how do I protect myself?
Read this
What is social distancing and how do I do it?
Answered here
What's the risk to young people?
Find out more
How close are we to finding a vaccine?
Read what scientists are doing
When will the outbreak end and life get back to normal?
Read our take on this
Today Qatar Airways has added extra flights from Sydney, Melbourne and Perth via Doha. There are complaints tickets are too expensive – more than A$12,000 (£6,000) one way. We've had a quick look and that seems to be the case for the next week or so.
But prices drop to about A$3,000 (£1,500) from 4 April. Some will have to sit it out a little longer but several travellers tell us they have run out of funds and can’t find work. Others fear their visas expiring and being "illegal".
British Airways flights to London that go via Singapore are currently only allowing Singaporean citizens on board - so planes are leaving Australia almost empty. The UK's High Commissioner to Australia Vicki Treadall says they are "close" to getting a solution and that UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab has been talking to his counterpart in Singapore.
As the Asian day heads into lunch hours and Europe begins to wake up, here's what you need to know:
The number of global deaths is more than 21,270 while over 114,000 people have recovered.
Here's the breakdown of the worst-hit countries by number of cases:
These numbers change very frequently
The decree bans the entry of all foreign visitors and gives the prime minister the authority to restrict travel, ban large gatherings of people and confine some to their homes. It also confers sweeping powers to control the media, and General Prayuth warned he would use the full force of the law against anyone putting what he called "distorted" information onto social media.
How much of this power the one-time coup-leader intends to use is not yet clear. Much of the public life in the capital Bangkok has already been shut down, although there are still plenty of people on the streets and in food stores. Until now the government has been reluctant to impose tighter restrictions for fear of the huge economic damage. The closure of Bangkok’s nightlife has pushed thousands to leave for the provinces, cramming bus stations and potentially taking the coronavirus with them.
Infections have now reached 934. But doctors at one top hospital have warned of more than 7,000 deaths within 30 days if much stronger measures are not taken. General Prayuth’s leadership has been widely criticised over the past year as ineffectual and unimaginative. Now he has concentrated all decision-making in his own hands, he must take the credit, or blame, for how well Thailand weathers its coronavirus crisis.
The vote was delayed by a last-minute row between Republican and Democratic senators over unemployment benefits.
The plan includes direct payments of $1,200 to most American adults and aid to help small businesses pay workers.
The Senate unanimously approved the bill with a 96-0 vote. It now moves on to the House of Representatives. It's expected to pass the House on Friday.
A 97-year-old woman has become the oldest person in South Korea to recover from the virus, according to Yonhap News.
No other details about her are available yet - but she's not the only elderly person to have beaten the virus.
Earlier in March, Chinese state media outlet Xinhua reported that a 100-year-old man in China had also recovered from the virus. The news outlet says he is the oldest recovered patient to date.
The Japanese capital has so far been spared the draconian measures seen in other major global cities, but governor Yuriko Koike said the city was at a "critical stage".
"We urge people at all costs to refrain from going out this weekend if it's not urgent," she said, encouraging residents to work from home during weekdays and refrain from going out at night.
"Starting this week, there are increasing concerns that we could see an explosion of infections," Koike warned.
Across all of Japan, around 1,200 people have tested positive, including some 200 in Tokyo, and 43 people have died.
Most of them rely on pre-paid or pay-as-you-go subscriptions - in fact, these account for 95% of India's more than a billion mobile phone connections.
Millions of daily-wagers can no longer top up their accounts at street kiosks because these are shut. And many don’t use the internet or have an online bank account, so they can't go online to top up either.
They are also likely to run out of money as they now find themselves out of work.
It will be devastating because they are stuck in cities, miles away from their families in villages. And they are fast losing the option to contact their loved ones.
Hopefully, mobile phone companies come up with a plan to keep these subscriptions going.
This time it's the Zaandam, a ship with more than 70 passengers reporting Covid-19 symptoms.
The ship left Buenos Aires on 7 March with around 1,800 people, and was heading for a port in Chile from where everyone would fly home.
But Chile didn't want to take the risk and said no. All other ports in the region did the same - and so the Zaandam is heading for Florida to reach Fort Lauderdale on 30 March.
Owner Holland America has sent a ship to meet the Zaandam to bring extra supplies - and test kits for the virus.
The number of cases is 36,508 - an increase of 4,995.
It's worth noting that Russia has comparatively fewer cases than other European countries - just 658, with three deaths.
On Wednesday, President Vladimir Putin postponed a vote on a constitutional change that would allow him to stay in power for two more consecutive terms.
The number of coronavirus deaths in the UK has risen to 463, up from 422. That's a daily increase of 41 - less than half the increase from a day earlier.
Cases are up, with 9,529 cases as of Wednesday compared to 8,077 cases the day before.
Some 97,019 have been tested for the virus - of which 87,490 had tested negative.
He had recently returned from attending a religious congregation outside Kashmir that included people from Malayasia and Indonesia.
The disputed region has 11 active Covid-19 cases, and more than 5,000 have been quarantined and are being monitored for symptoms.
The government earlier set out plans for 80% wage subsidises for staff kept on by their employers - Chancellor Rishi Sunak now says he wants similar plans in place for freelancers.
There are currently around one million people that are self-employed in the UK.
But the government also says that drawing up plans for self-employed people has proven "incredibly difficult". This is because their income can sometimes be irregular and intermittent.
One worker, identified only as Patrick, said the warehouse in Sheffield had 4ft wide aisles where up to 10 people worked at a time.
Another worker said there were only four small sanitiser dispensers in the warehouse and they were always empty.
"The work we do is not essential, who wants to buy clothes not knowing when you will be able to wear them?" he said.
Chloe Middleton, from Buckinghamshire in England, died last week.
Her aunt called for people to "protect" themselves, saying "please, please adhere to government rules".
But Chancellor Rishi Sunak is expected to set out measures to help self-employed workers facing financial difficulties as a result of coronavirus later today.
Dr Adam Marshall, director general of the British Chambers of Commerce, told the BBC’s Today programme: "For many people that have seen their businesses disappear in the blink of an eye, things like statutory sick pay or universal credit just isn't enough. Their custom has literally evaporated overnight."
He also argued the case for the UK following a similar route to Denmark or Norway, which try to replace up to 80% of recent earnings for self-employed people: "The way you can do that is by looking back at recent tax returns and filings to make sure you aren't under-paying or over-paying an individual."
"It doesn't need to be perfect - we just need a system in place to get help to some of these businesses. So many of them are counting time in hours and days, rather than weeks or months. They simply don't have the cash to keep going for that long."
Here is a quick summary of some of the main developments in the UK:
It means that the banks can go after the personal property of the owner of a firm if their business goes under and they cannot afford to pay off the debt.
Debbie Crosbie, chief executive of TSB Bank, told the BBC’s Wake Up to Money that it was in the process of finalising what business interruption loans it will offer.
She added that it was unlikely TSB bank would look at personal guarantees because the level of its lending is generally lower than other High Street banks.
“In TSB, the large majority of our 100,000 business customers are sole traders - very small companies, people who work in the gig economy, which is why we’ve really focussed on the smaller end of that support.”
She said that the coronavirus had been "extremely challenging, but banks are trying their best to respond."
That seems to have caused people in the city to rush out and stock up on food and essentials.
We hadn't seen this in Tokyo yet, though the pictures of empty shelves are a familiar sight by now from cities around the world where panic buying has been happening.
Officials in the UK, US, Australia, and Hong Kong have warned against buying more than you need and have sought to reassure people there are adequate supplies.
Tokyo has some 212 confirmed cases for a total of 1,200 in Japan.
But who exactly is Dr Anthony Fauci and how did he become America's "explainer-in-chief"?
Find out more about him here.
(Me): Sorry, just couldn't resist this:
Enlarge this image Click to see fullsize
Health authorities are only counting those who die in hospitals and are not performing post-mortems on unconfirmed cases. France's top health official, Jérôme Salomon, said hospital cases "probably represent a small part of the overall mortality".
News reports suggest nursing homes could be suffering a large number of deaths not included in the figures. The president of the Association of Directors for the Elderly told Ouest France newspaper 100,000 residents could be at risk and asked for government aid.
So why isn't the UK testing more people?
It basically comes down to resources. At the moment, the UK doesn't have the capacity to do mass testing - so healthcare systems have to start prioritising.
The government's chief medical officer says the UK is trying to buy more testing kits but points to a current global bottleneck on buying more kits.
Read to find out how the UK stacks up against other countries.
Nancy Carter-Bradley said she was dealing with "unbelievable stress" ever since she was told her treatment at Charing Cross Hospital would be paused.
"To have my treatment stopped without doubt is going to shorten my life span. I don't know to what degree," she said.
The Imperial College Healthcare NHS trust said it was "exploring the use of private healthcare facilities".
Major supermarkets say they can cope and that shopping patterns should return to normal eventually - after all, there's only so much people can stockpile.
But the pandemic has highlighted problems with food supply chains, which our modern societies entirely depend upon.
For one thing, around half the food consumed in Britain comes from overseas, according to official figures. Supermarkets do not hold large reserves of food in the UK either - a measure in place to cut warehousing costs.
Because of this, keeping supply chains running has become essential to putting food on the table. But how robust are these chains and what systems are in place to keep them working? Read more from Jonty Bloom at BBC Business
"We don’t want anyone to remain hungry and we don’t want anyone to remain without money in their hands,” said Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.
She said the package would take care of “those who need immediate help” and would include food security by providing free rice, wheat and pulses, as well as direct cash transfers.
The government would also provide medical insurance cover of up to $66,482 for all healthcare workers helping fight the virus.
India’s economy was in the midst of a brutal slowdown before the country went into lockdown, shutting workplaces, factories and leaving millions of day-wagers and informal workers anxious and helpless.
So far India has recorded a tiny number of deaths and infections in proportion to its size - 13 deaths and 593 cases - but there are fears the virus will spread.
Timothy Wilson was a "potentially violent extremist" with a record of expressing racial and religious hatred and anti-government sentiment, the FBI said.
He considered several targets, including a school with a large population of black students, a synagogue and a mosque, NBC News reports, quoting FBI officials.
He finally settled on a hospital to cause "maximum casualties", given "the current health crisis", the FBI said. He took "the necessary steps to acquire materials needed to build an explosive device".
Wilson, who was armed, was fatally wounded when FBI agents tried to arrest him on Tuesday in the Missouri town of Belton as he arrived to pick up what he thought was a "vehicle-borne improvised explosive device". "There was no actual bomb," the FBI added
The alleged bomb plotter was "apparently frustrated with local government action to stop the spread of coronavirus", according to NBC News.
Foreigners will also have to abide by the 14-day self-quarantine rule or face deportation.
The government is determined to try to keep its borders open but that comes with an element of risk.
More than half of the reported 100 new Covid-19 cases on Thursday were from international arrivals. All those travelling from Europe are now being tested for coronavirus when they arrive at Incheon International Airport. Stricter entry procedures are also being applied to arrivals from the US.
Even if travellers test negative for the virus, they must spend 14 days in isolation and use the application which is downloaded at the airport to record their symptoms. If they fail to use the app daily, the authorities will track them down.
Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said there would be a zero-tolerance approach towards those who violated these terms of entry.
Korean nationals could face legal action and foreigners will be expelled from the country.
The inmate at HMP Littlehey, in Cambridgeshire, died in hospital on Sunday. He reportedly had underlying health issues.
As of Wednesday, 19 inmates had been diagnosed with the virus across 10 jails, while four prison staff had also tested positive.
Here are the latest developments from across the continent:
Help Musicians says it set up the fund to help reduce the worry many musicians are experiencing about their mounting household expenses.
The charity says musicians who are suffering "significant financial hardship" can apply for a one-off payment of £500 to alleviate some of their immediate money worries.
- The US has almost 70,000 confirmed cases and at least 1,050 deaths
- But New York state, the worst-affected, says social restrictions are slowing hospital admissions
- US Senate passes $2 trillion stimulus bill, which includes $1,200 for most adults
- In the UK, financial support for the self-employed is due to be unveiled
- The number of deaths in the UK has risen to 465, out of 9,500 confirmed cases
- In China, no new cases were reported in Hubei province, where the virus emerged
Welcome back to our rolling coverage of the coronavirus outbreak. We're writing to you out of Singapore today - where many of us are working from home - and we'll be handing over to our colleagues in London later this afternoon. Here's your news this morning:
- The number of coronavirus cases in the US has jumped by more than 10,000 in a single day. This brings the total number of cases to 54,453, with 737 deaths so far
- But it's not all bad news. New York's governor says the city's strict measures seem to be working, as the rate of hospitalisations appears to have slowed in recent days. Governor Cuomo said the arrows were "headed in the right direction"
- In the UK, the death toll has risen to 463 from 422, as the number of cases in the country passes the 9,500 mark
- No new virus cases were reported in the Chinese city of Wuhan - where the virus emerged late last year. There has however, been a rise in the number of imported cases across China
NY hospitalisation rate 'almost too good to be true'
New York governor Andrew Cuomo has described the hospitalisation rate in the state as "almost too good to be true" and "headed in the right direction" - while warning that numbers are still expected to spike.Latest figures suggest the doubling of hospitalisation numbers is not coming every two days - as was expected earlier - but only every 4.7 days.
This crucial change gives medical staff more time to treat patients and slows down the overcrowding of hospitals.
Mr Cuomo said the peak of patients needing hospital care in the state was expected in about 21 days, but that the trend showed that social distancing was working.
New York is the worst hit state in the US, accounting for more than half of overall cases.
Rush of weddings before deadline
In Australia, there’s been a rush down the aisle in the past 24 hours after authorities announced new social isolation rules banning more than five people at a wedding.That number includes the marrying couple and their celebrant – so only two guests are allowed.
Facing the prospect of nuptials postponed for an indeterminable time, or perhaps a live-streamed ceremony (see here and here ), some opted to tie the knot immediately, to beat the Wednesday midnight deadline.
US records more than 10,000 cases in a day
The number of cases in the US has jumped by 10,000 - bringing the total number of cases in the country to 54,453.According to the US CDC, the death toll also rose by 193 cases, bringing it to 737.
The state of New York has more than half of the country's overall cases - with more than 30,800 patients.
What's happening in New Zealand and Australia?
Both have implemented strict new measures today.New Zealand's is a month-long lockdown that allows only essential workers to leave home, and forces the closure of all schools and non-essential businesses. The country has almost 300 cases of the virus.
Last night, as streets emptied, PM Jacinda Ardern answered people's questions live on Facebook .
Australia's new rules do not go as far, but place strict limits on how many people can attend weddings and funerals. Many public places and businesses are now shut , after more than 2,600 positive tests and 11 deaths.
Other businesses, however, remain open – a point of continuing debate.
PM Scott Morrison has now scrapped a controversial 30-minute limit on hairdressing appointments – “following the receipt of feedback on the practical implementation of [those] measures".
Trump clashes with reporter over virus
"The media would like to see me do poorly in the election."Renowned Indian chef dies in US
World-renowned chef Floyd Cardoz has died after testing positive for coronavirus.He co-owned the hugely popular Mumbai restaurants Bombay Canteen and O Pedro.
The Mumbai-born chef was a pioneer of modern Indian cuisine and first shot to fame as executive chef at the restaurant Tabla in New York City.
He was diagnosed with Covid-19 on 18 March in New Jersey, according to Hunger Inc where he was culinary director.
The food world has been in mourning since news of his death on Wednesday.
US has third most cases globally
The number of people infected in the US has jumped to 68,572 - according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University (JHU).The US now has the third most Covid-19 cases in the world, behind China and Italy.
It's worth bearing in mind that the CDC numbers we reported earlier are announced once daily, whereas JHU keeps a rolling, live count of the numbers as they come.
New York tightens measures
More on the situation in New York, the state with the highest numbers in both infections and deaths in the US.Despite the slowing hospitalisation rate, Governor Andrew Cuomo warned that “much remains to be done” and announced new steps aimed at containing the virus.
New York City – with more than 8 million people – is making some streets pedestrian-only to allow more room for social distancing between people.
The city also plans to ban basketball and other contact sports in public parks, urging individuals to comply on a voluntary basis.
"Our closeness makes us vulnerable," Mr Cuomo warned.
In a sign that things are expected to get worse before they get better, New York along with North Carolina and Hawaii, has requested the Federal Emergency Management Agency to send special mortuary teams that can be deployed for mass casualties.
'I'm not going to stop partying' spring breaker apologises
Remember the pictures from spring break in the US where Miami beaches were full of party goers , ignoring all warnings to take the situation seriously and stop the spread?One clip that went viral was a young man saying: "If I get corona, I get corona. At the end of the day, I'm not gonna let it stop me from partying."
That was Brady Sluder, on spring break in Miami, and he was criticised for these comments that made the rounds on news and social media around the globe.
Since then US infections and deaths have surged.
Now, Brady has apologised "for the insensitive comment I made in regards to Covid-19".
On Instagram, he said "our generation may feel invincible, like I did when I commented, but we have a responsibility to listen and follow the recommendations in our communities".
Spain death toll surpasses China
Despite the surge in the US, Southern Europe remains at the epicentre of the pandemic.After Italy, Spain has become the second country to surpass the death toll of China. The number of deaths rose by 738 in 24 hours - a daily record - to 3,434, higher than the 683 announced in Italy.
By comparison, China has officially reported 3,285 deaths, while Italy – the worst affected country – has 6,820.
Spain's rate of infection has increased by a fifth and almost 27,000 people are being treated in hospital.
Other hard-hit countries in Europe are Germany, France, the UK and Switzerland.
Singapore schools emerge as new clusters
While many countries around the world have closed schools to slow the spread of the virus, Singapore has kept them open - with strict monitoring protocols in place. But two new clusters have now emerged in the country - one linked to a pre-school and another to an international school.At least 18 cases were reported late on Wednesday at one PCF Sparkletots centre.
The affected branch is just one of over 300 in Singapore run by PCF Sparkletots - Singapore's biggest pre-school operator which has links to the country's ruling party.
However none of the confirmed cases are children at the pre-school - 14 are staff and four are family members of the principal.
The chief executive of the centre has now apologised, after it was revealed that staff were at work despite feeling unwell.
The centre has now been closed and all children and other staff have been put in quarantine. All 359 other centres will also be closed for four days.
Another three cases were linked to Dover Court - a British international school in Singapore. Again, all three patients are staff at the school.
While a number of children globally have been infected, the symptoms tend to be milder in children - studies show.
All your questions about the virus answered
It's a strange time to be living in. A lot of us are confined to our homes, anxious about our loved ones and what to do to protect ourselves. Here's where you can find the answer to some of the questions you might have.What are the symptoms of the virus and how do I protect myself?
Read this
What is social distancing and how do I do it?
Answered here
What's the risk to young people?
Find out more
How close are we to finding a vaccine?
Read what scientists are doing
When will the outbreak end and life get back to normal?
Read our take on this
Flights for stranded Brits 'hugely expensive'
We've been inundated with stories of Brits trying to get home from Australia.Today Qatar Airways has added extra flights from Sydney, Melbourne and Perth via Doha. There are complaints tickets are too expensive – more than A$12,000 (£6,000) one way. We've had a quick look and that seems to be the case for the next week or so.
But prices drop to about A$3,000 (£1,500) from 4 April. Some will have to sit it out a little longer but several travellers tell us they have run out of funds and can’t find work. Others fear their visas expiring and being "illegal".
British Airways flights to London that go via Singapore are currently only allowing Singaporean citizens on board - so planes are leaving Australia almost empty. The UK's High Commissioner to Australia Vicki Treadall says they are "close" to getting a solution and that UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab has been talking to his counterpart in Singapore.
US Senate passes $2tn aid package
The US Senate has passed a $2tn (£1.7tn) coronavirus disaster aid bill that is the largest economic stimulus in US history.Global roundup
If you're just joining us, welcome to the BBC's rolling coverage of the global coronavirus pandemic.As the Asian day heads into lunch hours and Europe begins to wake up, here's what you need to know:
- the US Senate has just passed a mammoth $2tn (£1.7tn) aid package after a last-minute delay
- it comes as the country sees a rise of more than 10,000 new confirmed cases, taking the overall number to over 68,000 with 1,024 deaths
- New York, the worst hit state sees a slowdown in the hospitalisation rate, suggesting that social distancing has a positive impact
- China, where the virus emerged, has seen no new cases in Hubei province, the heart of the Chinese outbreak.
- Europe remains the epicentre of the pandemic, and Italy and Spain have the world's two highest death tolls.
And here are the latest figures - total cases now at 470,000
There are now more than 470,000 recorded infections worldwide.The number of global deaths is more than 21,270 while over 114,000 people have recovered.
Here's the breakdown of the worst-hit countries by number of cases:
- China (81,667 cases, 3,285 dead, 73,775 recovered)
- Italy (74,386 cases, 7,503 dead, 9,362 recovered)
- US (66,132 cases, 1,031 dead, 616 recovered)
- Spain (49,515 cases, 3,647 dead, 5,367 recovered)
- Germany (37,323 cases, 206 dead, 3,547 recovered)
- Iran (27,017 cases, 2,077 dead, 9,625 recovered)
- France (25,600 cases, 1,333 dead, 3,907 recovered)
- Switzerland (10,897cases, 153 dead, 131 recovered)
- UK (9,640 cases, 466 dead, 140 recovered)
These numbers change very frequently
Thailand under 'state of emergency'
Thailand is now being ruled under a state of emergency, lasting at least until 30 April, in which normal government is suspended and power is transferred to a ruling committee headed by Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha.The decree bans the entry of all foreign visitors and gives the prime minister the authority to restrict travel, ban large gatherings of people and confine some to their homes. It also confers sweeping powers to control the media, and General Prayuth warned he would use the full force of the law against anyone putting what he called "distorted" information onto social media.
How much of this power the one-time coup-leader intends to use is not yet clear. Much of the public life in the capital Bangkok has already been shut down, although there are still plenty of people on the streets and in food stores. Until now the government has been reluctant to impose tighter restrictions for fear of the huge economic damage. The closure of Bangkok’s nightlife has pushed thousands to leave for the provinces, cramming bus stations and potentially taking the coronavirus with them.
Infections have now reached 934. But doctors at one top hospital have warned of more than 7,000 deaths within 30 days if much stronger measures are not taken. General Prayuth’s leadership has been widely criticised over the past year as ineffectual and unimaginative. Now he has concentrated all decision-making in his own hands, he must take the credit, or blame, for how well Thailand weathers its coronavirus crisis.
Largest economic stimulus in US history passes Senate
As we mentioned, the US Senate has overwhelmingly backed the $2tn (£1.7tn) coronavirus disaster aid bill. It is the largest economic stimulus in US history.The vote was delayed by a last-minute row between Republican and Democratic senators over unemployment benefits.
The plan includes direct payments of $1,200 to most American adults and aid to help small businesses pay workers.
The Senate unanimously approved the bill with a 96-0 vote. It now moves on to the House of Representatives. It's expected to pass the House on Friday.
97-year-old recovers from virus
Here's a bit of good news amidst the doom and gloom.A 97-year-old woman has become the oldest person in South Korea to recover from the virus, according to Yonhap News.
No other details about her are available yet - but she's not the only elderly person to have beaten the virus.
Earlier in March, Chinese state media outlet Xinhua reported that a 100-year-old man in China had also recovered from the virus. The news outlet says he is the oldest recovered patient to date.
What's the latest across South Asia?
Here are the latest developments across the region:- India enters its second day of a strict lockdown after PM Narendra Modi said there was "a ban on stepping out of your homes". The country has confirmed over 550 cases and 10 deaths. But concerns over how such a strict ban on a population size of over a billion can be carried out remain
- Pakistan continues to be the worst-hit country in the region as cases have surged to over a 1,000. More than 400 positive cases were reported from Sindh, the worst hit region
- Bangladesh confirmed its fifth death as positive cases climb to 39. But it wasn't all bad news as the country also said it hadn't recorded a new case in 24 hours after it suspended all domestic flights and public transport
- Cases in Sri Lanka tipped over to a 102 on Wednesday, as a strict and indefinite curfew remains in place, preventing residents from stepping out of their homes even for essentials
Tokyo warns of 'explosion' in infections
Authorities in Tokyo have urged people to stay at home on the weekend, warning the city might otherwise see an "explosion" of new infections. Wednesday had seen a record 41 new cases discovered.The Japanese capital has so far been spared the draconian measures seen in other major global cities, but governor Yuriko Koike said the city was at a "critical stage".
"We urge people at all costs to refrain from going out this weekend if it's not urgent," she said, encouraging residents to work from home during weekdays and refrain from going out at night.
"Starting this week, there are increasing concerns that we could see an explosion of infections," Koike warned.
Across all of Japan, around 1,200 people have tested positive, including some 200 in Tokyo, and 43 people have died.
US death toll passes 1,000
The number of people with Covid-19 who have died in the US has passed 1,000, according to a running total from Johns Hopkins University. The most recent total was 1,050 deaths with 69,171 cases.Lockdown disconnects India's poor
Lockdowns across the world may be encouraging people to keep in touch or re-connect with old friends, but that's a luxury for India's poor.Most of them rely on pre-paid or pay-as-you-go subscriptions - in fact, these account for 95% of India's more than a billion mobile phone connections.
Millions of daily-wagers can no longer top up their accounts at street kiosks because these are shut. And many don’t use the internet or have an online bank account, so they can't go online to top up either.
They are also likely to run out of money as they now find themselves out of work.
It will be devastating because they are stuck in cities, miles away from their families in villages. And they are fast losing the option to contact their loved ones.
Hopefully, mobile phone companies come up with a plan to keep these subscriptions going.
Another unwanted cruise ship
Any news line about cruise ships nowadays seems to be linked to coronavirus - and this is no exception.This time it's the Zaandam, a ship with more than 70 passengers reporting Covid-19 symptoms.
The ship left Buenos Aires on 7 March with around 1,800 people, and was heading for a port in Chile from where everyone would fly home.
But Chile didn't want to take the risk and said no. All other ports in the region did the same - and so the Zaandam is heading for Florida to reach Fort Lauderdale on 30 March.
Owner Holland America has sent a ship to meet the Zaandam to bring extra supplies - and test kits for the virus.
Another 50 deaths in Germany
The number of people with Covid-19 who have died in Germany has increased by 50 to 198, according to official figures.The number of cases is 36,508 - an increase of 4,995.
Russia locks down aerial borders
Russia's government will stop all overseas flights from the country starting 27 March. The ban will not apply to repatriation flights and flights carried out by "separate orders of the Russian government", Interfax news agency reported.It's worth noting that Russia has comparatively fewer cases than other European countries - just 658, with three deaths.
On Wednesday, President Vladimir Putin postponed a vote on a constitutional change that would allow him to stay in power for two more consecutive terms.
UK virus latest figures
We're now shifting our focus slightly to the UK.The number of coronavirus deaths in the UK has risen to 463, up from 422. That's a daily increase of 41 - less than half the increase from a day earlier.
Cases are up, with 9,529 cases as of Wednesday compared to 8,077 cases the day before.
Some 97,019 have been tested for the virus - of which 87,490 had tested negative.
First Covid-19 death in Kashmir
Indian-administered Kashmir has reported its first death from the virus - a 65-year-old man.He had recently returned from attending a religious congregation outside Kashmir that included people from Malayasia and Indonesia.
The disputed region has 11 active Covid-19 cases, and more than 5,000 have been quarantined and are being monitored for symptoms.
Help for self-employed workers
If you're a self-employed worker in the UK, here's a bit of news that might make you feel a bit better.The government earlier set out plans for 80% wage subsidises for staff kept on by their employers - Chancellor Rishi Sunak now says he wants similar plans in place for freelancers.
There are currently around one million people that are self-employed in the UK.
But the government also says that drawing up plans for self-employed people has proven "incredibly difficult". This is because their income can sometimes be irregular and intermittent.
Calls for 'breeding ground' to close
UK online clothing store Pretty Little Thing has faced calls to close its warehouse, which has been described as a "breeding ground for Covid-19".One worker, identified only as Patrick, said the warehouse in Sheffield had 4ft wide aisles where up to 10 people worked at a time.
Another worker said there were only four small sanitiser dispensers in the warehouse and they were always empty.
"The work we do is not essential, who wants to buy clothes not knowing when you will be able to wear them?" he said.
$1,200 for each adult American
Earlier we reported that the US Senate had unanimously passed a $2tn (£1.7tn) coronavirus disaster aid bill. It's the largest economic stimulus in American history - if signed into law, it will impact millions of Americans and all manner of businesses. But what is actually in the bill?- American adults with a salary of up to $75,000 a year will be sent cheques for $1,200. The payments will be less for those making over $75,000 - the cap is set at $99,000 per person, or $198,000 for couples
- A $500 billion lending program will be established for businesses, cities and states
- Another $367 billion will go towards an employee retention fund for small businesses
- A further $17 billion is earmarked to help companies deemed crucial for national security
- The airline industry - which has taken heavy losses - will be the biggest recipient of the bill. Passenger airlines qualify for $25bn in loans, and another $25bn in grants. Cargo carriers will be eligible for another $8bn, divided between loans and grants
- Roughly $100bn will be given for assistance to hospitals
21-year-old victim had no underlying conditions
A 21-year-old woman with no underlying conditions died after contracting coronavirus, says her family.Chloe Middleton, from Buckinghamshire in England, died last week.
Her aunt called for people to "protect" themselves, saying "please, please adhere to government rules".
Businesses 'have disappeared in the blink of an eye'
We already know that the government plans to provide wage subsidies of 80% of salaries (up to £2,500 per month) for staff kept on by employers during the pandemic.But Chancellor Rishi Sunak is expected to set out measures to help self-employed workers facing financial difficulties as a result of coronavirus later today.
Dr Adam Marshall, director general of the British Chambers of Commerce, told the BBC’s Today programme: "For many people that have seen their businesses disappear in the blink of an eye, things like statutory sick pay or universal credit just isn't enough. Their custom has literally evaporated overnight."
He also argued the case for the UK following a similar route to Denmark or Norway, which try to replace up to 80% of recent earnings for self-employed people: "The way you can do that is by looking back at recent tax returns and filings to make sure you aren't under-paying or over-paying an individual."
"It doesn't need to be perfect - we just need a system in place to get help to some of these businesses. So many of them are counting time in hours and days, rather than weeks or months. They simply don't have the cash to keep going for that long."
Key developments in the UK
Good morning to those just joining us in the UK, and around the world.Here is a quick summary of some of the main developments in the UK:
- Self-employed workers facing financial difficulties will find out later what financial aid they will be offered by the government
- Banks have been criticised by firms and MPs for asking business owners to put their own property up to secure loans
- The government has ordered 10,000 ventilators from Dyson, which says it designed a new type to help the NHS response
- All NHS workers and social care staff will be given free parking during the outbreak
- A decision about whether or not this year's Wimbledon will go ahead as planned will be made next week
- And on Wednesday the number of coronavirus deaths in the UK rose by 41, taking the total to 463
Where is America worst affected?
With confirmed cases and deaths continuing to soar, several states are enacting measures to combat the spread of coronavirus. The disease has been reported in each of America's 50 states, although some are experiencing worse outbreaks than others. Here are five states that have been hit with the highest number of deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University:- New York 368
- Washington 133
- California 67
- Louisiana 65
- New Jersey 62
- Georgia 47
Banks under fire for coronavirus loans
Banks have been criticised by firms and MPs for insisting on personal guarantees to issue government-backed emergency loans to business owners.It means that the banks can go after the personal property of the owner of a firm if their business goes under and they cannot afford to pay off the debt.
Debbie Crosbie, chief executive of TSB Bank, told the BBC’s Wake Up to Money that it was in the process of finalising what business interruption loans it will offer.
She added that it was unlikely TSB bank would look at personal guarantees because the level of its lending is generally lower than other High Street banks.
“In TSB, the large majority of our 100,000 business customers are sole traders - very small companies, people who work in the gig economy, which is why we’ve really focussed on the smaller end of that support.”
She said that the coronavirus had been "extremely challenging, but banks are trying their best to respond."
Shoppers empty shelves in Tokyo after warning
As we mentioned earlier the Tokyo governor has asked people to stay at home this weekend to try and prevent an "explosive" rise in coronavirus cases.That seems to have caused people in the city to rush out and stock up on food and essentials.
We hadn't seen this in Tokyo yet, though the pictures of empty shelves are a familiar sight by now from cities around the world where panic buying has been happening.
Officials in the UK, US, Australia, and Hong Kong have warned against buying more than you need and have sought to reassure people there are adequate supplies.
Tokyo has some 212 confirmed cases for a total of 1,200 in Japan.
The face of America's fight against the virus
He's emerged as one of the most trusted names in America - and a leading voice in the government's response to the outbreak.But who exactly is Dr Anthony Fauci and how did he become America's "explainer-in-chief"?
Find out more about him here.
(Me): Sorry, just couldn't resist this:
Enlarge this image Click to see fullsize
French deaths 'could be far higher'
France has recorded 1,331 deaths amid the coronavirus outbreak but there are fears the toll could be far higher.Health authorities are only counting those who die in hospitals and are not performing post-mortems on unconfirmed cases. France's top health official, Jérôme Salomon, said hospital cases "probably represent a small part of the overall mortality".
News reports suggest nursing homes could be suffering a large number of deaths not included in the figures. The president of the Association of Directors for the Elderly told Ouest France newspaper 100,000 residents could be at risk and asked for government aid.
Why isn't the UK testing more?
The WHO has called on all countries to "test, test, test".So why isn't the UK testing more people?
It basically comes down to resources. At the moment, the UK doesn't have the capacity to do mass testing - so healthcare systems have to start prioritising.
The government's chief medical officer says the UK is trying to buy more testing kits but points to a current global bottleneck on buying more kits.
Read to find out how the UK stacks up against other countries.
Woman's chemotherapy put on hold
A UK woman with brain cancer has had her chemotherapy stopped after being told her hospital was already at full capacity.Nancy Carter-Bradley said she was dealing with "unbelievable stress" ever since she was told her treatment at Charing Cross Hospital would be paused.
"To have my treatment stopped without doubt is going to shorten my life span. I don't know to what degree," she said.
The Imperial College Healthcare NHS trust said it was "exploring the use of private healthcare facilities".
How are UK food supply networks coping?
Pictures of empty shelves across UK supermarkets sparked concerns about food shortages.Major supermarkets say they can cope and that shopping patterns should return to normal eventually - after all, there's only so much people can stockpile.
But the pandemic has highlighted problems with food supply chains, which our modern societies entirely depend upon.
For one thing, around half the food consumed in Britain comes from overseas, according to official figures. Supermarkets do not hold large reserves of food in the UK either - a measure in place to cut warehousing costs.
Because of this, keeping supply chains running has become essential to putting food on the table. But how robust are these chains and what systems are in place to keep them working? Read more from Jonty Bloom at BBC Business
India announces $23bn bailout for its poorest
India has just announced a $22.6bn (£19bn) bailout for the giant country’s poorest citizens to help tide them over during the Covid-19 outbreak."We don’t want anyone to remain hungry and we don’t want anyone to remain without money in their hands,” said Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.
She said the package would take care of “those who need immediate help” and would include food security by providing free rice, wheat and pulses, as well as direct cash transfers.
The government would also provide medical insurance cover of up to $66,482 for all healthcare workers helping fight the virus.
India’s economy was in the midst of a brutal slowdown before the country went into lockdown, shutting workplaces, factories and leaving millions of day-wagers and informal workers anxious and helpless.
So far India has recorded a tiny number of deaths and infections in proportion to its size - 13 deaths and 593 cases - but there are fears the virus will spread.
US man shot while 'plotting to bomb hospital
A 36-year-old man has been killed in a confrontation with FBI agents after allegedly planning to attack a hospital in Missouri with a vehicle bomb.Timothy Wilson was a "potentially violent extremist" with a record of expressing racial and religious hatred and anti-government sentiment, the FBI said.
He considered several targets, including a school with a large population of black students, a synagogue and a mosque, NBC News reports, quoting FBI officials.
He finally settled on a hospital to cause "maximum casualties", given "the current health crisis", the FBI said. He took "the necessary steps to acquire materials needed to build an explosive device".
Wilson, who was armed, was fatally wounded when FBI agents tried to arrest him on Tuesday in the Missouri town of Belton as he arrived to pick up what he thought was a "vehicle-borne improvised explosive device". "There was no actual bomb," the FBI added
The alleged bomb plotter was "apparently frustrated with local government action to stop the spread of coronavirus", according to NBC News.
South Korea uses app to check on new arrivals
South Korea is getting tough on arrivals from overseas and demanding that they download a phone application to track potential symptoms of coronavirus or they will not be granted entry into the country.Foreigners will also have to abide by the 14-day self-quarantine rule or face deportation.
The government is determined to try to keep its borders open but that comes with an element of risk.
More than half of the reported 100 new Covid-19 cases on Thursday were from international arrivals. All those travelling from Europe are now being tested for coronavirus when they arrive at Incheon International Airport. Stricter entry procedures are also being applied to arrivals from the US.
Even if travellers test negative for the virus, they must spend 14 days in isolation and use the application which is downloaded at the airport to record their symptoms. If they fail to use the app daily, the authorities will track them down.
Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said there would be a zero-tolerance approach towards those who violated these terms of entry.
Korean nationals could face legal action and foreigners will be expelled from the country.
First virus-related death in British prison
An 84-year-old man has become the first British prisoner to die after contracting coronavirus.The inmate at HMP Littlehey, in Cambridgeshire, died in hospital on Sunday. He reportedly had underlying health issues.
As of Wednesday, 19 inmates had been diagnosed with the virus across 10 jails, while four prison staff had also tested positive.
EU to hold virtual summit
Leaders are holding a video summit today as coronavirus continues to spread.Here are the latest developments from across the continent:
- All 27 member state leaders will discuss the EU’s response to the virus in the virtual summit this afternoon. There have been disagreements about how best to act, with some countries calling for joint “corona bonds” to revive European economies and others urging financial restraint
- The latest statistics on Spain’s outbreak are due out this morning. There are close to 50,000 confirmed cases in the country – including Deputy Prime Minister Carmen Calvo – and more than 3,600 deaths. El Pais newspaper reports that new rapid tests sent to the country by China don’t work well
- All restaurants, parks and shops barring grocery stores will shut in Moscow for one week on Monday, the city’s mayor said, as Russia ramps up its response to the outbreak. President Putin announced yesterday a week off work for Russians to limit the spread. And as of Friday, all flights to foreign countries will cease, except those bringing home citizens from abroad
- France has recorded 1,331 deaths. In a visit to a hospital last night President Emmanuel Macron said he would call on the army to help the country. A government spokeswoman said the 15-day lockdown measures could be extended, with a final decision expected “in the coming days”
UK charity launches £5m fund for musicians
A UK charity has launched a £5m fund to help professional musicians who are struggling during the coronavirus crisis.Help Musicians says it set up the fund to help reduce the worry many musicians are experiencing about their mounting household expenses.
The charity says musicians who are suffering "significant financial hardship" can apply for a one-off payment of £500 to alleviate some of their immediate money worries.
The unprecedented Covid-19 pandemic is a powerful reminder of our interconnectedness and vulnerabilities. The virus respects no borders. Combatting this pandemic calls for a transparent, robust, co-ordinated, large-scale and science-based global response in the spirit of solidarity. We are strongly committed to presenting a united front against this common threat. from G20 summit statement
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