Coronavirus: A timeline of the outbreak related to the deadly Sars - March 2020

2019 - January February April May June July August September October November December January

As of 10 am today, 784,381 people are infected by Covid-19. The number of recoveries stands at 165,035, and 37,780 people have died. There are 581,566 active cases. In total, 200 countries and territories, and two international transporters have been infected.

The captain of a US Navy aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt, facing a growing outbreak of the coronavirus, asks for permission to isolate the bulk of his roughly 5,000 crew members on shore, which would take the warship out of duty in an effort to save lives. “We are not at war. Sailors do not need to die. If we do not act now, we are failing to properly take care of our most trusted asset our sailors,“ says Navy Captain Brett Crozier in a memo obtained by The Associated Press. The ship is docked in Guam.

China reports more than 1,300 asymptomatic coronavirus cases, the first time it has released such data following public concern over people who have tested positive but are not showing symptoms. Health officials also reported the first imported case from abroad in Wuhan - the epicentre where the virus first emerged late last year - heightening fears of infections being brought into China from other countries. Of 36 new cases reported today, 35 were imported from abroad.

US President Donald Trump warns his country to expect a rough few weeks. "It’s not the flu. It’s vicious. When you send a friend to the hospital, and you call up to find out how is he doing — it happened to me, where he goes to the hospital, he says goodbye. He’s sort of a tough guy. A little older, a little heavier than he’d like to be, frankly. And you call up the next day: “How’s he doing?” And he’s in a coma? This is not the flu."

Lockdowns are slowly being lifted in the Chinese city of Wuhan, the epicentre of the coronavirus pandemic, but not fast enough for some residents, eager to get back to shopping for their own fresh groceries after weeks of living on delivered supplies.Neighbourhoods in the city are still shut off by two-metre-tall plastic walls, set up early in the crisis to enforce social distancing and isolate communities. They also made residents wholly reliant on online deliveries.

In one neighbourhood, residents and traders are now doing business over the barriers.

Shoppers stood on chairs on Wednesday to get a glimpse of the goods on sale on the other side, shouting down to vendors to check on prices, and then used payment apps on their mobile phones rather than risk grubby cash, to pick up groceries.

“It’s safer for us to sell behind these barricades,” the owner of a pork stall said.

White-board signs hung up on the barriers told shoppers what was for sale on the other side. Most listed vegetables, rice, oil and meat but one promised crayfish, a local delicacy.

Some supermarkets also reopened on Wednesday, with one attracting a long line of shoppers - everyone spaced 1.5 metres apart - that snaked around blocks.

Some people wore raincoats or shower caps to ward off the virus. All wore masks and all seemed happy to finish with online shopping and delivered supplies.  

There has still been no word from Chinese citizen journalists Chen Qiushi, a lawyer last heard from on February 7, and Fang Bin, a Wuhan resident who became well known after he released a video clip of dead bodies in a van outside a major hospital. Fang was taken away by plain-clothes police on February 9. 

Carribean Netherlands reports its first case.

As of 10 am today, 721,412 people are infected by Covid-19. The number of recoveries stands at 151,004, and 33,956 people have died. There are 536,452 active cases. In total, 199 countries and territories, and two international transporters have been infected.

New York state's death toll rose to 790, including a child which had underlying conditions. The age of the child is not revealed. NY Governor Andrew Cuomo begs for help.

US Navy hospital ship Comfort arrives in New York harbour.

There has still been no word from Chinese citizen journalists Chen Qiushi, a lawyer last heard from on February 7, and Fang Bin, a Wuhan resident who became well known after he released a video clip of dead bodies in a van outside a major hospital. Fang was taken away by plain-clothes police on February 9. 

Sierra Leone and Burundi report their first cases.

A 14-year-old becomes Europe's youngest patient to die of the virus. Vitor Godinho suffered from psoriasis, but no major underlying conditions. He died in Portugal.

Three hundred people in Iran die after drinking ethanol believing it will cure the virus.

British hospitals begin rationing ventilators, giving them only to patients who have a resonabe chance of recovery.

There has still been no word from Chinese citizen journalists Chen Qiushi, a lawyer last heard from on February 7, and Fang Bin, a Wuhan resident who became well known after he released a video clip of dead bodies in a van outside a major hospital. Fang was taken away by plain-clothes police on February 9. 

Botswana reports its first case.

US president Donald Trump extends social distancing guidelines.

As of 9.45 am today, 596,349 people are infected by Covid-19. The number of recoveries stands at 133,057, and27,343 people have died. There are 435,949 active cases. In total, 199 countries and territories, and two international transporters have been infected.

The regional tallies are as follows:

USA: 104,126 cases, with 1,685 dead. Italy: 86.498 cases with 9,134 dead. China: 81:394 cases, with 3,295 dead. Spain: 65,719 cases with 5,138 dead. Germany: 50,871 cases with 351 dead. France: 32,964, with 1,995 dead. Iran: 32,332 cases, with 2,378 dead. Britain: 14,543 cases, with 759 dead. Switzerland: 12,928 cases, with 231 dead. South Korea: 9,332 cases, with 139 dead. Netherlands: 8,603 cases, with 546 dead. Austria: 7,697 cases, 58 dead. Belgium: 7,284 cases, 289 dead. Turkey: 5,698 cases, with 92 dead.

Canada: 4, 757 cases with 55 dead. Portugal: 4,268 cases with 76 dead. Norway: 3,771 cases with 19 dead. Brazil: 3,417 cases, with 82 dead. Australia: 3,378 cases, with 13 dead. Sweden: 3,069 cases, with 105 dead. Israel: 3,035, with 12 dead. Czechia: 2,279 cases, with 9 dead. Malaysia: 2,161 cases, with 26 dead. Ireland: 2,121 cases, with 22 dead. Denmark: 2,046 cases with 52 dead.

Ecuador: 1,627 cases, with 41 dead. Chile: 1,610 cases, with 5 dead. Luxembourg: 1,605 cases, with 15. Japan: 1,499 cases with 49 dead. Poland: 1,389 cases with 16 dead. Pakistan: 1,373 cases with 11 dead. Romania: 1,292 cases, with 26  dead. South Africa: 1,170 cases, with 1 dead. Thailand: 1,136 cases with 5 dead. Saudi Arabia: 1,104 cases, with 3 dead. Indonesia: 1,046 cases with 87 dead. Finland: 1,041 cases, with 7 dead. Russia: 1,036 cases, with 4 dead.

Greece: 966 cases, with 28 dead. Iceland: 890 cases, with 2 dead. India: 887 cases, with 20 dead. Philippines: 803 cases, with 54 dead. Panama: 786 cases, with 14. Singapore: 732 cases, 2 dead. Diamond Princess: 712 cases, 10 dead. Peru: 635 cases with 11 dead, Slovenia: 632 cases, 9 dead. Argentina: 589 cases with 13 dead. Croatia: 586 cases, with 3 dead. Mexico: 585 cases with 8 dead. Dominican Republic: 581 cases, with 20 dead. Estonia: 575 cases, with 1 dead. Qatar: 526 cases. Colombia: 539 cases with 6 dead. Egypt: 536 cases, with 30 dead. Serbia: 528 cases, with 8 dead. Hong Kong 518 cases with 4 dead.

Bahrain: 466 cases, with 4 dead. Iraq: 458 cases with 40 dead. Algeria: 409 cases with 26 dead UAE: 405 cases with 2 dead. Lebanon: 391 cases with 8 dead. New Zealand: 369 cases. Lithuania: 358 cases, with 5 dead. Morocco: 345 cases with 23 dead. Armenia: 329 cases with 1 dead. Ukraine 310 cases with 5 dead. Hungary: 300 cases, with 10 dead. Bulgaria: 293 cases, with 3 dead. Latvia: 280 cases. Slovakia: 269 cases, Andorra: 267 cases: 3 dead. Taiwan: 267 cases: 2 dead. Costa Rica: 263 cases, 2 dead.

Uruguay: 238 cases. Bosnia and Herzegovina: 237 with 4 dead. Jordan: 235 with 1 dead. Tunisia: 227 with 7 dead. Kuwait: 225. San Marino: 223, with 21 dead. North Macedonia: 219 with 3 dead. Moldova: 199 with 2 dead. Albania: 186 cases, with 8 dead. Burkina Faso: 180 cases, with 9 dead. Azerbaijan: 165 cases with 3 dead. Vietnam: 163 cases. Cyprus: 162 cases, with 5 dead. Kazakhstan: 150 cases with 1 dead. Reunion: 145 cases. Faeroe Islands: 144 cases. Malta: 139 cases. Ghana: 137 cases, 4 dead. Oman: 131 cases. Senegal: 119 cases. Brunei: 115 cases. Venezuela: 113 cases, 2 dead. Afghanistan: 110 cases, 4 dead. Sri Lanka: 106 cases. Ivory Coast: 101 cases.

Cambodia: 99 cases. Mauritius: 94 cases, two dead. Belarus: 94 cases. Cameroon: 91 cases, 2 dead. Palestine: 91 cases, 1 dead. Channel Islands: 88 cases, 1 dead. Uzbekistan: 88 cases, 1 dead. Georgia: 83 cases. Montenegro: 82 cases, 1 dead. Martinique: 81 cases, 1 dead. Cuba: 80 cases, 2 dead. Guadeloupe: 73 cases, 1 dead. Nigeria: 70 cases, 1 dead. Honduras: 68 cases, 1 dead. Trinidad and Tobago: 66 cases, 2 dead. Bolivia: 61 cases Kyrgyzstan: 58 cases. Liechtenstein: 56 cases. Gibraltar: 55 cases. Rwanda: 54 cases. Paraguay: 52 cases. DRC: 51 cases.

Mayotte: 50 cases. Bangladesh: 48 cases. Monaco: 42 cases. Macao: 34 cases. Aruba 33 cases. Kenya: 31 cases, 1 dead. French Polynesia: 30 cases. Isle of Man: 29 cases. Guatemala: 28 cases, 1 dead. French Guiana: 28 cases. Jamaica: 26 cases, 1 dead. Madagascar: 26 cases. Togo: 25 cases, 1 dead. Barbados: 24 cases. Uganda: 23 cases. Zambia: 22 cases. Bermuda: 17 cases. Ethiopia, Maldives: 16 cases. New Caledonia: 15 cases. El Salvador, Tanzania: 13 cases. Djibouti: Equatorial Guinea: 12 cases. Dominica, Mali, Mongolia, Saint Martin: 11 cases.

Niger: 10 cases, 1 dead. Bahamas, Greenland: 10 cases. Eswatini: 9 cases. Cayman Islands: 8 cases, 1 dead. Curacao: 8 cases 1 dead. Guinea, Haiti, Myanmar, Namibia, Suriname: 8 cases. Gabon: 7 cases, 1 dead. Antigua and Barbuda, Grenada, Mozambique, Seychelles: 7 cases. Benin, Eritrea, Laos: 6 cases. Cabo Verde: 5 cases, 1 dead. Guyana: 5 cases, 1 dead.

Zimbabwe: 5 cases, 1 dead. Fiji, Montserrat, St Barth, Syria: 5 cases. Angola, Congo, Nepal, Vatican City: 4 cases. Gambia: 3 cases, 1 dead. Sudan: 3 cases. Bhutan, Central African Republic, Chad, Liberia, Mauritania, Saint Lucia, Sint Maarten, Somalia: 3 cases. Nicaragua: 2 cases, 1 dead. MS Zaandam: 2 cases. Anguilla, Belize, British Virgin Islands, Guinea Bissau, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Turks and Caicos: 2 cases. Libya, Papua New Guinea, St Vincent Grenadine, Timor-Leste: 1 case.

Thomas Schaefer, 54, the minister for the Hesse region in Germany, is found dead on a railway track. People who know him say he was in deep dispair over the economy.

As of 9.45 am today, 531,764 people are infected by Covid-19. The number of recoveries stands at 123,933, and 24,071 people have died. There are 383,760 active cases. In total, 198 countries and territories have been infected.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson announces he is infected. He continues working from home. Also ill are Matt Hancock and Chris Whitty, the three  men leading the nation's response to the virus.

South Africa enters chaotic three week lockdown.

Italy's death toll spikes to 969 in 24 hours.

US President Donald Trump signs US$2.2 trillion relief package into law, but can't resist surrounding himself with Republicans as he does it. He also goes after General Motors, tweeting: "As usual with “this” General Motors, things just never seem to work out. They said they were going to give us 40,000 much needed Ventilators, “very quickly”. Now they are saying it will only be 6000, in late April, and they want top dollar. Always a mess with Mary B. Invoke “P”.

A cruise ship, the Holland American Line's Zaandam heads for Florida after being denied enitry in Panama. The Panamanian government said at least 124 passengers were showing signs of infection. The company said around 138 people were ill and four had died.

There has still been no word from Chinese citizen journalists Chen Qiushi, a lawyer last heard from on February 7, and Fang Bin, a Wuhan resident who became well known after he released a video clip of dead bodies in a van outside a major hospital. Fang was taken away by plain-clothes police on February 9. 

As of 7pm today, 486.683 people are infected by Covid-19. The number of recoveries stand)))s at 117.563, and 22,024 people have died. There are 347.267 active cases. In total, 198 countries and territories have been infected.

China gears up to suspend entry to foreigners entering the country from Saturday in an attempt to stop imported infections.

Millions of Britons flock into their gardens and on to the streets to applaud NHS workers.

US now has most coronavirus cases in the world with 83,553 infections - more than China or Italy, but Trump blames testing for high figure.

There has still been no word from Chinese citizen journalists Chen Qiushi, a lawyer last heard from on February 7, and Fang Bin, a Wuhan resident who became well known after he released a video clip of dead bodies in a van outside a major hospital. Fang was taken away by plain-clothes police on February 9. 

MS Zaandam reports its first case.

Anguilla reports its first case.

Japan postpones the Olympics.

There has still been no word from Chinese citizen journalists Chen Qiushi, a lawyer last heard from on February 7, and Fang Bin, a Wuhan resident who became well known after he released a video clip of dead bodies in a van outside a major hospital. Fang was taken away by plain-clothes police on February 9. 

India locks down. Prime Minster Narendra Modi makes the call when the country has only 469 cases. While the move upends lives and is especially harsh on the poor, the world's biggest lock down - 1.3 billion people - does slow the contagion. India takes the gap to prepare for the virus peak. More than 600 hospitals are designated for Covid only, with about 100,000 isollation beds, and about 12,000 ICU beds. It also trains more than 1 million doctors and 1.7 million nurses to treat patients. 

British Virgin Islands, Guinea Bissau, Mali, Saint Kitts and Nevis all report their first cases

As of 9 am today, 336,075 people have been infected by Covid-19. The number of recoveries stands at 97,636, and 14,613 people have died. There are 198,778 active cases. In total, 192 countries and territories have been infected.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel is in quarantine after the doctor she consulted tested positive. Germany bans meetings of more than two people.

An 18-year-old man dies in Coventary in Britain, one of 47 deaths in 24 hours.

Britain's Prince Charles tests positive.

Boots pharmacies limit the number of paracetomol to one pack per customer, in Britain.

A 12-year-old girl in Atlanta, in the US, is on a ventilator, fighting for her life, even though she had no underlying conditions. Emma had tested positive for pneumonia on March 15, and had no recent history of travel to other countries.

There has still been no word from Chinese citizen journalists Chen Qiushi, a lawyer last heard from on February 7, and Fang Bin, a Wuhan resident who became well known after he released a video clip of dead bodies in a van outside a major hospital. Fang was taken away by plain-clothes police on February 9. 

Laos and Libya report their first cases.

As of 11 am today, 307,625  people have been infected by Covid-19. The number of recoveries stands at 85,797, and 13,050 people have died. There are 198,778 active cases. The area tallies are as follows:

Mainland China: 81,054 with 3,261 dead. Italy: 53,578 with 4,825 dead. USA: 27,684 cases, 340 dead. Spain: 25,496 with 1,378 dead. Germany:  22,364 cases, 84 dead. Iran: 20.610 with 1,556 dead. France: 14,459 cases with 1,842 dead. South Korea: 8,897 with 104 dead. Switzerland: 6,836 with 80 dead. Britain: 5,018 cases, 233 dead.  Netherlands: 3,631 cases, 136 dead. Austria: 2,992 cases, 8 dead. Belgium: 2,815 cases, 67 dead. Norway: 2,164 cases, with 7 dead. 

Sweden: 1, 770 cases, 20 dead. Canada: 1,328 cases, 19 dead. Denmark: 1,326 cases, 13 dead. Portugal: 1,280 cases, 12 dead. Malaysia: 1,183 cases, 8 dead. Brazil: 1,178 cases, 8 dead. Australia: 1,072 cases, 7 dead. Japan: 1,054 with 36 dead. Czechia: 995 cases. Turkey: 947 cases, 21 dead. Israel: 883 cases, one dead. Ireland: 785 cases, 3 dead. Diamond Princess: 712 with 8 dead. 

Luxembourg: 670 cases, 8 dead. Pakistan: 645 cases, 3 dead.  Chile: 537 cases. one dead.  Poland: 536 cases, 5 dead. Ecuador: 532 cases, 7 dead. Greece: 530 cases, 13 dead. Finland: 532 cases, 1 dead. Qatar 481 cases. Iceland: 473 cases, 1 dead. Indonesia: 369 cases, 38 dead. Singapore: 432 cases, 2 dead. Thailand: 411 cases, 1 dead. Saudi Arabia: 392. Slovenia: 383 cases, 1 dead. Romania: 367 cases. 

India: 332 cases, 5 dead. Peru: 318 cases, 5 dead. Bahrain: 310 cases, 1 dead. Philippines: 307 cases, 19 dead. Russia: 306 cases, 1 dead. Estonia: 306 cases. Egypt: 294 cases with 10 dead. Hong Kong: 274 cases with 4 dead. Panama: 245 cases, 3 dead.  South Africa: 240 cases. Lebanon: 230 cases, 4 dead. Iraq: 124 with 17 dead. Croatia: 206 cases, 1 dead. Mexico: 203 cases, 2 dead.

Colombia: 196 cases. Slovakia 178 cases. Kuwait: 176 cases. Serbia: 118 cases, one dead. Bulgaria: 163 cases 3 dead. San Marino: 160 cases, 20 dead. Armenia: 160 cases. Argentina: 158 cases, 4 dead. Taiwan:  153 cases with 2 dead. UAE: 153 cases, 2 dead. Algeria: 139 cases, 15 deaths. Latvia: 124 cases.  Costa Rica: 117 cases, 2 dead. Dominican Republic: 112 cases, 3 dead.

Uruguay: 110 cases. Hungary: 103 cases. 4 dead. Jordan: 100 cases. Lithuania: 99 cases, 1 dead.  Morocco: 96 cases, 3 dead. Vietnam: 94 cases. Bosnia Herzegovina: 93 cases, 1 dead. Faeroe Islands: 92 cases. Andorra: 88 cases. North Macedonia: 85 cases, 9 dead. Cyprus: 84 cases, 1 dead. Brunei: 83 cases. Moldova: 80 cases, 1 dead. Sri Lanka: 77 cases. Albania: 78, 2 dead. Belarus: 76 cases. Malta: 73. Venezuela: 70 cases.  New Zealand: 66 cases. Burkina Faso: 64 cases, 3 dead. Tunisia: 60 cases, 1 dead. Guadeloupe: 56 cases, 1 dead. Senegal: 56 cases. Kazakhstan: 54 cases. Azerbaijan: 53 cases, 1 dead. Cambodia, Palestine: 53 cases. Oman: 52 cases.

Georgia, Trinidad and Tobago: 49 cases. Ukraine: 47 cases, 3 dead. Reunion: 47 cases.  Uzbekistan: 41 cases.  Cameroon: 40 cases. Martinique: 37 cases, 1 dead.  Liechtenstein: 37. Channel Islands: 32.  Bangladesh: 24 cases, 2 dead. Afghanistan, Honduras: 24 cases. DRC: 23 cases, 1 dead. Paraguay 22 cases, 1 dead. Nigeria: 22 cases. Cuba: 21 cases, 1 dead. Ghana: 21 cases, 1 dead. Grand Princess: 21 cases. Puerto Rico: 21 cases, 1 dead.

Jamaica: 19 cases, 1 dead. Bolivia, Macau: 19 cases. Guyana: 18 cases, 1 dead. Monaco, French Guiana: 18 cases. Guatemala, Rwanda: 17 cases. Montenegro, Togo: 16 cases. French Polynesia, Guam: 15 cases. Mauritius: 14 cases, 1 dead. Barbados, Ivory Coast, Kyrgyzstan: 14 cases. Maldives: 13 cases. Mayotte: 11 cases. Gibraltar, Jersey, Mongolia: 10 cases.

Ethiopia: 9 cases. Kenya, Seychelles: 7 cases. Equatorial Guinea, Tanzania, US Virgin Islands: 6 cases. Gabon: 5 cases, 1 dead. Aruba, St Martin, Suriname: 5 cases.  Bahamas, New Caledonia: 4 cases. Cayman Islands: 3 cases, 1 dead. Curacao: 3 cases, 1 dead.

Cabo Verde, Central African Republic (CAR), Congo, El Salvador, Liberia, Madagascar, Namibia, Saint Barthelemy, Zimbabwe: 3 cases. Sudan: 2 cases, 1 death. Angola, Benin, Bermuda, Bhutan, Fiji, Greenland, Guinea, Haiti, Isle of Man, Mauritania, Nicaragua, Saint Lucia, Virgin Islands, Zambia, Zimbabwe: 2 cases.

Antigua and Barbuda, Chad, Djibouti, Eritrea, Eswatini, Gambia, Guernsey Montserrat, Nepal, Niger, Papua New Guinea, Sint Maarten, St Vincent Grenadines, Somalia, Timor-Leste, Uganda, Vatican City all have one case.

The Congo's Virunga National Park closes among fears that mountain gorillas can catch the virus from human visitors.

Shamed movie producer and convicted rapist Harvy Wienstein tests positive in prison where he is now in isolation.

Veteran Spanish opera singer Placido Domingo, 79, tests positive.

Belize, Myanmar, Nicaragua, Turks and Caicos islands report their first cases.

Lockdowns begin across Africa. 41 of 54 nations show infections.

Britain's John Lewis stores close.

Pret A Manger UK to close 400 stores.

There has still been no word from Chinese citizen journalists Chen Qiushi, a lawyer last heard from on February 7, and Fang Bin, a Wuhan resident who became well known after he released a video clip of dead bodies in a van outside a major hospital. Fang was taken away by plain-clothes police on February 9. 

Dominica, Grenada, Mozambique, Syria report their first cases.

As of 3.30 pm today, 245,532  people have been infected by Covid-19. The number of recoveries stands at 88,437, and 10,048 people have died. There are 147,047 active cases. The area tallies are as follows:

Mainland China: 80,967 with 3,248 dead. Italy: 41,035 with 3,248 dead. Iran: 18,407 with 1,284 dead. Spain: 18,077 with 831 dead. Germany:  15,439 cases, 44 dead. USA: 14,366 cases, 217 dead. France: 10,995 cases with 372 dead. South Korea: 8,652 with 94 dead. Switzerland: 4,222, with 43 dead. Britain: 3,269 cases, 144 dead.  Netherlands: 2,460 cases, 76 dead. Austria: 2,179 cases, 6 dead. Belgium: 1,795 cases, 21 dead. Norway: 1,790 cases, with 7 dead.  Sweden: 1,439 cases, 11 dead. Denmark: 1,151 cases, 6 dead.

Japan: 943 with 33 dead. Malaysia: 915 cases, 2 dead. Australia: 876 cases, 7 dead. Canada: 873 cases, 12 dead. Portugal: 786 cases, 4 dead.  Czechia: 774 cases Diamond Princess: 712 with 7 dead. Israel: 677 cases. Brazil: 647 cases, 7 dead. Ireland: 557 cases, 3 dead. Luxembourg: 484 cases, 4 dead. Greece: 464 cases, 6 dead. Qatar 460 cases. Pakistan: 456 cases, 3 dead. Finland: 400 cases.

Indonesia: 369 cases, 32 dead. Poland: 367 cases, 5 dead. Turkey: 359 cases, 4 dead. Singapore: 345 cases. Chile: 342 cases. Iceland: 330 cases. Thailand: 322 cases, 1 dead.  Slovenia: 319 cases, 1 dead. Estonia: 283 cases. Bahrain: 279 cases, one dead.

Romania: 277 cases. Saudi Arabia: 274 cases. Ecuador: 260 cases, 4 dead. Egypt: 256 cases with 7 dead. 

Hong Kong: 256 cases with 4 dead. Peru: 234 cases, 4 dead. Philippines: 230 cases, 18 dead. India: 206 cases, 5 dead. Russia: 199 cases, 1 dead. Iraq: 192 with 13 dead. Mexico: 164 cases, 1 dead. Kuwait: 159 cases. Lebanon: 158 cases, 4 dead.

Taiwan: 135 cases, 2 dead.  Argentina: 128 cases, 3 dead. Colombia: 128 cases. Slovakia: 124.  Serbia: 118 cases. Croatia: 113 cases, 1 dead. Bulgaria: 112 cases, 3 dead. Latvia: 111 cases. Uruguay: 94 cases. Algeria 90 cases, 9 deaths. Costa Rica: 89 cases, 2 dead. Vietnam: 87 cases, 2 dead. Hungary: 85 cases, 1 dead. Faeroe Islands: 80 cases. Andorra: 74 cases. Brunei: 73 cases. Belarus, Jordan, Bosnia Herzegovina: 69 cases. Cyprus: 67 cases. Morocco: 66 cases, 3 death. Sri Lanka: 65 cases. Albania: 64, 2 dead. Malta: 53. Tunisia, North Macedonia: 50 cases.

Moldova: 49 cases, one dead. Kazakhstan: 49 cases. Lithuania, Oman: 48 cases. Cambodia, Palestine: 47 cases. Guadeloupe: 45 cases. Azerbaijan: 44 cases, one dead. Georgia: 43 cases. Venezuela: 42 cases New Zealand: 39 cases. Senegal: 36  cases. Dominican Republic: 34 cases, 2 dead.

China reports zero domestic cases.

A 26 year old man becomes the first person arrested in Britain for failing to self-isolate.

There has still been no word from Chinese citizen journalists Chen Qiushi, a lawyer last heard from on February 7, and Fang Bin, a Wuhan resident who became well known after he released a video clip of dead bodies in a van outside a major hospital. Fang was taken away by plain-clothes police on February 9. 

Eritrea, Timore Leste, Uganda, report their first cases.

Britain mobilises 20,000 troops and sets up a tent mortuary in London.

China reports zero domestic cases.

There has still been no word from Chinese citizen journalists Chen Qiushi, a lawyer last heard from on February 7, and Fang Bin, a Wuhan resident who became well known after he released a video clip of dead bodies in a van outside a major hospital. Fang was taken away by plain-clothes police on February 9. 

Angola, Cabo Verde, Haiti, Madagascar, Papua New Guinea, Zimbabwe report their first cases.

US President Donald Trump tells journalist Bob Woodward “I wanted to always play it down,” Trump told author Bob Woodward on March 19, days after he declared a national emergency. “I still like playing it down, because I don’t want to create a panic.” Woodward writes a book about his conversations with Trump, called Rage. 

Glastonbury concert in Britain is cancelled.

There has still been no word from Chinese citizen journalists Chen Qiushi, a lawyer last heard from on February 7, and Fang Bin, a Wuhan resident who became well known after he released a video clip of dead bodies in a van outside a major hospital. Fang was taken away by plain-clothes police on February 9. 

US President Donald Trump tweets: “I always treated the Chinese Virus very seriously, and have done a very good job from the beginning, including my very early decision to close the ‘borders’ from China - against the wishes of almost all.”

Chad, El Salvadore, Fiji, Isle of Man, Nicaragua, Niger report their first cases. 

As of 2.30 pm today, 182,603 people have been infected by Covid-19. The number of recoveries stands at 79,881, and 7,171 people have died. There are 95,551 active cases. The area tallies are as follows:

Mainland China: 80,881 with 3,226 dead. Italy: 27,980 with 2,158 dead. Iran: 14,991 with 853 dead. Spain: 9,942 with 342 dead. South Korea: 8,320 with 81 dead. Germany: 7,272 cases, 17 dead. France: 6,633 cases with 148 dead. USA: 4,706 cases, 91 dead. Switzerland: 2,353, with 19 dead. Britain: 1,543 cases, 55 dead. Netherlands: 1,141 cases, 24 dead. Norway: 1,348 cases, with 3 dead.  Sweden: 1,121 cases, 7 dead. Belgium: 1,058 cases, 10 dead. Austria: 1,018 cases, 3 dead.

Denmark: 914 cases, 4 dead. Japan: 833 with 28 dead. Diamond Princess: 696 with 7 dead. Malaysia: 566 cases.

Canada: 441 cases, 4 dead. Qatar: 439 cases. Australia: 401 cases, 5 dead. Greece: 352 cases, 4 dead. Czechia: 344 cases. Portugal: 331 cases, one dead. Israel: 298 cases. Finland: 278. Slovenia: 253 cases, 1 dead. Singapore: 243 cases. Brazil: 234 cases. Bahrain: 228 cases, one dead. Ireland: 223 cases, 2 dead. Estonia: 205 cases.

Iceland: 199 cases. Pakistan: 184 cases, 1 dead. Poland: 177 cases, 4 dead. Romania: 168 cases. Egypt: 166 cases with 4 dead. Chile: 156 cases. Hong Kong: 155 cases with 4 dead. Thailand: 147 cases, 1 dead. Philippines: 142 cases, 12 dead. Indonesia: 134 cases, 5 dead. Iraq: 133 with 10 dead. Saudi Arabia: 133 cases. India: 129 cases, 2 dead. Kuwait: 123 cases. San Marino: 109 cases, 7 dead. Lebanon: 109 cases, 3 dead.

UAE: 98 cases. Russia: 93 cases. Peru: 86 cases. Luxembourg: 81, one dead. Slovakia: 72. Panama: 69 cases, one dead. Taiwan: 67 cases, 1 dead. Argentina: 65 cases, 2 dead. South Africa: 64 cases. Bulgaria: 62 cases 2 dead. Vietnam: 61 cases. Algeria: 60 cases, 4 deaths. Ecuador: 58 cases, 2 dead. Croatia, Serbia: 57 cases1 dead. Brunei, Colombia: 54 cases. Mexico: 53 cases. Armenia: 52 cases. Albania: 51, one dead. 

Turkey: 47 cases. Cyprus: 46 cases. Costa Rica: 41 cases. Hungary, Palestine: 39 cases. Morocco: 28 cases, one death. Belarus: 36 cases. Latvia: 34 cases. Georgia: 33 cases. Malta: 30. Jordan, Moldova: Uruguay: 29. Sri Lanka: 28 cases. Senegal: 27 cases. Azerbaijan: 25 cases, one dead. Bosnia Herzegovina: 25 cases. North Macedonia. Oman: 24 cases. Dominican Republic: 21 cases, 1 dead. Afghanistan, Grand Princess: 21 cases. Tunisia: 20 cases.

Lithuania, Faeroe Islands: 18 cases. Venezuela: 17 cases. Martinique: 15 cases, 1 dead. Burkina Faso, Jamaica: 15 cases. Andorra: 14 cases. Maldives: 13 cases. Cambodia, Macau: 12 cases. New Zealand, Bolivia, French Guiana: 11 cases. Kazakhstan: 10 cases.

Monaco, Reunion: 9 cases. Guatemala: 8 cases, one dead. Bangladesh, Paraguay, Uzbekistan 8 cases. Guyana: 7 cases, 1 dead. Ukraine: 7 cases, 1 dead. Liechtenstein, Rwanda: 7 cases.  Channel Islands, Ghana, Guadeloupe, Honduras: 6 cases. Ethiopia, Cameroon, Puerto Rico: 5 cases. 

Cuba, Ivory Coast, Mongolia, Trinidad and Tobago: 4 cases. DRC, French Polynesia, Gibraltar, Guam, Kenya, Saint Barthelemy and Seychelles: 3 cases. Nigeria: 2 cases, 1 death. Aruba, Curacao, Namibia, Saint Lucia, St Martin: 2 cases. Cayman Islands: 1 case, one death. Sudan: 1 case, 1 death. Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Benin, Bhutan, Central African Republic (CAR), Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eswatini, Gabon, Greenland, Guinea, Guernsey, Liberia, Mayotte, Mauritania, Nepal, Somalia, St Vincent Grenadines, Suriname, Tanzania, Togo, US Virgin Islands,Vatican City all have one case.

There has still been no word from Chinese citizen journalists Chen Qiushi, a lawyer last heard from on February 7, and Fang Bin, a Wuhan resident who became well known after he released a video clip of dead bodies in a van outside a major hospital. Fang was taken away by plain-clothes police on February 9. 

Bermuda, Djibouti, Kyrgyzstan, Mauritius, Montserrat, New Caledonia, Sint Maarten, Zambia report their first cases.

As of 3.30 pm today, 160,552 people have been infected by Covid-19. The number of recoveries stands at 77,753, and 6,516 people have died. There are 85,283 active cases. The area tallies are as follows:

Mainland China: 80,860 with 3,213 dead. Italy: 24,747 with 1,809 dead. Iran: 13,938 with 724 dead. South Korea: 8,236 with 75 dead. Spain: 7,847 with 292 dead. Germany: 5,813 cases, 11 dead. France: 5,423 cases with 127 dead. USA: 3,773 cases, 69 dead. Switzerland: 2,217, with 14 dead. Britain: 1,1391 cases, 35 dead. Norway: 1,256 cases, with 3 dead. Netherlands: 1,135 cases, 20 dead. Sweden: 1,040 cases, 3 dead.

Belgium: 886 cases, 4 dead. Denmark: 864 cases, 2 dead. Austria: 860 cases, 1 dead. Japan: 839 with 24 dead. Diamond Princess: 696 with 7 dead.

Malaysia: 428 cases. Qatar: 401 cases. Canada: 341 cases, 1 dead. Greece: 331 cases, 4 dead. Australia: 300 cases, 5 dead. Czechia: 293 cases. Portugal: 245 cases. Finland: 244. Singapore: 226 cases. Slovenia: 219 cases, 1 dead. Bahrain: 214 cases. Israel: 213 cases. Brazil: 151 cases. Iceland: 180 cases. Estonia: 171 cases. Ireland: 170 cases, 2 dead. Hong Kong: 149 cases with 4 dead. Philippines: 140 cases, 12 dead. Romania: 139 cases. Egypt: 126 cases with 2 dead. Poland: 125 cases, 3 dead. Iraq: 124 with 10 dead. Saudi Arabia: 118 cases. Indonesia: 117 cases, 5 dead. Thailand: 114 cases, 1 death. India: 112 cases, 2 dead. Kuwait: 112 cases. San Marino: 109 cases, 7 dead.

Lebanon: 99 cases, 3 dead. UAE: 98 cases. Luxembourg: 77, one dead. Chile: 75 cases. Peru: 71 cases. Russia: 63 cases. Slovakia, South Africa: 61 cases. Taiwan: 59 cases with 1 dead. Vietnam: 56 cases. Pakistan: 53 cases. Bulgaria: 51 cases 2 dead. Brunei: 50 cases.

Croatia: 49 cases. Algeria: 48 cases, 4 deaths. Serbia: 48 cases. Argentina: 46 cases, 2 dead. Panama: 43 cases, 1 dead. Mexico: 43 cases. Albania: 42, one dead. Palestine: 38 cases. Ecuador: 37 cases, 2 dead. Costa Rica: 35 cases. Colombia: 34 cases. Georgia: 33 cases. Cyprus, Hungary: 33 cases. Latvia: 30 cases. Morocco: 28 cases, one death. Belarus: 27 cases. Armenia: 26 cases.

Bosnia Herzegovina, Senegal: 24 cases. Azerbaijan: 19 cases, one dead. Moldova: 23. Oman: 22 cases. Grand Princess: 21 cases. Malta: 21. Tunisia: 20 cases. North Macedonia: 19 cases. Sri Lanka, Turkey: 18 cases. Venezuela: 17 cases. Afghanistan: 16 cases. Lithuania: 14 cases.  Maldives: 13 cases. Cambodia: 12 cases. Macau: 11 cases. Dominican Republic, Faeroe Islands: 11 cases. Bolivia, Jamaica, Jordan, Martinique: 10 cases.

Kazakhstan: 9 cases. New Zealand: 8 cases. French Guiana, Liechtenstein, Paraguay, Reunion: 7 cases. Ghana, Honduras, Uruguay: 6 cases. Andorra, Bangladesh, Guadeloupe, Puerto Rico, Rwanda: 5 cases. 

Cameroon, Cuba, Ethiopia, Guyana, Ivory Coast, Trinidad and Tobago: 4 cases. Burkina Faso, Channel Islands, French Polynesia, Guam, Kenya, Seychelles, Ukraine: 3 cases. Aruba, Curacao, DRC, Guatemala, Monaco, Namibia, Nigeria, Saint Lucia, St Martin: 2 cases. Sudan: 1 case, one death. Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Bhutan, Cayman Islands, Central African Republic (CAR), Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eswatini, Gabon, Gibraltar, Guinea, Guernsey, Mayotte, Mauritania, Mongolia, Nepal, Saint Barthelemy, St Vincent Grenadines, Sudan, Suriname, Togo, US Virgin Islands, Uzbekistan, Vatican City all have one case.

Bahrain records its first death, with the death of a 65-year-old woman who had underlying conditions. Benin, Greenland, Somalia, Tanzania record first cases.

US humanitarian group the Peace Corps, says it will temporarily suspend all global operations and evacuate its volunteers, amid the ongoing coronavirus outbreak.

New York and Los Angeles shut bars and restaurants. A flight is grounded at JFK when the pilot is suspected of having the virus.

Italy sees and overnight death toll of 349.

The River of Grace Community Church in Gyeonggi Province, south of Seoul sprayed salt water inside the mouths of followers out of a false belief it would help prevent the spread of the virus, but by using the same spray bottle without disinfecting the nozzle, it resulted in 46 church-goers infected, authorities say.

Hong Kong Monetary Authority cuts its interest rate to 0.86 per cent.

MS Braemar will be allowed to dock in Cuba. The cruise ship has 5 patients on board.

World markets continue to plunge.

Angry crowds in Iran stormed into the courtyards of Mashhad’s Imam Reza shrine and Qom’s Fatima Masumeh shrine. Crowds typically pray there 24 hours a day, seven days a week, touching and kissing the shrine. 

A 21-year-old Spanish football coach has died of the virus, after doctors also diagnosed him with leukemia.

Francisco Garcia, a 21-year-old Spanish football coach, becomes the youngest who managed the junior team of Malaga-based club Atletico Portada Alta, was rushed to hospital with severe symptoms of the virus.

Actor Idris Elba tests positive.

US President Donald Trump tells US to go on lockdown for 15 days to stop the spread of the virus.

France goes on full lockdown

Britain's NHS will axe all non-emergency operations. Prime Minister Boris Johnson says people should work from home for at least 12 weeks.

South Africa declares the outbreak a national emergency and closes its borders.

Hundreds of inmates escape from prisons in Brazil after their temporary leave was cancelled for fears they might bring the virus back to the prisons with them.

India closes the Taj Mahal.

There has still been no word from Chinese citizen journalists Chen Qiushi, a lawyer last heard from on February 7, and Fang Bin, a Wuhan resident who became well known after he released a video clip of dead bodies in a van outside a major hospital. Fang was taken away by plain-clothes police on February 9. 

Barbados, Gambia, Montenegro report their first cases.

As of 3.30 pm today, 156,745 people have been infected by Covid-19. The number of recoveries stands at 75,937, and 5,839 people have died. There are 74,989 active cases. The area tallies are as follows:

Mainland China: 80,844 with 3,199 dead. Italy: 21,157 with 1,441 dead. Iran: 12,729 with 611 dead. South Korea: 8,162 with 75 dead. Spain: 6,391 with 196 dead. Germany: 4,599 cases, 9 dead. France: 4,469 cases with 91 dead. USA: 2,982 cases, 60 dead. Switzerland: 1,375, with 13 dead. Britain:1,140 cases, 21 dead. Norway: 1,109 cases, with 3 dead. 

Sweden: 961 cases, 2 dead. Netherlands: 959 cases, 12 dead. Denmark: 836 cases, one dead. Japan: 804 with 22 dead. Diamond Princess: 696 with 7 dead. Belgium: 689 cases, 4 dead. Austria: 655 cases, 1 dead.

Qatar: 337 cases. Canada: 252 cases, 1 dead. Australia: 249 cases, 3 dead. Malaysia: 238 cases. Greece: 228 cases, 3 dead. Finland: 225. Bahrain: 212 cases. Singapore: 212 cases. Israel: 193 cases. Czechia: 189 cases. Slovenia: 181 cases, 1 dead. Portugal: 169 cases. Iceland: 161 cases. Brazil: 151 cases. Hong Kong: 142 cases with 4 dead. Ireland: 129 cases, 2 dead. Romania: 123 cases. Estonia: 115 cases. Philippines: 111 cases, 8 dead.  Iraq: 110 with 10 dead.  Egypt: 110 cases with 2 dead. Kuwait: 100 cases. Poland: 104 cases, 3 dead.

Saudi Arabia: 103 cases. San Marino: 101 cases, 5 dead. India: 82 cases, 2 dead.

Indonesia: 96 cases, 5 dead. Lebanon: 93 cases, 3 dead. UAE: 85 cases. Thailand: 82 cases, 1 death. Chile: 61 cases. Russia: 59 cases. Taiwan: 53 cases with 1 dead. Vietnam: 53 cases. Luxembourg: 51, one dead. Serbia: 46 cases. Argentina: 34 cases, 2 dead. Slovakia: 44 cases. Panama: 43 cases, 1 dead. Peru: 43 cases. Bulgaria: 41 cases 2 dead. Brunei: 40. Algeria: 39 cases, 3 deaths. Croatia: 39 cases. Albania: 38, one dead. Palestine, South Africa: 38 cases. Pakistan: 33 cases. Georgia, Hungary: 30 cases. Ecuador: 28 cases, 2 dead. Belarus, Costa Rica: 27 cases.

Cyprus, Latvia, Mexico: 26 cases. Colombia, Senegal: 24 cases. Bosnia Herzegovina, Grand Princess: 21 cases. Armenia,: 20 cases. Azerbaijan: 19 cases, one dead. North Macedonia, Oman: 19 cases. Malta, Tunisia: 18 cases. Morocco: 18 cases, one death. Moldova: 12. Afghanistan , Dominican Republic: 11 cases. Bolivia, Faeroe Islands, Macau, Maldives, Martinique, Sri Lanka, Venezuela: 10 cases.

Lithuania: 9 cases.  Jamaica, New Zealand: 8 cases. Cambodia, French Guiana, Paraguay: 7 cases.  Kazakhstan, , Reunion, Turkey, Uruguay: 6 cases. Bangladesh: 5 cases. Cuba, Liechtenstein, Puerto Rico: 4 cases. Channel Islands, French Polynesia, Guadeloupe, Honduras, Ukraine: 3 cases. Aruba, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Curacao. DRC, Ghana, Ivory Coast,  Monaco, Namibia, Nigeria, Seychelles, St Martin, Trinidad and Tobago: 2 cases. Guyana: 1 case, one dead. Sudan: 1 case, 1 dead. Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Bhutan, Cayman Islands, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Eswatini, Gabon, Gibraltar, Guernsey, Guatemala, Guinea, Jordan, Kenya, Mauritania,  Mayotte, Mongolia, Nepal, Rwanda, Saint Barthelemy, Saint Lucia, St Vincent Grenadines, Suriname, Togo,  US Virgin Islands, Vatican City all have one case.

US Presidential candidates Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders debate takes place behind closed doors in light of the virus.

US President Donald Trump tells a White House briefing: “This is a very contagious virus. It’s incredible. But it’s something that we have tremendous control over.” He also tells Americans there is no need to horde supplies.

There has still been no word from Chinese citizen journalists Chen Qiushi, a lawyer last heard from on February 7, and Fang Bin, a Wuhan resident who became well known after he released a video clip of dead bodies in a van outside a major hospital. Fang was taken away by plain-clothes police on February 9. 

Benin Greenland, Liberia, Somalia, Tanzania all reported their first cases.

As of 1 pm today, 145,640 people have been infected by Covid-19. Deaths are 5,436 and 72,528 people have recovered. The area tallies are as follows:

Mainland China: 80,832 with 3,189 dead. Italy: 17,660 with 1,266 dead. Iran: 11,364 with 514 dead. South Korea: 8,086 with 72 dead. Spain: 5,232 with 133 dead. . Germany: 3,675 cases, 8 dead. France: 3,661 cases with 79 dead USA: 2,289 cases, 50 dead. Switzerland: 1,139, with 11 dead.

There has still been no word from Chinese citizen journalists Chen Qiushi, a lawyer last heard from on February 7, and Fang Bin, a Wuhan resident who became well known after he released a video clip of dead bodies in a van outside a major hospital. Fang was taken away by plain-clothes police on February 9. 

Norway: 996 cases, with 1 dead. Sweden: 687 cases, one dead. Denmark: 804 cases. Netherlands: 614 cases, 10 dead. Britain: 798 cases, 11 dead. Japan: 734 with 21 dead. Diamond Princess: 696 with 7 dead. Belgium: 559 cases, 3 dead. Austria: 504 cases, 1 dead.

Qatar: 320 cases. Bahrain: 210 cases. Singapore: 200 cases. Australia: 199 cases, 3 dead. Canada: 198 cases, one dead. Malaysia: 197 cases. Greece: 190 cases, 1 dead. Finland: 155. Brazil: 151 cases. Israel: 143 cases. Czechia, Slovenia: 141 cases. Iceland: 134 cases. Hong Kong: 132 cases with 4 dead. Portugal: 112 cases. Iraq: 101 with 9 dead. Kuwait: 100. cases.

Romania: 95 cases. Egypt: 67 cases with 2 dead. Ireland: 90 cases, one dead. Saudi Arabia: 86 cases. UAE: 85 cases. India: 82 cases, 2 dead. San Marino: 80 cases, 5 dead. Estonia: 79 cases. Lebanon: 77 cases, 3 dead. Thailand: 75 cases, 1 death. Indonesia: 69 cases, 4 dead. Poland: 68 cases, 2 dead. Philippines: 64 cases, 6 dead.  Taiwan: 50 cases with 1 dead.

Russia: 45 cases. Vietnam: 44 cases. Chile: 43 cases. Luxembourg, Peru: 38 cases. Brunei: 37. Serbia, Palestine: 35 cases. Argentina: 34 cases, 2 dead. Albania: 33, one dead.  Croatia, Slovakia: 27 cases. Bulgaria: 31. Pakistan: 28 cases. Belarus: 27 cases. Panama: 27 cases, 1 dead. Algeria: 26 cases, 2 deaths. Georgia: 25 cases. South Africa: 24 cases. Costa Rica: 23 cases.  Ecuador: 23 cases, one dead. Grand Princess, Senegal: 21 cases. Hungary, Oman: 19 cases. Bosnia Herzegovina: 18 cases. Latvia: 17 cases. Colombia, Tunisia: 16 cases.  Azerbaijan, Mexico: 15 cases. Cyprus, North Macedonia: 14 cases. Malta: 12 cases. Bolivia, Macau: 10 cases.

Maldives: 9 cases. Armenia, Jamaica: 8 cases. Afghanistan , Cambodia, Morocco: 7 cases. French Guiana, Lithuania, Moldova, New Zealand, Paraguay. Sri Lanka : 6 cases. Dominican Republic, Reunion, Turkey: 5 cases.

Cuba, Kazakhstan, Liechtenstein, Uruguay: 4 cases. Bangladesh, Channel Islands, Faeroe Islands, French Polynesia, Martinique, Puerto Rico, Ukraine: 3 cases. Aruba, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, DRC, Ghana, Honduras, Monaco, Nigeria, St Martin, Venezuela: 2 cases. 

Guyana: 2 cases, one dead. Sudan: 2 cases, 1 dead.

Andorra, Antigua Barbuda, Bhutan, Cayman Islands, Curacao, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gibraltar, Guernsey, Guadeloupe,  Guatemala, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Jordan, Kenya, Mauritania,  Mongolia, Nepal, Saint Barthelemy, Saint Lucia, St Vincent Grenadines, Suriname, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, , Vatican City all have one case.

There has still been no word from Chinese citizen journalists Chen Qiushi, a lawyer last heard from on February 7, and Fang Bin, a Wuhan resident who became well known after he released a video clip of dead bodies in a van outside a major hospital. Fang was taken away by plain-clothes police on February 9. 

Bahamas, Central African Republic, Congo, Uzbekistan all report their first cases.

Confusion over Brazil's president Jair Bolsanaro tests result, as news reports the results were positive, but Bolsanaro is reporting on social media that he tested negative.

Chinese billionaire Jack Ma announces donation of test kits and facemasks to US. Ma is the founder of internet shopping giant Alibaba which owns the South China Morning Post. US President Donald Trump declares a national emergency but continues to offer false advice to the public. When asked if he will be tested because of his interaction with Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro's aid, who tested positive, he said he probably would anyway, but it's not urgent because he is not showing any symptoms.

As of 1.30 pm today, 134,702 people have been infected by Covid-19. Deaths are 4,979 and 70,381 people have recovered. The area tallies are as follows:

Mainland China: 80,814, with 3,176 dead. Italy: 15,113 with 1,016 dead. Iran: 10,075  with 429 dead. South Korea: 7,979 with 67 dead. Spain: 3,146 with 86 dead. France: 2,876 cases with 61 dead. Germany: 2,745 cases, 6 dead. USA: 1,731 cases, 41 dead.

Switzerland: 868, with 7 dead. Norway: 800 cases, with 1 dead. Diamond Princess: 696 with 7 dead. Japan: 691 with 19 dead. Sweden: 687 cases, one dead. Denmark: 674 cases. Netherlands: 614 cases, 5 dead. Britain: 590 cases, 10 dead. Belgium: 399 cases, 3 dead. Austria: 361 cases, 1 dead. Qatar: 262 cases. Bahrain: 197 cases. Singapore: 187 cases. Malaysia: 158 cases. Australia: 156 cases, 3 dead. Canada: 142 cases, one dead. Hong Kong: 130 cases with 3 dead. Greece: 117 cases, 1 dead. Israel: 109 cases. Czechia: 113 cases. Finland, Iceland: 109 cases. Slovenia: 96 cases. UAE: 85 cases. Iraq: 83 with 8 dead. Egypt: 67 cases with 2 dead. Kuwait: 72. cases. Portugal: 78 cases. Brazil: 77 cases. India: 74 cases, one dead. San Marino: 74 cases, 5 dead. Ireland: 70 cases, one dead. Thailand: 70 cases, 1 death. Lebanon: 68 cases, 3 dead. Romania: 59 cases. Philippines: 52 cases, 3 dead. Poland: 51 cases, one dead.

Taiwan: 49 cases with 1 dead. Saudi Arabia: 45 cases. Vietnam: 39 cases. Indonesia: 34 cases, one dead. Russia: 34 cases. Chile: 33 cases. Palestine: 31 cases, one dead. Argentina: 30 cases, 1 death. Croatia: 27 cases. Estonia: 27 cases. Algeria: 26 cases, 2 deaths. Luxembourg: 26 cases. Brunei, Georgia: 25 cases. Serbia: 24 cases. Albania, Bulgaria, Costa Rica: 23 cases. Peru: 22 cases. Belarus, Grand Princess, Pakistan, Slovakia: 21 cases.

Oman: 18 cases. Ecuador, South Africa:  17 cases. Hungary, Latvia: 16 cases. Azerbaijan: 15 cases. Panama: 14 cases, 1 dead. Tunisia: 13 cases. Mexico: 12 cases. Bosnia Herzegovina: 11 cases. Cyprus, Macau, Senegal: 10 cases.

Colombia, Malta, North Macedonia: 9 cases. Maldives: 8 cases. Afghanistan: 7 cases. Armenia, French Guiana, Moldova, Morocco: 6 cases. Cambodia, Dominican Republic, New Zealand, Paraguay: 5 cases. Liechtenstein, Reunion: 4 cases. Bangladesh, Bolivia, Channel Islands, Cuba, Lithuania, Martinique, Sri Lanka,  Ukraine: 3 cases. Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Faroe Islands, Ghana, Honduras, Jamaica, Nigeria, St Martin: 2 cases. Andorra, Bhutan, DRC, French Polynesia, Gibraltar, Guernsey, Ivory Coast, Jordan, Monaco, Mongolia, Nepal, Saint Barthelemy, St Vincent Grenadines, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkey, Vatican City all have one case. Guyana, one dead.

Rome closes all Catholic churches.

Russia builds a hospital to deal with the virus, even though it only has 34 confirmed cases at the moment.

South Korea sees newly infected recovered patients exceed fresh infections for the first time.

The US government awards US$1.3 million to two companies trying to find a faster virus test.

Cases of the virus are confirmed at United Nations headquarters in New York. 

Asian markets fall after tthe US and European makets lose around 10 per cent. Global markets go on a rollercoaster ride over the virus crisis as it upends events across the world and affects people from all walks of life. Governments are imposing draconian measure, never before seen in peacetime - sealing borders, closing schools and colleges and cancelling events, meetings and business travel. Top events on the sporting an enterainment calendars have been cancelled.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's wife, Sophie Gregoire Trudeau, tested positive.

Chelsea forward Callum Hudson-Odoi becomes the first player in England's Premier League to test positive.

The Corona Open Gold Coast surfing competition, sponsored by Corona beer has been cancelled.

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro is tested after his press secretary tested positive at the end of a trip they both took to US President Donald Trump's resort in Florida.

Austria calls on its tourists to return.

Cruise ship the MS Braemar discovers five passengers are infected while it is anchored off Curacao yesterday. Barbados refuses permission to dock and it heads to the Bahamas.

Russian-German pianist Igor Levit says he is taking to Twitter to play his concerts in response to the shuttering of major music venues across Germany.

Mt Everest is shut. China halted access from its side and now Nepal has stopped access from its territory.

Iran's security forces have been ordered to clear the streets nationwide within 24 hours in a bid to stop the virus.

There has still been no word from Chinese citizen journalists Chen Qiushi, a lawyer last heard from on February 7, and Fang Bin, a Wuhan resident who became well known after he released a video clip of dead bodies in a van outside a major hospital. Fang was taken away by plain-clothes police on February 9. 

Equatorial Guinea, Eswatini, Mayotte, Namibia, Rwanda,  all report their first cases.

US President Donald Trump tells reporters: “Yeah, no, I don’t take responsibility at all, because we were given a - a set of circumstances and we were given rules, regulations, and specifications from a different time.”

Italy's health system buckles under the weight of thousands of extra patients. There is not enough resources to treat all who need to be treated. All shops other than pharmacies are closed. The death toll climbs 31 per cent to 827 in 24 hours. Authorities tell hospitals to stop treating the elderly. Top doctors suggest the country's medics switch to a "catastrophic" approach usually used during war time, where they will not treat people on a "first come, first served basis" but rather according to their chances of survival.

As of 1.30 pm today, 126,367 people have been infected by Covid-19. Deaths are 4,633 and 68,304 people have recovered. The area tallies are as follows:

Mainland China: 80,796, with 3,169 dead. Italy: 12,462 with 827 dead. Iran: 9,000 with 354 dead. South Korea: 7,869 with 66 dead. France: 2,281 cases with 48 dead. Spain: 2,277 with 55 dead. Germany: 1,966 cases, 3 dead. USA: 1,327 cases, 38 dead.

Diamond Princess: 696 with 7 dead. Switzerland: 652, with 4 dead. Japan: 639 with 15 dead. Norway: 629 cases. Denmark: 514 cases. Netherlands: 503 cases, 5 dead. Sweden: 500 cases, one dead. Britain: 465 cases, 8 dead. Belgium: 314 cases, 3 dead. Qatar: 262 cases. Austria: 246 cases. Bahrain: 195 cases. Singapore: 178 cases. Malaysia: 149 cases. Australia: 139 cases, 3 dead. Hong Kong: 130 cases with 3 dead. Canada: 118 cases, one dead.

Greece: 99 cases. Israel: 97 cases. Czechia: 94. Iceland: 85 cases. UAE: 74 cases. Kuwait: 72. cases. Iraq: 71 with 7 dead. San Marino: 69 cases, 2 dead. Lebanon: 68 cases, 2 dead. Egypt: 67 cases with 1 dead. Finland: 65 cases. India: 62 cases. Portugal: 61 cases.

Thailand: 59 cases, 1 death. Slovenia: 57 cases. Brazil: 52 cases. Philippines: 49 cases, 2 dead. Taiwan: 48 cases with 1 dead. Romania: 47 cases. Saudi Arabia: 45 cases. Ireland: 43 cases. Vietnam: 39 cases. Indonesia: 34 cases. Poland: 31 cases. Palestine: 30 cases. Russia: 28 cases. Georgia: 24 cases. Chile: 23 cases. Costa Rica: 22 cases. Argentina: 21 cases, 1 death. Grand Princess: 21 cases. Algeria, Pakistan: 20 cases.

Croatia: 19 cases. Oman, Serbia: 18 cases. Ecuador, Peru: 17 cases. Estonia: 16 cases. Albania: 15 cases, one dead. Panama: 14 cases, 1 dead. Hungary, South Africa: 13 cases. Mexico: 12 cases. Azerbaijan, Brunei: 11 cases. Latvia, Macau, Slovakia: 10 cases.

Belarus, Colombia: 9 cases. Maldives: 8 cases. Afghanistan, Bosnia Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Luxembourg, Malta, North Macedonia, Tunisia: 7 cases. Cyprus, Morocco: 6 cases. Dominican Republic, French Guiana, New Zealand, Paraguay: 5 cases.

Senegal: 4 cases. Bangladesh, Cuba, Cambodia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Martinique, Moldova: 3 cases. Bolivia, Nigeria, Sri Lanka, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Channel Islands, Faroe Islands, Honduras, Jamaica, St Martin: 2 cases. Andorra, Armenia, Bhutan, DRC, French Polynesia, Gibraltar, Guernsey, Ivory Coast, Jordan, Monaco, Mongolia, Nepal, Reunion, Saint Barthelemy, Togo, Turkey, Ukraine, Vatican City all have one case.

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte will be tested after coming into contact with coronavirus patients. Nine cabinet members, five legislators and three mayors start self-quarantine after exposure to a patient who tested positive. A 67-year old Filipino woman became the second fatality in the country,

Australia's Prime Minister, Scott Morrison, announces a stimulus package worth billions of dollars to counter the impact of the virus.

Juventus defender Daniele Rugani tests positive, becoming the first Serie A player to be confirmed infected. The 25-year-old is asymptomatic. Inter Milan, which played Juventus on Saturday, suspends all competitive activity until further notice.

World figure skating championships due to start in Montreal next week are cancalled.

Haruyuki Takahashi, a member of the Tokyo Olympics organising committee tells Kyodo News Agency that he will propose that this year's Olympics be suspended for a year or two. Japan stops short of banning cherry blossom viewing but suggests people don't hold hanami parties, where friends and famlies usuallyl gather under the trees with food and drink. Meteorologists expect the trees in Tokyo to start blossoming on March 17.

Germany's Bundesliga stops allowing fans to its matches.

Three members of Formula One teams are in quarantine after being tested for the virus ahead of the season opening Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne.

Stock exchanges dive again off Trump's speech in which he failed to provide concrete measures to stem the market bloodbath.  Germany's DAX drops below 10,000 for the first time since 2016. Nordic markets open in the red.  CAC shares slive 5.11 per cent on opeining. London's FTSE falls 5.4 per cent despite Bank of England's stimulus plan. Japan's Nikkei lost 4.41 per cent. South Korea's Kospi slips 3.87 per cent. India's Sensex shed 2,700 points.

Bitcoin plummets 12.5 per cent.

China says the peak of the outbreak has passed.

Tens of thousands of panicked travellers in Europe scramble to get to the US before the 30-day black out period which starts at midnight on Friday, as announced by US President Donald Trump. He blamed the EU for his decision, saying it had failed to contain the virus. European leaders hit out at the decision, saying they were not consulsted.

There has still been no word from Chinese citizen journalists Chen Qiushi, a lawyer last heard from on February 7, and Fang Bin, a Wuhan resident who became well known after he released a video clip of dead bodies in a van outside a major hospital. Fang was taken away by plain-clothes police on February 9. 

Antigua Barbuda, Aruba, Cayman Islands, Curacao, Ethiopia, Gabon, Guadeloupe, Guatemala, Guinea, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Mauritania, Saint Lucia, Sudan, Suriname, Seychelles, Uruguay, Venezuela report their first cases. China records a new low of only 15 new cases. 

As of 3pm today, 119,217 people have been infected by Covid-19. Deaths are 4,299 and 66,561 people have recovered. The area tallies are as follows:

Mainland China: 80,778, with 3,158 dead. Italy: 10,149 with 631 dead. Iran: 8,042 with 291 dead. South Korea: 7,755 with 61 dead. France: 1,784 cases with 33 dead. Spain: 1,695 with 36 dead. Germany: 1,565 cases, two dead. USA: 1,010 cases, 31 dead. Diamond Princess: 696 with 7 dead. Japan: 587 with 12 dead. Switzerland: 497, with 3 dead. Norway: 400 cases. Britain: 383 cases, 6 dead. Netherlands: 382 cases, 4 dead. Sweden: 355 cases. Belgium: 267 cases. Denmark: 262 cases. Austria: 182 cases. Singapore: 166 cases. Malaysia: 129 cases. Hong Kong: 121 cases with 3 dead. Australia: 116 cases, 3 dead. Bahrain: 110 cases. Canada: 94 cases, one death. Greece: 89 cases. Iceland: 81 cases. Israel: 75 cases. UAE: 74 cases. Iraq: 71 with 7 deaths. Kuwait: 69. Czechia: 63 cases. India, San Marino: 62 cases. Egypt: 59 cases with 1 death. Thailand: 53 cases, 1 death. Lebanon: 41 cases, one death. Taiwan: 47 cases with 1 death. Portugal: 41 cases. Finland: 40 cases. Brazil, Ireland, Slovenia, Vietnam: 34 cases. Philippines: 33 cases. Romania, Palestine: 29 cases. Indonesia: 27 cases. Qatar: 24 cases. Georgia: 23 cases. Grand Princess: 21 cases. Algeria, Russia, Saudi Arabia: 20 cases. Argentina, Pakistan: 19 cases. Oman: 18. Ecuador, Chile: 17 cases. Croatia: 15 cases. Estonia, Costa Rica: 13 cases. Hungary: 12. Azerbaijan, Peru: 11 cases. Albania, Macau: 10 cases. Belarus: 9 cases. . Latvia, Panama: 8 cases. Afghanistan, Bosnia Herzegovina, Luxembourg, Mexico, North Macedonia, Slovakia, South Africa: 7 cases. Brunei, Bulgaria, Maldives, Tunisia: 6 cases.Dominican Republic, French Guiana, Malta, New Zealand, Paraguay, Serbia: 5 cases. Senegal: 4 cases. Bangladesh, Cambodia, Colombia, Lithuania, Martinique, Moldova, Morocco: 3 cases. Bolivia, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Channel Islands, Cyprus, Faroe Islands,  Nigeria, St Martin: 2 cases. Andorra, Armenia, Bhutan, DRC, Gibraltar, Jamaica, Jordan, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Mongolia, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Saint Barthelemy, Togo, Turkey, Ukraine, Vatican City all have one case.

WHO DECLARES PANDEMIC

New York, Chicago, join Boston in cancelling St Patrick's day celebrations.

The death toll from the Xinjia Express Hotel which collapsed during remodelling rises to 26. The seven-storey building was converted into a makeshift quarantine centre that housed people needed quarantine. It collapsed on Saturday, when builders working on remodelling lower floors accidentally destroyed a crucial support pillar. Three people are still missing.

There has still been no word from Chinese citizen journalists Chen Qiushi, a lawyer last heard from on February 7, and Fang Bin, a Wuhan resident who became well known after he released a video clip of dead bodies in a van outside a major hospital. Fang was taken away by plain-clothes police on February 9. 

China announces that certain key companies in Wuhan will resume production. Businesses providing daily necessities, are involved in the prevention or control of the virus, linked to public utilities will start immediately. Companies that do not fit this category and are key to the global supply chain will be able to resume operating after approval.

A former senior official in Wuhan has been charged with corruption. Cai Jie was secretary general of the Communist Party municipal committee in Wuhan city. He was arrested on charges of taking bribes and abusing his power.

Italy puts up 25 billion Euros to fight the virus. The announcement was made by Prime Minster Giuseppe Conte as the country passed the 10,000 infections mark, for the highest rate of infectin outside of mainland China.

Movie star Tom Hanks and his wife Rita Wilson have tested positive while in Australia. They share the news, becoming the most famous people to announce their status.

US President Donald Trump announces a raft of measures including a 30-day travel ban for people entering from the Shengen area of Europe. It will take effect at midnight on Friday. He also states that the ban will include trade, only to walk that back a few hours later and say it only covers people.  He gives an error-ridden Prime Time address.

The NBA suspends its current season. The Jazz v Thunder game is postponed after a star is ruled out due to "illness". Rudy Gobert is named as NBA's patient zero, after he joked about the virus at a press conference a few days earlier and touched all the media mics.

Ghana, Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago all record their first cases. 

As of 3pm today, 114,435 people have been infected by Covid-19. Deaths are 4,027 and 64,099 people have recovered. The area tallies are as follows:

Mainland China: 80,757, with 3,136 dead. Italy: 9,172 with 463 dead. South Korea: 7,513 with 54 dead. Iran: 7,161 with 237 dead. France: 1,412 cases with 30 dead. Spain: 1,231 with 30 dead. Germany: 1,224 cases, two dead. USA: 708 cases, 27 dead.  Diamond Princess: 696 with 7 dead. Japan: 530 with 9 dead. Switzerland: 374, with 2 dead. Britain: 321 cases, 5 dead. Netherlands: 321 cases, 5 dead. Sweden: 261 cases. Belgium: 239 cases. Norway: 227 cases. Singapore: 160 cases. Austria: 131 cases. Malaysia: 117 cases. Hong Kong: 116 cases with 3 dead. Bahrain: 109 cases. Australia: 101 cases, 3 dead. Denmark: 90 cases. Greece: 84 cases. Canada: 77 cases, one death. Iraq: 71 with 7 deaths. Iceland, Kuwait: 65. Egypt: 59 cases with 1 death. UAE: 59 cases. San Marino: 51 cases. Thailand: 50 cases, 1 death. Israel: 50 cases. India: 47 cases. Taiwan: 45 cases with 1 death. Lebanon: 41 cases. Czechia: 40 cases. Portugal: 39 cases. Finland: 33 cases. Vietnam: 31 cases. Brazil, Palestine, Slovenia: 25 cases, Ireland, Philippines: 24 cases. Grand Princess: 21 cases. Algeria, Russia, Saudi Arabia: 20 cases. Indonesia: 19 cases. Oman, Qatar: 18 cases. Argentina, Romania, Poland: 17 cases. Pakistan: 16 cases. Ecuador, Georgia: 15 cases. Chile, Croatia: 12 cases. Estonia, Macau: 10 cases. Azerbaijan, Costa Rica, Hungary, Peru: 9 cases. Mexico, Slovakia, South Africa: 7 cases. Albania, Belarus, Latvia, Maldives: 6 cases. Bosnia Herzegovina, Dominican Republic, French Guiana, Luxembourg, New Zealand, Tunisia: 5 cases. Afghanistan, Bulgaria, Malta, North Macedonia, Senegal: 4 cases. Bangladesh, Colombia: 3 cases. Cambodia, Cameroon, Cyprus, Faroe Islands, Martinique, Morocco, Nigeria, Serbia, St Martin: 2 cases. Andorra, Armenia, Bhutan, Brunei, Burkina Faso, Channel Islands, Gibraltar, Jordan, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Nepal, Panama, Paraguay, Sri Lanka, Saint Barthelemy, Togo, Ukraine, Vatican City all have one case.

China's President Xi Jinping says Wuhan has turned the tide against the virus. He vists the city at the heart of the global epidemic. During his trip, Hubei says it will ease travel restrictions to allow people in low-risk areas to travel within the province. State media reports that the last of Wuhan's makeshift hospitals that were converted from public buildings has closed.

Italy's deputy economy minister Laura Castelli says Italians may be allowed to suspend mortgage payments and some tax payments to help deal with the economic shock. The lockdown of the red-zones is extended to the whole country.

Cyprus temporarily closes its largest hospital after its chief heart surgeon is diagnosed positive.

Iran reports its highest daily death toll at 54, bringing its total to 291.

US President Donald Trump says he was looking for his government to help hourly-paid workers to make sure they don't miss a paycheque.

Mongolia seals off its cities, barring anyone from leaving ore entering for six days and bans most international flights after it registered its first case.  All shops, other than those selling food, petrol and tyres are also shut.

There has still been no word from Chinese citizen journalists Chen Qiushi, a lawyer last heard from on February 7, and Fang Bin, a Wuhan resident who became well known after he released a video clip of dead bodies in a van outside a major hospital. Fang was taken away by plain-clothes police on February 9. 

Cuba, French Polynesia, Honduras, Ivory Coast, Reunion, St Vincent Grenadines report their first cases.

As of noon today, more than half the world's countries are infected with 110,034 cases of Covid-19. Deaths are 3,825 and 61,977 people have recovered. The area tallies are as follows:

Mainland China: 80,736, with 3,119 dead. South Korea: 7,82 with 69 dead. Italy: 7,376 with 366 dead. Iran: 6,566 with 194 dead. France: 1,209 cases with 19 dead. Germany: 1,040 cases. Diamond Princess: 696 with 7 dead. Spain: 674, with 17 dead. USA: 541 cases, 22 dead, Japan: 502 with 7 dead. Switzerland: 337, with 2 dead. Britain: 278 cases, 3 dead. Netherlands: 265 cases, 3 dead, Sweden: 203 cases. Belgium: 200 cases. Norway: 176 cases. Singapore: 150 cases. Hong Kong: 115 cases with 3 dead. Austria: 104 cases.  Malaysia: 99 cases. Australia: 89 cases, 3 dead. Bahrain: 85 cases. Greece: 73 cases. Canada: 66 cases. Kuwait: 64 cases. Iraq: 60 with 6 deaths. Iceland: 58. Egypt: 55 cases with 1 death. Thailand: 50 cases, 1 death. Taiwan: 45 cases with 1 death. UAE: 45 cases. India: 40 cases. Israel: 39 cases. San Marino: 36 cases, 1 death. Denmark: 35 cases. Czechia, Lebanon: 32 cases. Portugal, Vietnam: 30 cases. Brazil, Finland: 25 cases. Palestine: 22 cases, Grand Princess, Ireland: 21 cases. Algeria: 20 Russia: 17 cases. Oman, Slovenia: 16 cases. Ecuador: 15, one death. Qatar,   Romania and Saudi Arabia: 15 cases. Georgia: 13 cases. Argentina: 12 cases, one death. Croatia: 12 cases. Poland: 11 cases. Chile, Estonia, Macau: 10 cases. Philippines: 10 cases, one death. Azerbaijan, Costa Rica: 9 cases, Hungary, Mexico, Pakistan, Peru: 7 cases. Belarus, Indonesia: 6 cases. Dominican Republic, French Guiana, Guyana, Luxembourg, New Zealand: 5 cases. Afghanistan, Bulgaria, Maldives, Senegal: 4 cases.Bangladesh, Bosnia Herzegovina, Latvia, Malta, North Macedonia, Saint Barthelemy Slovakia, South Africa: 3 cases. Albania, Cambodia, Cameroon, Faroe Islands, Latvia, Martinique, Morocco, St Martin, Tunisia: 2 cases. Andorra, Armenia, Bhutan, Colombia, Estonia, Gibraltar, Jordan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Moldova, Monaco, Nepal, Nigeria, Paraguay, Serbia, Sri Lanka, Togo, Ukraine, Vatican City all have one case.

Italy places the whole country on lockdown, after positive cases surge past the 9,000 mark, threatening prison for those we do not comply. Eight people die in a virus-related prison riot in Italy.

Black Monday: New York Stock Exchange pauses market trading for 15 minutes after the Dow plunges more than 1,700 points, ending the 11-year bull run. The S&P500 drops 7 per cent.

Biggest fall in crude oil prices since the Gulf War in 1991 with Brent crude trading at around US$36 a barrel.

Gold hits a seven year high, trading at US$1,700 per ounce.

US President Donald Trump compares the virus to the flu. He tweets: So last year 37,000 Americans died from the common Flu. It averages between 27,000 and 70,000 per year. Nothing is shut down, life & the economy go on. At this moment there are 546 confirmed cases of CoronaVirus, with 22 deaths. Think about that!

There has still been no word from Chinese citizen journalists Chen Qiushi, a lawyer last heard from on February 7, and Fang Bin, a Wuhan resident who became well known after he released a video clip of dead bodies in a van outside a major hospital. Fang was taken away by plain-clothes police on February 9. 

Bolivia, DRC, Jamaica, Mongolia, Panama, Turkey  all report their first cases.

As of noon today, 105,981 people are infected with Covid-19. Deaths are 3,570 and 59,916 people have recovered. The area tallies are as follows:

Mainland China, 80,695 with 3,070 dead, South Korea: 7,134 with 50 dead, Italy 5,883 with 233 dead, Iran: 5,823 with 145 dead,  France 949 cases with 16 dead, Germany: 799 cases, Diamond Princess: 706 with 7 dead, Spain 500, 8 dead, Japan: 461 with 6 dead, USA 424 cases, 19 dead, Switzerland: 268, one dead, Britain: 206 cases, two dead, Netherlands: 188 cases, one dead, Belgium 169 cases, Sweden: 161 cases, Norway 147 cases, Singapore: 138 cases, Hong Kong: 108 cases, two dead, Malaysia: 93 cases, one death, Bahrain:  85 cases, two dead, Austria: 79 cases,  Australia: 63 cases, 3 dead, Kuwait: 61 cases, Canada: 54 cases, Iraq: 54, two deaths, Thailand: 50 cases, 1 death, Iceland: 50, one death,  Greece 46 cases,  Taiwan: 45 cases with 1 death, UAE: 45, India 34, San Marino: 23 cases, 1 death, Denmark: 23 cases, Lebanon, Palestine: 22 cases, Grand Princess, Israel: 21 cases. Portugal: 20 cases, Czechia: 19 cases, Ireland, Vietnam: 18 cases, Algeria: 17, Oman: 16. Egypt, Finland: 15 cases. Brazil, Ecuador, Russia: 13 cases, Croatia: 12. Estonia, Macau, 10 cases. Argentina, Azerbaijan, Romania: 9 cases. Qatar: 8 cases, Slovenia: 7 cases.Belarus, Mexico, Pakistan Philippines: 6 cases. New Zealand, French Guiana, Poland, Saudi Arabia: 5 cases. Chile, Georgia, Hungary, Indonesia, Senegal with 4 cases. Bosnia Herzegovina, Malta, North Macedonia, Saint Barthelemy: 3 cases. Dominican Republic, Luxembourg, Maldives, Martinique, Morocco, South Africa: 2 cases. Afghanistan, Andorra, Armenia, Bhutan, Cambodia, Cameroon, Colombia, Costa Rica, Estonia, Faroe Islands, Gibraltar, Jordan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Moldova, Monaco, Nepal, Nigeria, Paraguay,Peru, Serbia, Slovakia, Sri Lanka, Togo, Tunisia, Ukraine, Vatican City all have one case.

Italy puts around 16 million people in lockdown in Lombarday and other northern provinces.

Russia declines to cut oil production, starting a price war with Saudi Arabia..

The Grand Princess will dock at Oakland, California.

North Korea begins evacuating foreign diplomats for Vladivostok in russia.

Egypt confirms 45 people on a Nile cruise have been affected by the virus with 34 testing postive. They have been taken to a hospital in the western desert. Crowds gather at the Health Minstry in Cairo to be tested before going abroad as labour.

Bahrain bans spectators from the F1 race.

Saudi Arabia puts about half a million people in lockdown.

Brunei, Burkina Faso, Channel Islands, Cyprus, flag their first cases

There has still been no word from Chinese citizen journalists Chen Qiushi, a lawyer last heard from on February 7, and Fang Bin, a Wuhan resident who became well known after he released a video clip of dead bodies in a van outside a major hospital. Fang was taken away by plain-clothes police on February 9. 

As of 1 pm today, 101.917 people are infected with Covid-19. Deaths are 3,483 and 57,375 people have recovered. The area tallies are as follows:

Mainland China, 80,651 with 3,070 dead, South Korea: 6,593 with 42 dead, Iran: 4,747 with 124 dead, Italy 4,636 with 197 dead, Diamond Princess: 706 with 6 dead, Germany: 670 cases,  France 653 cases with 7 dead, Japan: 420 with 6 dead, Spain 400, 3 dead, USA 317 cases, 20 dead, Switzerland: 214, one dead, Britain: 163 cases, two dead, Singapore: 130 cases, Netherlands: 128 cases, Belgium 109 cases, Norway 108 cases, Hong Kong: 107 cases, two dead, Sweden: 101 cases, Malaysia: 83 cases, one death, Australia Bahrain:  60 cases, two dead, Kuwait: 58 cases. Greece 45 cases, Iceland: 43, Thailand: 48 cases, one death, Taiwan: 45 cases with 1 death, Iceland: 43, Austria: 41 cases, Canada: 37, Iraq: 40, two deaths, India 31, UAE: 29, Denmark: 23 cases, Lebanon: 22 cases, Grand Princess, Israel, San Marino: 21 cases, 1 death, Czechia, Ireland: 18, Algeria: 17, Oman,  Vietnam: 16 cases, Egypt, Finland: 15 cases, Ecuador: 13 cases, Croatia: 11. Estonia, Macau, 10 cases. Romania: 9 cases. Qatar: 8 cases, Slovenia: 7 cases. Azerbaijan, Belarus, Mexico, Pakistan: 6 cases. Philippines, Poland, Saudi Arabia: 5 cases. Chile, Georgia, Indonesia, New Zealand, Senegal with 4 cases. North Macedonia, Saint Barthelemy: 3 cases. Argentina, Bosnia Herzegovina, Dominican Republic, Hungary, Luxembourg, Morocco: 2 cases.Afghanistan, Andorra, Armenia, Bhutan, Cambodia, Cameroon, Colombia, Costa Rica, Estonia, Faroe Islands, Gibraltar, Jordan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Monaco, Nepal, Nigeria, Peru, Serbia, Slovakia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Togo, Tunisia, Ukraine, Vatican City all have one case.

The Xinjia Express Hotel in Quanzhouin, the southeastern Chinese province of Fujian collapses just after 7pm, according to Mnw.cn, an online news site operated by the official Fujian Daily. Around 70 people were in the hotel when it fell. Almost half of them were rescued within a few hours.

Music fest South by Southwest is cancelled

Albania, Bangladesh flag their first cases.

There has still been no word from Chinese citizen journalists Chen Qiushi, a lawyer last heard from on February 7, and Fang Bin, a Wuhan resident who became well known after he released a video clip of dead bodies in a van outside a major hospital. Fang was taken away by plain-clothes police on February 9. 

As of 11 am today, 98.041 people are infected with Covid-19. Deaths are 3,349 and 53,827people have recovered. The area tallies are as follows:

Mainland China, 80,426 with 3,012 dead, South Korea: 6,088 with 40 dead, Italy 3,858 with 148 dead, Iran: 3,513 with 107 dead, Diamond Princess: 706 with 6 dead France 423 cases with 7 dead, Germany: 349 cases,  Japan: 330 with 6 dead, Spain 282, one dead, USA 230 cases, 20 dead, Switzerland: 119, one dead, Singapore: 117 cases, Britain: 116 cases, one dead, Hong Kong: 105 cases, two dead, Sweden: 94 cases, Norway 56, Netherlands: 82, Kuwait: 58 cases, Bahrain: 55, Australia: 55 cases, two dead, Malaysia: 50 cases, one death, Belgium 50 cases, Thailand: 47 cases, one death, Taiwan: 44 cases with 1 death, Austria: 41 cases, Canada: 37, Iraq: 35, two deaths, Iceland: 34, Greece 31cases, India: 30, UAE: 29 cases, San Marino: 21 cases, 1 death. Israel: 16 cases, Lebanon: 16 cases, Oman: 16 cases, Vietnam: 16 cases, Ecuador: 13 cases. With 12 cases: Algeria, Czechia, Finland. With 10 cases: Croatia, Denmark, Macau. With eight cases: Portugal,  Qatar. With six cases: Belarus, Ireland, Romania. With five cases: Mexico, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia. With four cases: Brazil, Chile, Georgia, Palestine, Romania, Russia, Senegal. With three cases:  Azerbaijan, Egypt, Estonia, New Zealand, Philippines, Russia, Saint Barthelemy, Slovenia. Two cases: Hungary, Indonesia, Morocco. One case: Afghanistan, Andorra, Argentina, Armenia, Cambodia, Dominican Republic, Estonia, Faroe Island, Gibraltar, Jordan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Monaco, Nepal, Nigeria, North Macedonia, Poland, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Tunisia, Ukraine.

Hong Kong confirms that a dog has caught covid-19 from its owner. 

Global infections hit the 100,000 mark.

Projections of deaths and rates of infection vary wildly.

Italy's Serie A football league is due to return this weekend.

Speaking during a visit to the Centers for Disease Control’s (CDC) main campus in Atlanta, Georgia, US President Donald Trump took a swipe at Washington state's governor, Jay Inslee, calling him "a snake", and walking back his vice presidents compliment for Inslee, who is overseeing the response to the most serious outbreak in the US. Trump also remarked that he would prefer passengers, who had been exposed to the virus, on the Grand Princess to remain onboard, so that they don't add to the US national infection total. And even though health authorities in the country have said there is a huge deficit of test kits, Trump implied that anyone who wanted a test would be able to have one.

VP Mike Pence says at the Whitehouse that 21 people aboard the Grand Princess are infected. He says the cruise ship will be taken to a non-commercial port where those aboard can be tested and quarantined as needed.

There has still been no word from Chinese citizen journalists Chen Qiushi, a lawyer last heard from on February 7, and Fang Bin, a Wuhan resident who became well known after he released a video clip of dead bodies in a van outside a major hospital. Fang was taken away by plain-clothes police on February 9. 

 Bulgaria, French Guiana, Maldives Malta, Moldova, Paraguay flag their first confirmed cases.  The infection from Vatican City was not the pope.

As of 11 am today, 95,266 people are infected with Covid-19. Deaths are 3,283 and 52.898 people have recovered. The area tallies are as follows:

Mainland China, 80,409 with 2,3012 dead, South Korea: 5,766 with 35 dead, Italy 3,089 with 107 dead, Iran: 2,922 with 92 dead, Diamond Princess: 705 with 6 dead, Japan: 331 with 6 dead, France 285 cases with 4 dead, Germany: 262 cases, Spain 222, one dead, USA 157 cases, 9 dead, Singapore: 112 cases, Hong Kong: 105 cases, two dead, Switzerland: 90, Britain: 87 cases, Norway 56, Kuwait: 56 cases, Australia: 52 cases, Bahrain: 52, Malaysia: 50 cases, one death, Thailand: 43 cases, one death,  Taiwan: 42 cases with 1 death, Netherlands: 38, Iraq: 35, Sweden: 35 cases, Canada: 33, Austria: 29, India: 28, UAE: 27 cases, Iceland: 26, Belgium 23 cases, San Marino: 16 cases, 1 death. Vietnam: 16 cases, Israel: 15 cases, Oman: 15, Lebanon: 13,  Algeria: 12 cases, Croatia: 10 cases, Denmark 10 cases, Ecuador: 10 cases, Macau: 10 cases, Greece 9 cases. With eight cases each: Czechia, Qatar, With six cases: Belarus, Finland, Ireland, With five cases: Mexico, Pakistan, Portugal5. With four cases: Brazil, Romania, Senegal. With three cases:  Azerbaijan, Georgia, Philippines, Russia, Saint Barthelemy. Two cases: Egypt, Estonia, Hungary, Indonesia. One case: Afghanistan, Andorra, Argentina, Armenia, Cambodia, Chile, Dominican Republic, Estonia, Faroe Island, Gibraltar,  Jordan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Monaco, Morocco, Nepal, New Zealand, Nigeria, North Macedonia, Poland, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sri Lanka, Tunisia, Ukraine.

A Hong Kong pet dog has tested 'weakly positive' in swab test, but a government health advisor said it would take a blood test to confirm it.

The coronavirus has evolved into two major types, with differing transmission rates and geographical distribution, according to a study published in the National Science Review on Tuesday.

A group of Chinese scientists analysed 103 coronavirus genomes and identified mutations in 149 sites across the strains.

They found that one type, which they called the L type, was more prevalent than the other, the S type, meaning it was more infectious. They also found that the L type had evolved from the S type, and that the L type was far more widespread before January 7 and in Wuhan, ground zero of the outbreak.

Bhutan,  Colombia, Cameroon, Peru, Serbia, Slovakia, Togo, Vatican City flag their first confirmed cases.

There has still been no word from Chinese citizen journalists Chen Qiushi, a lawyer last heard from on February 7, and Fang Bin, a Wuhan resident who became well known after he released a video clip of dead bodies in a van outside a major hospital. Fang was taken away by plain-clothes police on February 9. 

As of 11 am today, 92,818  people are infected with Covid-19. Deaths are 3,160 and 48,226 people have recovered. The area tallies are as follows:

Mainland China, 80,151 with 2,943 dead, South Korea: 5,186 with 31 dead, Iran: 2,336 with 77 dead, Italy 2,036 with 52 dead, Diamond Princess: 705 with 6 dead, Japan: 284 with 6 dead, France 204 cases with 4 dead, Germany: 188 cases, Spain 150, one dead,  Singapore: 110 cases, USA 103 cases, 9 dead, Hong Kong: 100 cases, two dead, Kuwait: 56 cases, Britain: 51 cases, Bahrain: 47,  Thailand: 43 cases, one death,  Taiwan: 42 cases with 1 death, Switzerland: 42, Malaysia: 36 cases, Australia: 33 cases, one death,  Canada: 27, Norway 25, Sweden: 24 cases, Iraq: 21, UAE: 21 cases, Austria: 18, Netherlands: 18, Vietnam: 16 cases, Oman: 12, Macau: 10 cases, Israel: 10 cases, Lebanon: 10 cases, San Marino: 10 cases, Belgium 8 cases, Croatia: 7 cases, Greece 7 cases, Ecuador: 6, Finland: 6 cases, India: 6, Russia: 6 cases, Algeria: 5, Czechia: 5 cases, Mexico: 5 cases, Pakistan: 5 cases, Denmark 4 cases, Azerbaijan: 3 cases, Georgia: 3 cases, Iceland: 3, Philippines: 3 cases, one dead, Qatar: 3, Romania: 3 cases, Belarus 2 cases, Brazil 2 cases, Egypt: 2, Indonesia: 2, Portugal: 2, Senegal: 2, Single cases: Afghanistan,  Andorra, Armenia, Cambodia, Dominican Republic, Estonia, Ireland, Jordan, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Monaco, Morocco, Nepal, New Zealand, Nigeria, North Macedonia, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sri Lanka, Tunisia, Ukraine.

Scientists in China say the virus has mutated into two different strains, making finding a cure more difficult. The deadlier strain is the one circulating the globe and scientists say its aggression could mean that it won't survive too long as infected people seek medical attention and many die.

Japan says the Olympic games are in doubt.

Cruise ship Grand Princess is anchored off California, its journey interrupted by the fact that a previous passenger has tested positive. Several crew and passengers are showing symptoms. Test kits are flown out to the ship.

There has still been no word from Chinese citizen journalists Chen Qiushi, a lawyer last heard from on February 7, and Fang Bin, a Wuhan resident who became well known after he released a video clip of dead bodies in a van outside a major hospital. Fang was taken away by plain-clothes police on February 9. 

Bosnia Herzegovina, Costa Rica, Martinique Palestine, South Africa all flag their first cases.

As of 11 am today, 90,912 people are infected with Covid-19. Deaths are 3,117 and 47,997 people have recovered. The area tallies are as follows:

Mainland China, 80,151 with 2,943 dead, South Korea: 4,812 with 29 dead, Italy 2,036 with 52 dead, Iran: 1,501 with 66 dead, Diamond Princess: 705 with 6 dead, Japan: 274 with 6 dead, France 191 cases with 3 dead, Germany: 157 cases, Spain 119,  Singapore:108 cases, Hong Kong: 100 cases, two dead, USA 91 cases, 6 dead, Kuwait: 56 cases, Bahrain: 47, Thailand: 43 cases, one death, Switzerland: 42, Taiwan: 41 cases with 1 death, Britain: 40 cases. Australia: 30 cases, one death, Malaysia: 29 cases, Canada: 27, Norway 25, Iraq: 21, UAE: 21 cases, Austria: 18, Netherlands: 18, Vietnam: 16 cases, Sweden: 15 cases, Macau: 10 cases, Israel: 10 cases, Lebanon: 10 cases, Belgium 8 cases, San Marino: 8 cases, Croatia: 7 cases, Greece 7 cases, Ecuador: 6, Finland: 6 cases, India: 6, Oman: 6, Russia: 6 cases, Algeria: 5, Mexico: 5 cases, Pakistan: 5 cases, Denmark 4 cases, Azerbaijan: 3 cases, Czechia: 3 cases, Georgia: 3 cases, Iceland: 3, Philippines: 3 cases, one dead, Qatar: 3, Romania: 3 cases, Belarus 2 cases, Brazil 2 cases, Egypt: 2, Indonesia: 2, Portugal: 2, Single cases: Afghanistan,  Andorra, Armenia, Cambodia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Estonia, Ireland, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Monaco, Morocco, Nepal, New Zealand, Nigeria, North Macedonia, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sri Lanka, Tunisia.

The Pope is declared negative for Covid-19.

US President Donald Trump says he will donate a quarter of his salary to virus research.

Hong Kong's leader, Carrie Lam Yuet-ngor Hong Kong’s leader does not deny reports that she sent a letter to Beijing complaining about her “unsatisfactory” cabinet and saying the coronavirus outbreak could be spun to the government’s advantage.

There has still been no word from Chinese citizen journalists Chen Qiushi, a lawyer last heard from on February 7, and Fang Bin, a Wuhan resident who became well known after he released a video clip of dead bodies in a van outside a major hospital. Fang was taken away by plain-clothes police on February 9. 

Faeroe Islands, Hungary, Poland, Slovenia, signal their first infections.

As of 8:30 am today, 88,227 people are infected with Covid-19. Deaths are 3,006 and 41,997 people have recovered. The area tallies are as follows:

Mainland China, 79,824 with 2,870 dead, South Korea: 3,736 with 20 dead, Italy 1,694 with 34 dead, Iran: 978 with 54 dead, Diamond Princess: 705 with 6 dead, Japan: 256 with 12 dead, France 130 cases with two dead,  Singapore:106 cases, Hong Kong: 96 cases, two dead, USA 74 cases, one dead, Spain: 71 cases, Germany: 66 cases, Kuwait: 45 cases, Thailand: 42 cases, one death, Taiwan: 40 cases with 1 death, Bahrain: 38 cases, Britain: 35 cases, one death. Malaysia: 29 cases, Australia: 24 cases, one death, UAE: 21 cases, Canada: 20 cases, Iraq: 19 cases, Norway 19, Vietnam: 16 cases, Sweden: 15 cases, Macau: 10 cases, Netherlands: 10, Switzerland: 10 cases, Croatia: 7 cases, Greece 7 cases, Lebanon: 7 cases, Finland: 6 cases, Oman: 6, Austria: 5 cases, Israel: 5 cases, Russia: 5 cases, Mexico: 4 cases, Pakistan: 4 cases, Czechia: 3, India: 3 cases, Philippines: 3 cases, one dead, Romania: 3 cases, Belarus 2 cases, Belgium 2 cases, Brazil 2 cases, Denmark 2 cases, Georgia: 2 cases,  1 confirmed case: Afghanistan, Algeria, Azerbaijan, Cambodia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, Estonia, Iceland, Ireland, Lithuania, Monaco, Nepal, New Zealand, Nigeria, North Macedonia, Qatar, San Marino, Sri Lanka.

Lee Man-hee, the leaders of the Shincheonji sect responsible for more than half of South Korea's 4,000 plus infections has apologised. The 88-year-old said the infections were not intentional.

US President Donald Trump demands a vaccine in a few months, only to be told by Dr Anthony Fauci, the nation's top epidemiologist that it could take a year, to 18 months to pass trials.

Ma Jianguo, 23, is sentenced to death for stabbing two officials to death at a rodblock in Yunnan Province when they filmed him taking down a road block so that he could drive his van through.

Dr Zhang Junjian, the director of the temporary hospital set up in an exhibition centre in Wuhan says although his staff has a very heavy work load they should be able to wrap up operations by the end of the month.

France shuts the Louvre and bans public gatherings larger than 5,000.

Argentina, Chile, Gibraltar, Liechtenstein, Ukraine, report their first cases.

The Pope announces he as a cold, which has forced him to miss the annoual Lenten spiritual retreat with senior Vatican officials near Rome. The Vatican has dismissed speculation of any link to the coronavirus.

Researchers in the US claim that the virus may have been circulating in Washington State for six weeks before it was detected.

Andorra, Chile, Indonesia, Latvia, Morocco, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Tunisia report their first cases.

There has still been no word from Chinese citizen journalists Chen Qiushi, a lawyer last heard from on February 7, and Fang Bin, a Wuhan resident who became well known after he released a video clip of dead bodies in a van outside a major hospital. Fang was taken away by plain-clothes police on February 9.