E3: Coronavirus news: Euro 2020 postponed for a year; Australia tells citizens to fly home – live updates
UK measures to last at least ‘several months’; Iran temporarily releases thousands of prisoners; Saudi Arabia to stage virtual G20 summit. Follow the latest updates
- Britons told to avoid non-essential travel abroad
- Euro 2020 postponed for a year
- Can you get the coronavirus twice?
- Anger at Trump virus tweet
- Share your experiences
Bloomberg Philanthropies, the multibillionaire Michael Bloomberg’s charitable foundation, has announced it is to fund a $40m global initiative to fight the spread of coronavirus in low- and middle-income countries.
Announcing the plan, Bloomberg, who recently spent about 26 times that amount in an abortive bid for the Democrat presidential nomination, said:
Millions of lives depend on getting the coronavirus response right – and so does the economic and social health of communities around the world. We need to slow transmission of the virus and minimize the impact of the outbreak in all countries.
As we launch the Coronavirus Local Response Initiative this week here in the U.S., we also are creating a new effort to prevent its spread globally, particularly in Africa. I know from my experience as mayor of New York City that giving public health professionals the tools to protect the public is vital to saving lives – and to help mitigate the kind of economic and social damage that could make this crisis even more debilitating for families and communities.
The governor of Rio de Janeiro state and mayor of São Paulo have both declared an “emergency situation” over coronavirus as numbers of confirmed cases in Brazil rose to 234.
Rio’s famous Sugar Loaf mountain was also closed to visitors but its Christ the Redeemer statue remains open – for now.
We are trying to avoid what happened in other countries with many deaths, like Italy and Spain.
Hello, this is Damien Gayle taking over the live blog for the next hour or so while Ben Quinn takes a break.
The Queen has cancelled five garden parties at Buckingham palace in an effort to stem the spread of coronavirus, the Press Association reports.
The Euro 2020 football tournament has been postponed to 2021 as a result of the coronavirus crisis, the Norwegian Football Association has announced.
The tournament was due to have been held this year from 12 June to 12 July across 12 countries, including England, Scotland and the Republic of Ireland.
UEFA har bestemt at EM utsettes til 2021. Det skal spilles fra 11. juni til 11. juli neste år. Mer informasjon kommer.
British people are being advised by the government against all non-essential travel abroad.
Dominic Raab, the UK foreign secretary, has been making making a statement to MPs about new travel advice. You can follow my colleague Andy Sparrow’s coverage of that here.
BREAKING: British nationals are advised against all non-essential travel anywhere in the world, says U.K. Foreign Secretary Dominic Raabhttps://t.co/lF4G63MhwA pic.twitter.com/SVBLmyRRwp
Lothar Wieler, the president of the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) in Berlin, the National Public Health Institute in Germany, has said the risk to Germans was now “high”, adding that is the highest gradation there is.
He told a daily conference said that 99% of registered cases had so far survived the illness, and although he had “no idea” what the death rate would eventually be, at the moment all evidence points to the fact that only 1/5 of persons infected will be seriously ill.
Stanley Johnson, father of the UK prime minister, has indicated he would ignore official advice to tackle the spread of coronavirus and still go to the pub.
His comments came a day after Boris Johnson urged everyone to “avoid pubs, clubs, theatres and other such social venues”.
This is a pandemic that will open up sinkholes in society and volunteers may have to help out in services from deliveries to education, writes Gaby Hinsliff in the Guardian today.
Referring to the UK – although it’s as relevant to other places as well – she adds:
People whose jobs have vanished from beneath their feet need money to live on but soon they’ll also need a purpose, something to do for months on end.
Related: We are at war with coronavirus. Everyone will have to muck in | Gaby Hinsliff
In Scotland, no new jury trials will begin until further notice as a result of the coronavirus outbreak.
The Scottish courts and tribunals announced today that no new criminal jury trials would be commenced or new juries empanelled until further notice. The measure follows yesterday’s extraordinary advice that the general public stay at home as much as possible and avoid unnecessary social contact.
In a statement, the Scottish authorities said jury trials that have already commenced would run to conclusion of the trial, if practical to do so.
“It is likely that further measures will be announced in the coming days,” the statement notes.
Saudi Arabia, the current chair of the group of the 20 most industrialised nations, is to stage a virtual G20 summit in the coming days in a bid to show world leaders have coordinated medical and economic plans to control coronavirus.
It was an eloquent exhortation: “We are asking our people, in order to pull together, to stay apart.”
The words of Simon Coveney, Ireland’s foreign minister, captured Ireland on St Patrick’s day when deserted streets, shuttered pubs and silence – a thick silence, stripped of cheers and speeches and marching bands – showed a communion of spirit.
Page One Photo: Elena (7) and Lucy (5) Tintori visit their grandmother Sheela. It has been seen as critical to maintain social distancing during the spread of the coronavirus in Ireland. Photograph: Tom Honan (@tom_honanphotos)#irishtimespage1 #CoronaIreland #CoronavirusOu ... pic.twitter.com/i1u1Ci3SCO
In the UK, the network coverage website Down Detector is showing a surge in reports of issues with most of the country’s major mobile networks.
It comes as many Britons are working from home and, presumably, much more reliant on their mobile devices to make work calls, emails and other communications.
Saudi Arabia, the current chair of the group of the world’s 20 most industrialised nations, is to stage a virtual G20 summit in the coming days in a bid to show global leaders have coordinated medical and economic plans to control coronavirus.
Some members of the G20, mainly western nations and Japan, held a smaller virtual summit on Monday promising to do whatever it takes to bring the west through the crisis.
Several sources are reporting that UK mobile phone networks including EE, O2, Vodafone, Three and GiffGaff are reporting problems and connectivity issues.
I’m investigating and will give you more information as soon as I have it.
The government of Italy has announced it is to renationalise the former national carrier Alitalia to make sure Italian nationals are never again left stranded overseas by a crisis like the coronavirus pandemic.
The takeover, part of a €25bn coronavirus response plan, will cost taxpayers up to €600m, AFP reports. Deputy economy minister Laura Castelli told Italian radio on Tuesday:
At a time like this, a flag carrier gives the government more leeway. We all saw the difficulties our compatriots faced in returning to Italy. Our decision stems from this.
The Pakistan Super League has seen its knockout stages called off after Alex Hales, the England batsman, returned home early from the tournament and went into self-isolation due to symptoms that could indicate Covid-19.
Hales was among the overseas cricketers who opted to leave the PSL last week due to uncertainty over travel restrictions. On Monday the 31-year-old Nottinghamshire opener stated on Twitter: “Self-isolation begins… TV series to binge-watch please?!”, with that post subsequently deleted.
Related: England batsman Alex Hales in self-isolation due to coronavirus symptoms
A leading scientist behind the modelling of the spread of the coronavirus has said that shutting schools would reduce the transmission of the disease, as pressure grows on the government to introduce closures.
Prof Neil Ferguson, of Imperial College London and director of the MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis, said that while it was not fully understood whether children transmitted the virus in the same way as other illnesses, school closures was a measure that could have an effect.
Related: Shutting schools would reduce coronavirus transmission – expert
Huge numbers of cinemas across the UK and Ireland are shutting down due to the coronavirus, Andrew Pulver reports.
Major chains, including Odeon, Cineworld and Picturehouse, as well as BFI Southbank, the screening complex operated by the British Film Institute, have announced they are closing their doors with largely immediate effect.
Related: Cinemas across the UK to shut in response to coronavirus
The latest figures from Iran show 135 new deaths from the coronavirus outbreak - a 13% rise - raising the death toll to 988 in what is one of the world’s worst affected countries.
Iranian health ministry spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour, who reported the latest number at a televised news conference on Tuesday, said there were 16,169 infections in the country, which has temporarily freed 85,000 prisoners in an effort to stop the virus spreading through jails.
The postponement of soccer’s Euro 2020 Championship may already have been decided after Uefa last week cancelled its hotel bookings in Copenhagen, one of the host cities, reports Reuters.
The CPH Hotel told the news agency over the phone that Uefa had booked 80 of its 102 rooms but cancelled them just over a week ago. The Marienlyst Strandhotel, where the Danish team usually bases itself, told Reuters in an email that Uefa had cancelled the rooms booked on behalf of the Danish side.
Related: Euro 2020: what will Uefa's video conference realistically decide?
Australians are being urged to fly home as soon as possible to avoid being stranded overseas due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Travel advice issued on Tuesday evening by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said Australians should return home before the virus caused more borders to close.
Happy St Patrick’s Day - and apologies for taking a little bit of time before saying that.
It’s certainly a national day like no other - even with personal childhood memories of cold days watching some particularly outlandish floats making their way through Donegal Town - and the traditional parades and festivities across Ireland are all obviously cancelled (or perhaps postponed).
#GlobalGreening to go ahead to mark #StPatricksDay https://t.co/sY0dP54vHa via @rte
So: the #StPatricksDay parades might not be happening but with your help we'll create a virtual parade of our own.
You could be twirling a baton, dancing a jig or donning the green ... just use #RTEVirtualParade for all your pix or vids@RadioRayRTE @zuroph @RyanTubridyShow pic.twitter.com/76TgHuNfDU
Kazakhstan will effectively close its capital Nur-Sultan and biggest city Almaty from March 19 after both reported coronavirus cases, the state emergency commission said on Tuesday.
In addition to restricted movement of people and vehicles, the authorities instructed restaurants to switch to delivery-only mode and said they may shut down public transport, Reuters reports.
The move by Britain’s Tate galleries to close (reported earlier) has been welcomed by people including Professor Ian Donald, a prominent psychologist specialising in behavioural factors in anti-microbial resistance.
All #Tate Galleries are closing from today. It’s not the most important event today, but good to see Organization staking immediate action in support of the govt new instructions. And #TateModern is one of the most visited sites in London. Looking forward to the reopening.
This makes my heart hurt but it's absolutely the right thing to do. Tate Modern has been my sanctuary for a long time and I can't wait to visit again ❤️ https://t.co/IgwObURxmU
Iran has temporarily freed a total of 85,000 prisoners, including political prisoners, a spokesman for its judiciary said on Tuesday, adding that the prisons were responding to the threat of a coronavirus epidemic in jails.
“Some 50% of those released are security-related prisoners. Also in the jails we have taken precautionary measures to confront the outbreak,” the spokesman Gholamhossein Esmaili said.
The #Iranian government feels it is appropriate to release 80k+ prisoners due to #Covid_19 ,including murderers&drug dealers,but continuously refuse to release the innocent political prisoners,because they hold too much value as bargaining chips #freeanoosheh
On the island of Jamaica, political and social messages have long been spread through the dancehalls and music, and so it is with coronavirus.
Just days after the island’s first confirmed case, an educational single, New Hail, was released to teach listeners how to avoid spreading the virus.
Mi just ah think, we cyan a guh roun’ and touch touch people like we used to. Then me link wid one of my G dem - and you know da likkle supm deh weh we ah rub off big finga? Mi seh dah hail deh now, it haffi guh cut out. Because dis nuh good fi we health, right now. Right deh so now, di song pop inna mi head, like yow, we need fi hail wid we foot enuh.
It a affect yuh, and it nuh care ‘bout race, riches or gender. A nuh everything make fi gimmick and joke ‘bout. As an artiste, I’m all about the fun, but this is not a fun thing and me coulda never do a dance fi some people siddung and joke and laugh about. Yuh know how much street dance cancel over this thing, how many people livelihood affected? Yuh know how much a my show dem get cancel because no travelling nah gwaan?
Britain’s Tate - one of the UK’s major tourist attractions - has become one of the first national museums and galleries to announce closure.
It said it would close Tate Modern, Tate Britain, Tate St Ives and Tate Liverpool from 18 March until 1 May.
We believe that access to art is a universal right. Now more than ever, art can lift our spirits, brighten our days and improve our mental health. So whilst our galleries are shut, we’ll be sharing some ideas for how you can still enjoy the best of Tate wherever you are.
The safety of our staff, visitors and community is our top priority. So, in line with the latest advice from Public Health England, Tate's four galleries will all be temporarily closed from this evening until 1 May. (1/3) pic.twitter.com/YaFi28HXm9
UK airports may shut down “within weeks without government intervention”, according to the Airport Operators Association, which represents companies running British hubs.
The trade body’s chief executive, Karen Dee, said: “Governments across the world are supporting their national aviation industries as many parts of the global travel industry have come to a halt.
Britain is facing a wartime scenario for its public finances as it seeks to offset the coronavirus hit to companies through higher public spending and borrowing, the country’s independent budget office said on Tuesday.
Robert Chote, head of the Office for Budget Responsibility, told MPs today that Britain’s budget deficit hit 20% of economic output during World War Two and he said now was not the time for the government to be squeamish about higher debt.
It's our second evidence session on #Budget2020 this morning.
We'll hear from the Office for Budget Responsibility's Robert Chote, Prof. Sir Charlie Bean and Andy King.
Watch it live from 9.30am here ➡️ https://t.co/lOd6xGV9wN pic.twitter.com/T9IuM06mdJ
The health damage inflicted on people by long-standing air pollution in cities is likely to increase the death rate from coronavirus infections, experts have said.
Dirty air is known to cause lung and heart damage and is responsible for at least 8m early deaths a year. This underlying health damage means respiratory infections, such as coronavirus, may well have a more serious impact on city dwellers and those exposed to toxic fumes, than on others.
In Jordan, the army has said it will deploy at entrances and exits of main cities in the kingdom in a move officials said was ahead of an imminent announcement of a state of emergency to combat the spread of coronavirus.
The country, which has already announced a tight lockdown after the number of confirmed cases of the virus rose to least 34, was about to take further imminent steps that include announcing a state of emergency, officials told Reuters.
Britain’s hospitality industry could effectively be destroyed without urgent state help to get through the coronavirus pandemic, industry leaders have warned.
Pubs and restaurant owners are calling for immediate financial support after Boris Johnson advised people not to go out but stopped short of ordering entertainment venues to close.
South-east Asian countries, which had previously reported low case numbers, are continuing to see a rise in infections following an increase of testing.
Indonesia, the world’s fourth most populous country, has just reported another 26 cases, bringing its total to 172.
Facebook and Google are among the technology firms that have issued a statement pledging to protect and inform people during the coronavirus outbreak.
The group of companies have said they have committed to work together and with governments in response to the pandemic.
China has issued an angry reaction to US President Donald Trump’s characterisation of the disease as “the Chinese virus.”
China’s foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said the US president should take care of his own matters first.
Germany’s foreign minister, Heiko Maas, has just announced that the government is going to start an operation to bring home thousands of citizens who have been stranded abroad by the coronavirus. He has set aside €50m to do so. We are expecting more details on that soon.
Meanwhile across the country, people are scrambling to buy last-minute items from shops that are considered non-essential for daily life, after the government’s surprise announcement last night that, from tomorrow, most shops will be forced to close. Supermarkets, chemists and medical stores are allowed to stay open, even on Sundays (there is normally a Sunday trading ban for most shops in Germany). Ikea has closed its 53 German stores, but has said its online store remains open.
Governments in Asia are preparing to tackle a “boomerang wave” of coronavirus cases as their nationals leave Europe, North America and the Middle East.
The latest tally from mainland China, where the outbreak first began, showed 21 new confirmed cases on Monday, of which 20 involved infected travellers arriving from abroad, mostly Chinese nationals, Reuters reported. Hong Kong said most of the recent confirmed cases in the past two weeks were “imported”.
In many countries the number of confirmed cases can be described as explosive. If we don’t adopt some strict measures ... I’m afraid all precaution efforts done in the past two months would be wasted.
It is safer home than in Britain as the policy to contain the outbreak under Boris Johnson is doubtful.
In the UK, the leftwing campaign group Momentum has called on supporters to begin an “emergency mobilisation” to support vulnerable members of society, and to pressure the government to provide more support.
In a statement to its members, the group called on them to join community mutual aid groups and outlined a plan to repurpose its campaign tools to support grassroots initiatives. It is to publish an online map of all mutual aid groups in the country next week.
With the local elections postponed, we call on the Labour Party and other trade unions to make fighting Covid-19 their top priority. This means dedicating resources and infrastructure to supporting solidarity initiatives while being unafraid to make big, political demands of the government.
This crisis is our biggest priority. Already the right are exploiting the pandemic to stoke racism and division, with Trump calling Covid-19 a ‘foreign virus’ and attempting to buy up vaccine research for US-use only. Other governments may well be tempted to make restrictive containment measures permanent and erode democracy over the long term. Crises have the potential to change the way we live. We must face this fact with our eyes open, lead from the front and take every opportunity we can to shape things for the better.
England’s deputy chief medical officer has insisted the stricter measures to tackle the coronavirus had not been introduced too late.
Prof Jonathan Van-Tam told the BBC: “We are following the science very carefully and consider the measures we announced yesterday have been announced at the right time - not too early and certainly not too late.
The US president, Donald Trump, has referred to the global coronavirus outbreak as “the Chinese virus”, escalating a deepening US-China diplomatic spat over the disease.
After giving an address on Monday warning of a possible recession, Trump posted on Twitter: “The United States will be powerfully supporting those industries, like Airlines and others, that are particularly affected by the Chinese Virus. We will be stronger than ever before!”
The apparent switching of places between China and other states continues.
The coastal province of Shandong has said that all overseas arrivals will be subject to 14 days quarantine, Reuters reports.
Olympic organisers in Japan are asking people not to create crowds along the route of the Olympic torch relay and not to gather near the route if they feel sick.
The introduction of new rules which radically change the way in which the tradition unfolds come amid continuing uncertainty about whether the Tokyo Olympics will even take place or not.
Some of the rules and changes #Tokyo2020 applying to #Olympics #torchrelay. Going to be a sad sight to see torch being run with no crowds IF that can even be enforced... #coronavirus pic.twitter.com/Dxo4VOsmis
Amid signs of some global stock markets stabilising on the back of indications that government actions are having an effect, Britain’s FTSE 100 Index has rebounded by nearly 2% - up 100.1 points at 5251.4 - soon after opening.
That followed steep losses on Monday. My colleague Graeme Wearden is liveblogging all the business developments here.
Related: Markets stabilise on hopes of government Covid-19 crisis measures - business live
Britain got the timing of its new measures “about right”, Prof Ferguson has said in the last few minutes on BBC Radio 4.
There could be a need to escalate still further, he adds, citing the case of France.
There is much discussion today of the shift in UK strategy to one of “total containment”, which involves new quarantine and social distancing based on modelling by Imperial College.
Explaining what cause that switch, the Guardian’s health editor, Sarah Boseley, writes that just last week Boris Johnson and his advisers had announced that anyone with symptoms of a cold should stay at home for seven days, but otherwise live life as normal.
Related: New data, new policy: why UK's coronavirus strategy changed
Advice on whether schools should close in the UK may change before Easter, according to London’s mayor Sadiq Khan, who attended a meeting of the government’s Cobra emergency committee for the first time yesterday.
Khan, who said he had been frustrated for some time there was not a London presence at the meeting but was glad to be invited, said that the British government policy of allowing schools to remain open was challenged during the discussions. They were briefed on how the current policy was in line with scientific advice and that there was no reason for closing them at present.
#Coronavirus: Today I attended COBRA where the Government’s medical and scientific experts laid out the next set of measures to protect Londoners. Good to speak to @ITVLondon about what this means for our city. #COVID19 pic.twitter.com/PHp0Etautx
A familiar face on British morning television, Susanna Reid, has told viewers this morning that she is self-isolating after one of her children developed a “persistent cough”.
Appearing on Good Morning Britain via video link, she said: “That means that immediately I thought ‘I can’t go into work’ and work with you guys for 14 days.
Will now be broadcasting from home on a regular basis.... https://t.co/UqIMoGr7Om
As people in France wake up to their first day under lockdown this morning following an order by their president to “severely restrict” their movements for the next 15 days at least, the country’s finance minister has announced a €45bn package in crisis measure to bolster the economy, which is expected to contract 1% this year. Bruno Le Maire told French RTL radio: “We don’t want bankruptcies.”
It comes after the president, Emmanuel Macron, outlawed all journeys outside the home unless necessary for work or health reasons, with punishments for anyone flouting the new regulations. He said:
Israel’s government has approved emergency measures to track people suspected or confirmed to have been infected with the coronavirus by monitoring their mobile phones, immediately raising privacy concerns in the country.
The cabinet unanimously approved the use of the technology, developed initially for counter-terrorism purposes, in the early hours of Tuesday morning.
Supermarkets in Britain are ramping up contingency plans to help tackle demand from shoppers for essential provisions, with more sections of the population – including vulnerable and elderly people – preparing for self-isolation during the coronavirus outbreak.
The discounter Aldi has become the first supermarket to introduce across-the-board rationing, which means customers can buy no more than four of any single grocery line when they visit a store.
Everyone is learning as the outbreak evolves and it means we have to find ways of adapting and changing circumstances, the World Health Organisation envoy David Nabarro has said.
Nabarro declined to criticise the UK government when asked about the change in British strategy which was unveiled last night but said he was “really pleased” by the shift.
Related: PM tells Britons to avoid non-essential travel and contact
That’s it from me for today – a special thank you to our readers for the tips and messages.
I’m now handing over to my colleague Ben Quinn, who will take you through the next few hours of coronavirus pandemic news.
Here is the very fresh Coronavirus latest: at a glance:
Related: Coronavirus latest: at a glance
Tom Hanks and his wife, Rita Wilson, have now both been released from an Australian hospital, five days after they were diagnosed with the new coronavirus, media reported.
Queensland state’s health department would not comment on media reports that the 63-year-old celebrities had been discharged from the Gold Coast University to self-isolate in a rented house.
Hanks management did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Hi all! Added some new songs to my Quarantunes @spotify playlist. I keep getting great suggestions from you all. https://t.co/Jo0zSpRhiE
South Korea reported 84 new coronavirus cases as of Tuesday, marking a third day in a row that the county has reported fewer than 100 new infections.
South Korea said it plans to tighten border checks for all arrivals from overseas to prevent new virus cases coming into the country.
Britain has not joined its European neighbours by shutting schools, closing borders or rolling out mass testing. So why not? Health editor Sarah Boseley looks at the arguments the government is making for its approach.
Related: Is the government moving fast enough on coronavirus? – podcast
The US president, Donald Trump, has referred to the global coronavirus outbreak as “the Chinese virus,” escalating a deepening US-China diplomatic spat over the disease.
Trump, after giving an address on Monday warning of a possible recession, posted on Twitter: “The United States will be powerfully supporting those industries, like Airlines and others, that are particularly affected by the Chinese Virus. We will be stronger than ever before!”
The United States will be powerfully supporting those industries, like Airlines and others, that are particularly affected by the Chinese Virus. We will be stronger than ever before!
Related: Trump sparks anger by calling coronavirus the 'Chinese virus'
In case you missed this earlier, two penguins have been allowed to tour the exhibits at the Chicago aquarium they call home.
The Shedd aquarium in Chicago has let its penguins wander around freely after closing to visitors indefinitely due to the coronavirus outbreak. The aquarium said on social media: ‘While this may be a strange time for us, these days feel normal for animals at Shedd’.
Unprecedented measures to fight the spread of coronavirus in the UK reverberate across the front pages today, with many newspapers giving prominence to a picture of Boris Johnson’s “your country needs you” gesture:
Related: 'Life put on hold': what the papers say about the UK coronavirus crisis
A further 30 people have tested positive for coronavirus in Thailand, bringing its total number of cases to 177, as countries across Southeast Asian witness a fresh wave of infections.
A spike in patient numbers across the region – which initially recorded relatively few cases - has increased doubts over a theory that warmer weather may prevent the spread of the virus, Reuters reported last night.
WATCH: Commuters rush to ride trucks in Philcoa, Quezon City on March 17, as mass public transpo is suspended due to the Luzon-wide #COVID19quarantine. | via @jaegermaraester pic.twitter.com/RnISKU71nS
More than 100 Australian doctors and dentists are trapped on board a cruise ship that is currently stuck off the coast of Chile after the country banned cruise ships from docking in response to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Related: Coronavirus ban: more than 100 Australian doctors and dentists stuck on cruise ship off Chile
In the US, legendary comedian Mel Brooks has made a video with his son Max warning of the dangers posed to the elderly by young people who don’t practice social distancing:
A message from me and my dad, @Melbrooks. #coronavirus #DontBeASpreader pic.twitter.com/Hqhc4fFXbe
More on India’s response to the coronavirus pandemic now – and in particular its tourism sector.
Tourism has all but ground to a complete halt in India as the country attempts to contain the spread of Covid-19. Most reported cases in India so far have been those who have been abroad or come into contact with people who recently travelled and in response the country has locked its borders.
Here are the latest figures worldwide, according to Johns Hopkins University.
Global infections have passed 180,000. They currently stand at 182,406
The Australian sharemarket has surged back to close up 5.8% for the day, bouncing back after its worst fall since 1987 on Monday.
Futures markets are pointing to a strong day ahead for US markets, but they have become a less reliable indicator than usual amid intense volatility on global bourses.
The Australian market’s extraordinary rebound on Tuesday was led by mining stocks that have been battered by the Covid-19 outbreak, but banks, other financial stocks, and supermarkets also soared.
Grocery wholesaler Metcash was the biggest gainer, skyrocketing by 27%.
Airline stocks were smashed as flag carrier Qantas slashed its flights. Qantas dropped 5.3% while rival Virgin Australia plummeted 8.7%.
Tuesday’s gains aren’t enough to claw back many of the extraordinary losses experienced by the market over the past three weeks, including Monday’s extraordinary 9.7% tumble.
The coronavirus rout means gains since October 2016 have been wiped out.
Singaporeans rushed to stock up on food on Tuesday amid fears of a disruption in supplies after Malaysia announced the closure of its borders to combat the coronavirus spread, though Singapore’s government said there would be no shortages.
India has closed the Taj Mahal, its top tourist site. The financial hub of Mumbai has also ordered offices providing non-essential services to function at 50% staffing levels as efforts to control the spread of coronavirus in South Asia ramped up.
Related: 'This is like a war': view from Italy's coronavirus frontline
Brazil’s largest favela, Rocinha, has asked that foreigners to be banned from entering the area, AP reports. Rocinha was home to about 70,000 people as of the latest census.
Wallace Pereira da Silva, president of Rocinhas residents’ association, says he delivered the official request to the state tourism secretariat on 13 March.
Ukraine late on Monday announced shutdowns of public transport, bars, restaurants and shopping malls to stem the spread of the coronavirus after President Volodymyr Zelensky promised to act “harshly, urgently, perhaps unpopularly”, AFP reports.
Meanwhile in Australia:
The ‘beef-free’ sausages still aren’t fooling anybody.. #COVID19au pic.twitter.com/I02eYmPVwD
Asian markets sank Tuesday as investors struggled to pick themselves off the floor following the previous day’s global bloodbath, the AFP writes, which saw Wall Street suffer its worst day in more than three decades as coronavirus sweeps the planet.
Thousands of Australian doctors have called on the government to ramp up its coronavirus response.
Almost 2,500 doctors have urged the health minister, Greg Hunt, to take immediate action on containment measures around the country to curb coronavirus.
Related: Thousands of Australian doctors call on government to ramp up coronavirus response
In the US, San Francisco and five other counties in California issued a shelter-in-place order in an effort to curb the spread of coronavirus.
The order, which goes into effect at midnight Tuesday until 7 April, is similar to the drastic lockdown measures taken in places like Italy, Spain, France and China, but it’s the first of its kind in the United States.
Related: What does 'shelter in place' mean? California's coronavirus order, explained
New Zealand on Tuesday deported its first unruly traveller flouting the country’s mandatory 14-day self-isolation rule for almost all arrivals, the health ministry said. The tourist, who had checked into a backpackers hostel in the city of Christchurch, was removed from the accommodation by the police after officials learned she did not have clear self-isolation plans.
But on the second day of the country’s strict travel restrictions, the new rules appeared to have sunk in for many others. The mood on Wellington airport on Tuesday was subdued and compliant as a handful of travellers arrived on flights from Sydney and Melbourne.
Here is the most recent Coronavirus latest: at a glance.
Related: Coronavirus latest: at a glance
The latest venture into the brave new world of live-streaming-in-the-age-of-coronavirus-shutdown is none other than Chris Martin – the frontman of Coldplay, who had already put a hold on all touring until they could find a sustainable way to do it.
Martin is the curator – and inaugural act – of new online festival the Solidarity Sessions: Together, At Home, in which artists will be performing for their fans, over Instagram, from home.
My friend Chris Martin did a lovely little concert from home today. I'll be doing one tomorrow at 1pm Pacific time. See you soon. We'll try to get through this together! #TogetherAtHome https://t.co/YZ8Y1W8esc
A strong contender for cutest coronavirus-induced lockdown news today (and perhaps ever) is penguins Annie and Edward being allowed out of their enclosure to explore some if the exhibits at the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago:
oh my god, the chicago aquarium closed due to coronavirus, so they let the penguins run around and check out the other exhibits. (staff was present.) pic.twitter.com/YGa8CugymE
The adventure continues!
This morning, Edward and Annie explored Shedd’s rotunda. They are a bonded pair of rockhopper penguins, which means they are together for nesting season. Springtime is nesting season for penguins at Shedd, and this year is no different! (1/3) pic.twitter.com/VdxN3oQAfe
Penguins in the Amazon?!
Some of the penguins went on a field trip to meet other animals at Shedd. Wellington seemed most interested in the fishes in Amazon Rising! The black-barred silver dollars also seemed interested in their unusual visitor. pic.twitter.com/KgYWsp5VQD
While this may be a strange time for us, these days feel normal for animals at Shedd. Our caregivers are constantly providing new experiences for the animals to explore and express their natural behaviors with. Let us know what penguin activities you would like to see! (3/3) pic.twitter.com/ftlow7iPHl
Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau is currently working from home, prompting a senior government official who has participated in calls with the prime minister to tell Reuters, “You can run a G7 country from home.”
An update now on Canada, which closed its borders to all foreign nationals except US citizens and permanent residents on Monday.
Several other countries have taken the same step. The 27-nation European Union proposed shutting its external borders for 30 days on Monday.
“We will be denying entry into Canada to people who are not Canadian citizens or permanent residents ... it is a significant step that we take in exceptional circumstances,” Trudeau told reporters outside his home, where he is under quarantine after his wife, Sophie, tested positive for the respiratory virus.
As former Australian prime minister Julia Gillard self-isolates after embracing Sophie Trudeau a week before Trudeau tested positive for coronavirus, now is a helpful time to remind you to please wash your hands, this time to Gillard’s famous misogyny speech:
A worthy alternative to singing happy birthday: pic.twitter.com/a5G5LQzyp1
The Philippine Stock Exchange was closed with no trading Tuesday after the president placed the northern part of the country including Manila in quarantine.
The exchange’s CEO said the end of trading activity would be “until further notice.”
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte placed the northern third of the country under an “enhanced community quarantine” that requires millions of people to stay mostly at home in an attempt to contain the coronavirus.
Still in Australia, in what appears to be a severe escalation of the supermarket wars, a man has been airlifted to hospital from the Victorian town of Rosebud after he was reportedly stabbed at a Woolworths.
Ambulance Victoria said paramedics were called to an incident in Rosebud, which is 88km from Melbourne on the Mornington Peninsula, at 12.55pm and treated a man for “an injury to the lower body.”
Australia’s health minister, Greg Hunt, says the country now has 375 confirmed cases of coronavirus.
He also says the country is looking at developing a mass testing process.
China’s economy will return to normal in the second quarter as government support measures to mitigate the impact of the coronavirus epidemic take effect, the state planner said on Tuesday.
New Zealand has recorded three more confirmed cases of coronavirus, all from New Zealanders recently returned from overseas. Two are in Wellington, having returned from the US, and one is in Dunedin, recently returned from Germany. The total of infected persons is now 11.
The Dunedin man only began showing symptoms five days after arriving home. The man and two family members are in self-isolation, including a student from Logan Park High School.
The UN Security Council called off its remaining two remaining meetings for the week, Agence France-Presse reports.
“Council members will maintain communication and consultation on issues on the agenda with a view to taking necessary actions as needed to fulfil the Council’s mandate,” a spokesperson for the mission said in a statement.
Hong Kong has issued a red travel alert covering all foreign, requiring anyone entering the country to self-quarantine for 14 days.
The chief executive, Carrie Lam, said in the previous two weeks, Hong Kong had recorded 57 new infections, 50 of them imported.
Japan’s prime minister, Shinzo Abe, has said that other Group of Seven leaders had agreed to support a “complete” Olympics in Tokyo, as speculation mounts that the coronavirus pandemic could force the Games to be postponed.
Abe said he had told other G7 leaders during their video conference on Monday night: “We are doing everything in our power to prepare, and we want to aim for a complete event as proof that mankind can defeat the new coronavirus.”
He said other leaders had backed his plan, but he would not be drawn on whether their discussions had touched on a possible postponement.
Abe was speaking after the head of the French Olympic committee, Denis Masseglia, said the Olympics would not be able to open as scheduled on 24 July unless the coronavirus outbreak had peaked by the end of May.
“My feeling is that if we’re still in the crisis by the end of May, I can’t see how the Games can happen (on time),” Masseglia told Reuters in Paris. “If we are beyond the peak and the situation is getting better questions will arise about who qualifies, but we will find the least worst solution.”
The International Olympic Committee, which has publicly supported Japan’s insistence that the Games will go ahead as planned, is due to talk to international sports federations on Tuesday, and national Olympic committees the following day.
Tokyo 2020 preparations suffered more disruption this week after organisers said spectators would be asked not to turn out to watch the first part of the Japan leg of the Olympic torch relay, which is due to begin on 26 March. Organisers are expected to ask people not to line the route as the torch passes through the first three of the country’s 47 prefectures, the Kyodo news agency said.
The flame was lit last week in Olympia in a low-key ceremony that was closed to members of the public. The Greek leg of the relay was called off the following day over coronavirus fears, and restrictions will be in place when the flame arrives in Japan at the end of this week.
While Japan has reported comparatively few cases of the virus, some Tokyo residents said they were worried by the prospect of people arriving from overseas to watch the Games.
“To be honest, even if Japan overcomes this crisis, we wouldn’t (want to) receive visitors from the world. I think we’d better not hold it,” Koki Miura, an employee at an internet company, told Agence France-Presse. “We cannot sacrifice people’s lives” for the sake of the Olympics, Miura added.
Public opinion in Japan appears to be hardening against holding the Olympics in the capital in less than four months’ time. In a poll by public broadcaster NHK conducted March 6-9, 45% were opposed to going ahead as planned, with 40% in favour. In a Kyodo survey released on Monday, 69.9% of respondents said they did not believe the Games would be held on schedule.
We are just hearing that the Ohio primary has been postponed, according to Reuters.
The state’s governor, Mike DeWine, had recommended on Monday that in-person voting during Tuesday’s primary election