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| REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration |
More than 134,500 people have been infected globally and over 4,900 have died, according to a Reuters tally of government announcements.
10.51 Czech government declares state of emergency for 30 days
Czech Prime Minister Babis says government is banning cultural, sports, religious and other public events including more than 30 people.Government is also banning entry of foreigners coming from risky areas
10.44 Armenia shuts educational institutions until March 23
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said on Friday Armenia would shut educational institutions immediately over coronavirus fears until March 23.
10.43 Kazakhstan confirms first coronavirus cases
Two Kazakh citizens have tested positive for coronavirus after returning from Germany, Healthcare Minister Yelzhan Birtanov said on Friday, the first cases of the disease in the Central Asian country.
10.28 Berlin to successively close schools, reduce public transport from next week
German capital Berlin plans to gradually close its schools and kindergartens next week when public transport systems will be reduced to a necessary minimum, broadcaster n-tv said reported on its website on Friday.
09.40 Kenya confirms its first new coronavirus case
Kenya has confirmed its first case of the new coronavirus, Minister of Health Mutahi Kagwe said on Friday.
The patient, who was diagnosed on the night of March 12, had travelled back to Kenya from the United States via London, Kagwe told a news conference.
09.38 Poland’s president calls off Russia trip due to coronavirus
Poland’s President Andrzej Duda will not travel to Russia next month due to the coronavirus, missing ceremonies marking the 10-year anniversary of a plane crash which killed Poland’s president, central bank chief and military commanders.
09.01 Australia’s home affairs minister tests positive for coronavirus
Australia’s home affairs minister Peter Dutton said he tested positive for coronavirus on Friday.
“This morning I woke up with a temperature and sore throat. I immediately contacted the Queensland Department of Health and was subsequently tested for COVID-19. I was advised by Queensland Health this afternoon that the test had returned positive,” he said in a statement issued by his office.
08.55 German state Bavaria closes schools
The German state of Bavaria will close all schools, kindergartens and nurseries from Monday until the start of the Easter break on April 6 due to the coronavirus epidemic, dpa news agency reported, citing state government sources.
08.29 Nepal closes Mount Everest for climbers
Nepal has closed all of its Himalayan peaks including Mount Everest this climbing season because of fears of the coronavirus outbreak, a government minister said on Friday.
07.48 Second patient diagnosed with coronavirus in Turkey -minister
A second patient has been diagnosed with coronavirus in Turkey, the country’s Health Minister Fahrettin Koca said on Friday after Ankara announced a series of measures to curb the spread of the virus.
06.58 Indonesia to ban face mask exports to ensure domestic supply
Indonesia will temporarily ban the export of face masks to safeguard domestic supply amid the coronavirus outbreak, Trade Minister Agus Suparmanto said on Friday.
06.51 Bob Dylan concerts in Japan cancelled as coronavirus spreads
Bob Dylan’s upcoming concerts in Japan have been cancelled because of the coronavirus outbreak, the tour organiser said on Friday.
06.21 Singapore to bar recent visitors to Italy, Spain, Germany, France
Singapore will deny from Monday entry or transit to visitors who have been in Italy, France, Spain or Germany in the last 14 days, as part of measures to control the fast-spreading coronavirus, the health ministry said on Friday.
05.27 Stocks crash as pandemic panic sweeps markets
Global stock markets crashed on Friday, ending a years-long bull run, with coronavirus panic selling hitting almost every asset class and leaving investors nowhere to hide.
05.25 Australian gov’t told to ban mass gatherings
Australia government has been advised by the country’s chief medical officer to ban mass gatherings of more than 500 people to contain the spread of the coronavirus, local media reported on Friday.
05.00 Mainland China reports 8 new confirmed cases
Mainland China had eight new confirmed cases of coronavirus infections on Thursday, the country’s National Health Commission said on Friday, down from 15 cases a day earlier.
That brings the total accumulated number of confirmed cases in mainland China so far to 80,813.
04.07 Wife of Canada PM Trudeau tested positive for Coronavirus
The wife Canada PM Justin Trudeau has tested positive for coronavirus. According to the PM’s office Justin Trudeau has shown no symptoms.
03.21 S.Korea reports 110 new coronavirus cases, total 7,979
South Korea reported 110 new coronavirus cases on Friday, taking the country’s total infections to 7,979, the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) said.
The latest numbers are in line with a downward trend in new cases, slightly down from the 114 recorded on Thursday.
02.27 Saudi Arabia detects 17 cases of coronavirus, brings total to 62
Saudi Arabia detected 17 new cases of coronavirus, 11 of whom were Egyptians, state news agency (SPA) said on Friday.
This brings the total of cases detected in the kingdom to 62, SPA added.
02.03 American Airlines says pilot tests positive for Covid-19
American Airlines Group Inc said on Thursday a pilot based out of Dallas-Fort Worth tested positive for Covid-19.
“American’s Chief Medical Officer and leaders from our pilots’ office have been in touch with the pilot,” the company said in a statement.
01.54 Major Mexican university to suspend classes until further notice
Mexico’s Tecnologico de Monterrey university said on Thursday it would suspend all academic events and classes at its campuses from next week until further notice to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
01.52 Ghana and Gabon confirm first cases of coronavirus
Gabon and Ghana confirmed their first cases of coronavirus on Thursday, becoming the ninth and tenth countries in sub-Saharan Africa to register positive cases.
In a statement, Gabon’s government said its case was a 27-year-old Gabonese man who had returned from France on March 8.
Ghana’s health ministry said its two cases had returned recently from Norway and Turkey.
01.49 Brazil’s Bolsonaro asks supporters to call off demos due to coronavirus
Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro called on his supporters in an address to the nation on Thursday to suspend rallies they had planned in the country’s main cities on Sunday due to the risk of coronavirus contagion.
01.36 WTA cancels events in Mexico, Colombia
The Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) said on Thursday that upcoming events in Mexico and Colombia will not be held because of international border closures and travel restrictions due to the coronavirus outbreak.
01.10 Australian F1 Grand Prix cancelled
The Australian Formula One Grand Prix was cancelled on Friday because of the coronavirus outbreak only hours before the first practice session was scheduled to get underway at Albert Park.
00.39 French Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 matches this weekend to be cancelled
France’s professional football league (LFP) is poised to cancel Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 matches scheduled for this weekend because of the coronavirus outbreak, French TV channel RMC Sport reported on Thursday.
00.38 Arsenal manager Arteta tests positive for coronavirus
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has tested positive for the coronavirus, the Premier League club said on Thursday, with the first-team squad set to self-isolate as a result.
LATE THURSDAY EVENING
Bulgaria to declare state of emergency over coronavirus
Bulgaria plans to declare a state of emergency to curb the spread of the coronavirus, Prime Minister Boyko Borissov said on Thursday as the country’s confirmed cases rose sharply to 23.
Belgian government says schools, restaurants, clubs to close
Belgium’s government on Thursday ordered schools, cafes, restaurants and some shops to close due to the coronavirus, following decisions by France and other European countries to limit all but essential activities.
Portugal orders schools, night clubs shut
Portugal’s government ordered lateon Thursday to shut down all schools nation-wide starting on Monday to contain the coronavirus epidemic until further evaluation on April 9, Prime Minister Antonio Costa said in a televised address.
Costa Rica orders universities closed on coronavirus concerns
Costa Rica has ordered all university classes suspended due the risk of the spread of coronavirus, while other schools deemed to be at risk will also be closed for two weeks, officials said on Thursday.
REUTERS
