Live Blog

Mar 2, 2020, 12.00 PM IST

Coronavirus Live news: 85 Indian students in Italy send SOS

Panic among the students has escalated since a non-teaching faculty member of the University of Pavia’s engineering department tested positive for coronavirus. Around 15 other staff members have been quarantined.

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11:57 AM

Can Coronavirus cause a recession?

11:56 AM

Minister of External Affairs on rescuing Indians from Iran

Working on the issue of Indians in Iran anxious to return due to #COVID19. Have seen many tweets in this regard. We… https://t.co/QtsLXtS18B
— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) 1583082903000

11:44 AM

Wuhan closes makeshift hospital as new coronavirus cases in China drop sharply

The Chinese city at the centre of the coronavirus epidemic closed its first makeshift hospital, one of 16 hurriedly built to handle the epidemic, after it discharged the last recovered patients, state broadcaster CCTV reported on Monday. News of the closure coincided with a sharp decline in new cases in Hubei province and the provincial capital Wuhan, but the country remained on alert as Chinese nationals returning home are testing positive for the virus. (Sources: Reuters)

11:30 AM

Thai MotoGP race postponed indefinitely on coronavirus fears

The decision to postpone the March 22 Thailand Grand Prix at Buriram comes a day after this weekend's season-opening race in Qatar was cancelled due to travel restrictions on passengers from Italy and elsewhere. (Source: Reuters)

11:21 AM

Chinese man sentenced to death for virus checkpoint killing

The incident happened on February 6 when Ma Jianguo was driving a minivan through a checkpoint at Luo Meng village in Honghe, southwestern Yunnan province, where he was stopped. After Ma refused to cooperate with officials, his passenger began trying to remove the roadblock, the court said, and the local official started filming Ma and the other man on his mobile phone. A furious Ma stabbed the official -- a local poverty alleviation cadre -- in the chest and abdomen with a knife he carried with him and then attacked another official who came to the victim's aid. (Source: AFP)

10:54 AM

Indonesia confirms first coronavirus case

Indonesia on Monday reported its first confirmed cases of coronavirus, after health officials in the world's fourth-most populous country hit back at questions over its apparent lack of infected patients. A 64-year-old woman and her daughter, 31, tested positive for the virus at a Jakarta hospital, said health minister Terawan Agus Putranto. "This morning I received the test results and they were positive," he told reporters in the capital. "Both are in good condition...they don't have serious breathing difficulties." (Source: AFP)

10:52 AM

How to protect yourself from outbreak

Find out how you can protect yourself and loved ones from #coronavirus. ��
— UNICEF (@UNICEF) 1583126100000

10:41 AM

85 Indian students in Italian town send SOS

Around 85 Indian students stranded for a week in the university town of Pavia in north Italy’s Lombardy region, which has reported 17 coronavirus deaths over the past few days, have sent an SOS seeking evacuation at the earliest.

10:35 AM

U.S. agency investigating production of faulty coronavirus test kits

FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn said in a statement on Sunday that "upon learning about the test issue from CDC (the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), FDA worked with CDC to determine that problems with certain test components were due to a manufacturing issue. We worked hand in hand with CDC to resolve the issues with manufacturing."

09:43 AM

S.Korea reports 476 new coronavirus cases, raising total to 4,212

South Korea reported on Monday 476 new coronavirus cases, taking its national tally to 4,212, as the government of Seoul sought a murder investigation into a controversial church at the centre of the country's outbreak. The new cases followed the country's biggest daily jump on Saturday of 813 confirmed infections. There were 586 more on Sunday, broadening the largest virus outbreak outside China. (Source: Reuters)

09:40 AM

A restaurant promoter waits for customers at the largely empty Chinatown as tourism takes a decline due to the coronavirus outbreak in Singapore

(Source: Reuters)

09:02 AM

Health officials in Washington report second U.S. death from coronavirus

Health officials in Washington state reported late on Sunday a second U.S. death as a result of the coronavirus outbreak. Public Health – Seattle & King County said a man in his 70s with underlying health conditions who had been hospitalized with COVID-19 died on Saturday. The department said three other new reported cases are older people in critical condition. In total, 10 cases have been reported in King County. (Source: Reuters)

09:01 AM

Seoul city seeks murder charges against sect founder over virus

Seoul's city government has asked prosecutors to press charges, including murder, against the founder of a secretive religious sect for failing to cooperate in containing the spread of the deadly coronavirus. As officials try to track down and test more than 266,000 people associated with Shincheonji, the entity has been accused of submitting false lists of its members to authorities. (Source: AFP)

08:39 AM

Trump moves to calm virus fears

President Donald Trump urged Americans not to panic over the novel coronavirus Saturday after the first death on US soil was confirmed, even as France ramped up its security measures by cancelling all mass gatherings.

08:29 AM

AFP reports second death in US due to virus

#BREAKING Second man dies of #coronavirus in US: health officials https://t.co/NHr5qmF6E0
— AFP news agency (@AFP) 1583117873000

08:06 AM

France closes the Louvre as virus spreads to new fronts

Coronavirus cases surged in Italy, and France closed the world-famous Louvre Museum as the epidemic that began in China sent fear rising across Western Europe, threatening its tourism industry. The virus has spread to more than 60 countries, and more than 3,000 people have died from the COVID-19 illness it causes. (Source: AP)

07:52 AM

Canada Coronavirus tally rises with Ontario, Quebec cases

Canada’s total number of coronavirus cases rose to more than 20 over the weekend as Ontario, Quebec and British Columbia added new cases. Ontario confirmed four new cases on Sunday, bringing the total in Canada’s most populous province to 15. Quebec confirmed its first case in a statement on Friday, and British Columbia updated its total to eight cases on Saturday. (Source: Bloomberg)

07:48 AM

People wearing protective masks, following an outbreak of the coronavirus, queue to purchase toilet papers and tissues at a drug store in Tokyo

(Source: Reuters)

07:31 AM

COVID-19 has nearly doubled in 48 hours in Italy

Cases have surges by 50% with the death toll now reaching 34.

07:31 AM

New York confirms first coronavirus case; U.S. ramps up preparations

New York state confirmed its first positive coronavirus test, Governor Andrew Cuomo said on Sunday night, as the U.S. government said it would start screening travelers for the virus and hike production of protective masks.

06:41 AM

The latest figures, based on WHO and national counts:

Mainland China: 2,870 deaths among 79,824 cases, mostly in the central province of Hubei — Hong Kong: 94 cases, 2 deaths
—Macao: 10 cases
— South Korea: 3,736 cases, 20 deaths
— Italy: 1,576 cases, 34 deaths
— Iran: 978 cases, 54 deaths
— Japan: 961 cases, including 705 from the Diamond Princess cruise ship, 12 deaths
— Singapore: 106 cases
— France: 100 cases, 2 deaths
— United States: 72 cases, 1 death
— Spain: 71 cases
— Germany: 66
— Kuwait: 45 cases
— Thailand: 42 cases, 1 death
— Taiwan: 40 cases, 1 death
— Bahrain: 38 cases
— United Kingdom: 35 cases, 1 death
— Malaysia: 29 cases
— Australia: 23 cases, 1 death
— United Arab Emirates: 21 cases
— Canada: 20
— Iraq: 19
— Norway: 17
— Vietnam: 16
— Sweden: 13
— Netherlands: 10
— Switzerland: 10
— Greece: 7
— Lebanon: 7
— Croatia: 7
— Oman: 6
— Austria: 5
— Finland: 5
— Israel: 5
— Russia: 5
— Mexico: 4
— Pakistan: 4
— Czech Republic: 3
— India: 3
— Philippines: 3 cases, 1 death
— Romania: 3 cases
— Belarus: 2
— Belgium: 2
— Brazil: 2
— Denmark: 2
— Georgia: 2
— Algeria: 1
— Afghanistan: 1
— Armenia 1
— Azerbaijan: 1
— Cambodia: 1
— Dominican Republic: 1
— Ecuador: 1
— Egypt: 1
— Estonia: 1
— Iceland: 1
— Ireland: 1
— Lithuania: 1
— Monaco: 1
— Nepal: 1
— New Zealand: 1
— Nigeria: 1
— North Macedonia: 1
— Qatar: 1
— San Marino: 1
— Sri Lanka: 1

06:39 AM

Egypt says 1,443 people tested for coronavirus so far

06:36 AM

Scottish government confirms first coronavirus case

06:36 AM

World economy conference with pope postponed due to coronavirus

A conference on the world economy due to take place in Italy later this month with Pope Francis taking part has been postponed until November because of the coronavirus outbreak, organisers said on Sunday.

06:35 AM

Motorcycling-MotoGP cancels season-opening Qatar race due to coronavirus

The opening race of the MotoGP season in Qatar on March 8 has been cancelled because of travel restrictions imposed on passengers from Italy due to the coronavirus epidemic, MotoGP said on Sunday.

06:34 AM

French coronavirus cases rise to 130

France has 130 confirmed cases of coronavirus, the head of the public health service, Jerome Salomon, said on Sunday, raising the count from 100 a day earlier.

06:34 AM