And some other vaccinations questions you might have, answered here.

British budget airline easyJet is cancelling some flights - mainly in and out of Italy - it said on Friday.

The airline said it had seen a "significant" softening of demand into and out of its northern Italian bases and across its other European markets due to the virus outbreak.

EasyJet also said it would cut administrative spending, freeze recruitment and pay, and halt non-mandatory training, amongst others measures.

Image source, Getty Images

A Japanese man in his 70s has died from the virus, local broadcaster NHK says.

The man had reportedly tested positive for the virus on 13 February.

The death brings the number of deaths in Japan to nine (including four deaths linked to the quarantined cruise ship Diamond Princess).

Russia has temporarily banned Iranians from entering the country amid efforts to combat the coronavirus.

Russia also said it would restrict the entry of South Korean citizens from 1 March, according to reports.

Both Iran and South Korea are hot-spots for the virus.

Authorities in Iran say the virus has claimed more than two dozen lives so far, with the number of infections at nearly 250. South Korea has recorded more than 2,000 cases and 13 have died.

Russia had already suspended entry to Chinese citizens.

Image source, EPA

If you're just tuning into our coverage now, welcome. Here are the major developments that have taken place over the past few hours:

• New Zealand, the Netherlands, Belarus, Nigeria and Lithuania have confirmed their first virus cases
• Markets around the world have taken a huge hit from the virus - the Australian Securities Exchange closed down 3.3%, and other Asian markets are down by a similar amount

• British Airways has cancelled several trips to Italy, Singapore and South Korea
• A cruise that was turned away from several places has now been allowed to dock in Mexico. A crew member onboard had tested positive for seasonal flu
• A pet dog owned by a coronavirus patient in Hong Kong was found to have tested "weak positive" for the virus
• A local sect leader in South Korea, linked to the outbreak there, is to be charged for failing to submit names of members to authorities

The Australian share market plunged again on Friday - tumbling 3.3% to 6,441 at the close.

The ASX200 has fallen more than 10% since its recent record high of 7,162 last Thursday.

This is the biggest weekly drop for the Australian market since 2008, during the financial crisis.

Image source, Getty Images

BBC Sport

More on the news that the UAE cycling tour is cancelled with two stages remaining - Britain's Chris Froome is among those being tested. Read more from BBC Sport here.

Iran's health ministry has asked authorities to cancel Friday prayers in major cities.

Muslims pray five times a day - but Friday prayers are seen as especially important.

Sameer Hashmi
BBC World reporter

The United Arab Emirates has scrapped the final two stages of the 2020 UAE cycling tour after two Italian team participants tested positive for the virus.

Participants, organisers and staff members who were part of the event are now being screened for the virus. Others who came into contact with the two Italians will be placed under observation.

Laura Bicker
BBC News, Seoul

Authorities in the South Korean city of Daegu are set to file charges against the leader of a religious sect.

The head of Daegu's Shincheonji Church is accused of violating the infectious disease control and prevention act by failing to submit the names of all its members.

The fringe Christian group has been at the heart of the outbreak in Daegu.

South Korean health officials believe that a 61-year-old member of the sect - who last week tested positive for the virus - was among the first to be infected, and is now at the centre of their investigation.

The female patient initially refused to be transferred to a hospital to be tested - and is known to have attended several church gatherings before testing positive.

The organisers of Tokyo 2020 say they will announce "at some point" next week how they are planning to hold the torch relay amid the coronavirus outbreak.

The flame will be lit in the Greek town of Olympia - where the original Olympic Games were held - before making its way to Japan, where it is due to pass through 859 municipalities over 121 days.

The relay is due to begin in Japan on 26 March. Japan is scheduled to host the 2020 Olympics in July.

Eight people have died in Japan, with nearly 200 infected (infections exclude cases from the Diamond Princess cruise ship).

Image source, Getty Images

The airline carrier said it would cancel:

• 56 roundtrip flights from Heathrow and Gatwick airports to several destinations in Italy, including Milan, Bologna, Venice and Turin, between 14 - 28 March
• Flights to Seoul will now be every other day
• BA will cancel six return flights from Heathrow to Singapore every other day until 15 March - there will still be one daily flight

Image source, Getty Images

These are doctors treating patients infected at the psychiatric Daenam hospital in Cheongdo, South Korea - where nearly 100 patients have Covid-19, and seven have died.

Some 69 patients are moving to the Seoul National Medical Centre.

Image source, Korea National Medical Centre

New Zealand's first virus case is said to be a woman in her 60s who had recently travelled from Iran to Auckland via Bali.

The woman is said to be a New Zealand citizen. She reportedly arrived in Auckland on Wednesday, family members brought her to the hospital after "concerns" over her condition.

Health officials said her condition was "improving".

Officials have urged any passengers who took the Emirates plane from Bali to Auckland on Wednesday, to contact authorities if they were concerned.

The Netherlands has confirmed its first case of Covid-19.

The patient, in the southern city of Tilburg, had recently been to northern Italy, the authorities said.

Nomsa Maseko
BBC Africa, Johannesburg

South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa has ordered the repatriation of some 132 South Africans living in China's Wuhan city, the centre of the coronavirus outbreak

The decision was announced on Thursday following a cabinet meeting and after requests from families of South Africans living in the city, the president's office said.

No timeframe for the repatriation was given but the government said the 132 citizens - out of a total of 199 South Africans living there - have requested to be returned home.

There is no evidence yet to suggest dogs can transmit the coronavirus to humans or other animals, said Hong Kong Health Secretary Sophia Chan.

The news comes after a pet dog of a coronavirus patient was found to have tested "weak positive" for the virus.

The dog - which media reports say is a pomeranian - is currently in quarantine at an animal keeping facility.

Ms Chan said tests will be carried out on the dog repeatedly until it is cleared of the virus.

Belarus has confirmed its first case of Covid-19.

The ministry of healthcare said the patient was a "student from Iran", according to Russia's TASS news agency.

North Korea has temporarily closed several "public amenities", including a new hot springs resort, in an effort to prevent an outbreak, said specialist news site NK News.

The site quoted state media outlet Pyongyang Times, which said that an ice rink, dolphinarium and recreation grounds were among the facilities shut down.

North Korea had earlier banned tourists from entering the country, and placed hundreds of foreigners in quarantine.

No virus cases have been reported in North Korea, which borders South Korea and China - Asia's biggest virus hotspots.

Image source, Getty Images

Although Covid-19 cases are spreading across the globe, the situation in China - where the virus emerged - seems to be stabilising.

The country reported China 327 new cases and 44 deaths on Friday, mostly in Hubei province.

Friday's figure was the lowest rise in new cases since 24 January, when 259 new infections were reported.