The US Federal Reserve has cut interest rates in an emergency move to help mitigate the impact of the new coronavirus on the US economy.

In a statement shared on Twitter, the central bank said it was lowering the rate by half a percentage point in response to the virus's "evolving risks to economic activity".

England prop Mako Vunipola has gone into self-isolation as a precaution and will not face Wales in the Six Nations on Saturday.

He travelled through Hong Kong on his return from Tonga over the weekend.

It is believed Vunipola has shown no symptoms of the illness, with his absence from the England set-up a precaution.

Read the full story here.

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Tens of thousands of prisoners in Iran have been released temporarily as the country tries to reduce coronavirus infections, officials say.

More than 54,000 inmates had been let out after testing negative for the virus, Iran's judiciary spokesman Gholamhossein Esmaili said.

A British MP has said Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, a British-Iranian woman detained for almost four years over spying allegations she denies, is expected to be granted a temporary release in the coming days.

Iran has so far reported 77 deaths - the highest figure outside of China - as a result of the coronavirus outbreak, with 2,336 infections recorded.

Image source, AFP

President Macron has announced that the government will requisition the production of face masks, and all existing stocks, in order to distribute them to health professionals and French people affected by coronavirus.

France's Health Ministry said on Tuesday that the number of confirmed coronavirus cases has reached 204. French media are reporting a fourth death from the infection.

A woman who fears she has contracted the new coronavirus has described her "frustrating" attempts to seek treatment and testing in the US.

The woman, who said she had a "history of chronic bronchitis", has posted about her experiences on Twitter.

She said she lives and works in Seattle, Washington state, where six people have died from Covid-19.

The woman said a coronavirus hotline operator told her she did not qualify for testing.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has been criticised for its strict testing criteria.

Initially, the CDC's guidelines said doctors could only test suspected coronavirus patients if they recently traveled from China or had contact with someone known to be infected.

The CDC has since revised its guidelines.

The woman's post has been shared more than 18,000 times on Twitter. You can read her thread of tweets below.

Finance chiefs including US Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin will use "all tools" to tackle the hit to growth.

Health officials have posted an update on the number of coronavirus tests carried out in the UK, and the results of those tests.

Back now to the UK's Health Secretary, Matt Hancock, who's been addressing MPs. He suggested the current rules on sick leave could be revised during the coronavirus outbreak.

As it stands, employees can take time off work for sickness, but need a note from their doctor if they're ill for more than seven days.

Mr Hancock said the issue of sickness self-certification is under review.

You can read more on the UK government's guidance for employers and businesses, including sick leave here, external.

Two men in Iran who defied coronavirus health warnings could be jailed and flogged after videos circulated of them licking holy shrines.

Dan Roan
BBC Sports editor

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Football authorities have held talks with the UK government and public health experts over contingency plans to play matches behind closed doors if the coronavirus outbreak escalates.

One senior football source said such a measure was "a possibility, but weeks rather than days away", and added: "For now, it is business as usual."

Meanwhile, Uefa President Aleksander Ceferin said there was no need to panic.

"Let's try to be optimistic... let's not think about dark scenarios."

• Read more from Dan Roan
• Coronavirus' impact on sport - timeline

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) says it is fully committed to the success of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, after Japan's Olympic minister said the competition could be postponed.

"The IOC encourages all athletes to continue to prepare," the committee's president, Thomas Bach, said.

"The IOC will continue to follow the advice of WHO, as the leading UN agency on the topic," he added.

Image source, Reuters

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A German cruise ship is being held in Norway due to fears of virus infections on board.

The Aida Aura has requested a delay in its departure from the Norwegian city of Haugesund for at least 24 hours after two German passengers were suspected of having coronavirus.

About 1,200 passengers are on board the vessel, local media report.

There are currently 32 reported cases in Norway.

On Tuesday, Norway's top health official said the country was entering a "new phase".

"We must expect a greater risk of local spread in some places," Dr Bjorn Guldvog said, adding: "We need close co-operation with the population on how we will continue to work on this."

Organisers of a major book fair in Germany confirmed that this year's event has been cancelled due to coronavirus fears.

Leipzig Book Fair, the second largest in Germany, has been running in various forms for centuries.

Image source, EPA

Image source, Getty Images

James Bond fans are asking the studios behind the next film - entitled No Time To Die - to delay its release due to the coronovirus outbreak.

The founders of two of the most popular fan sites have published an open letter , externalcalling for publicity tours to be cancelled and screenings to be delayed until the summer "when experts expect the epidemic to have peaked".

No Time to Die is due for release on 3 April.

Mr Hancock goes on to say: "Research is also about understanding what actions will lessen the impact of a coronavirus [outbreak], including what drugs and treatments, existing and new, will help those who are already sick.

"We will identify and support the most vulnerable."

UK Health Secretary Matt Hancock adds: "Our approach is to plan for the worst and work for the best."

"Contain is about detecting the early cases, following up with close contacts, preventing the disease from taking hold in this country for as long as reasonably possible.

"This approach also buys time for the NHS to ramp up its preparations.

"If the number of global cases continues to rise, especially in Europe, the scientific advice is that we may not be able to contain this virus indefinitely."

There are now 51 confirmed cases of coronavirus in the UK, Health Secretary Matt Hancock says.

"It's becoming more likely that we will see widespread transmission here in this country," he added.

He stressed, however, that the UK government and the country's national health service were "well-prepared" to respond to the crisis.

As we reported earlier, travellers from countries with severe coronavirus outbreaks who arrive in some parts of China will have to undergo a 14-day quarantine, according to state media.

Authorities in China are concerned that the virus might be imported back into the country.

Read the full story here, along with a summary of the situation around the world.

Our visual guide - including maps showing the countries worst affected, charts illustrating how cases outside China have been growing and heatmaps displaying how the virus first spread from the epicentre in Wuhan, China - has been updated.

You can view it here.

Finance ministers and central bank governors from the G7 group of the world's leading economies have just held a telephone meeting to discuss the coronavirus outbreak.

A statement from the group following the call said: “We, G7 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors, are closely monitoring the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) and its impact on markets and economic conditions.

"Alongside strengthening efforts to expand health services, G7 finance ministers are ready to take actions, including fiscal measures where appropriate, to aid in the response to the virus and support the economy during this phase.

"G7 central banks will continue to fulfil their mandates, thus supporting price stability and economic growth while maintaining the resilience of the financial system.

"We welcome that the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, and other international financial institutions stand ready to help member countries address the human tragedy and economic challenge posed by Covid-19 through the use of their available instruments to the fullest extent possible."