Summary

  • The World Health Organization says virus is now a global "pandemic"

  • The number of cases in Europe continues to rise, with more than 10,000 in Italy

  • Germany's leader says 60-70% of country's population could become infected

  • UK chancellor unveils £30bn package to boost economy, as interest rate cut

  • A UK health minister, Nadine Dorries, is among 460 cases in Britain

  • As its spread in China slows, Beijing is to quarantine all international arrivals

  • Now more than 1,000 confirmed cases in the US, major events being cancelled

  1. Uganda imposes self-quarantine for UK and US visitorspublished at 18:16 Greenwich Mean Time 11 March 2020

    Catherine Byaruhanga
    BBC News, Kampala

    An official at Entebbe Airport in Uganda - 3 March 2020.Image source, AFP
    Image caption,

    Uganda is screen passengers arriving at the airport in Entebbe

    Uganda’s government has introduced a mandatory 14-day period of self-quarantine for travellers arriving from 16 countries to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

    The countries include the UK, the US and several European nations.

    The authorities have also said passengers arriving at the International Airport in Entebbe will soon be sprayed with a disinfectant.

    Uganda has no recorded positive case of coronavirus.

    The East African nation's health minister admits its hospitals and economy would not be able to cope with a serious outbreak.

  2. Latest from the USpublished at 18:11 Greenwich Mean Time 11 March 2020

    Two people wearing protective suits in Time SquareImage source, EPA

    The number of known cases across America has hit over 1,000, and authorities report 31 deaths from the virus. More than a quarter of new cases were announced on Tuesday.

    In other developments around the country:

    • At least 38 states have reported cases - the highest number is concentrated in New York state
    • Nineteen states have declared emergencies, the Washington Post reported
    • Gatherings of more than 250 people have been banned in the Seattle area - one of the most drastic moves so far
    • Music festivals and other major events in the US, including Coachella festival in California, have been cancelled or postponed
    • Dr Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, told a Congressional hearing on Wednesday that "things will get worse than they are right now". He also suggested that the National Basketball Association should bar audiences from games
    • Televangelist Jim Bakker is being sued by a US state's attorney general for pushing a bogus coronavirus "cure" on his YouTube show
    • President Donald Trump has not yet said if he is willing to be tested, despite shaking hands and flying on Air Force One with several Republican lawmakers exposed to the virus
  3. Italy death toll now over 800published at 18:03 Greenwich Mean Time 11 March 2020

    Official figures show the death toll in Italy has risen by 196 to 827 during the last 24 hours. This is a 31% rise from yesterday, and the largest jump since the start of the outbreak in the country.

    There are now 12,462 reported cases in Italy, which is now the worst-affected nation outside China. Earlier this week the government announced emergency measures - including travel restrictions - to help stem the outbreak.

  4. Italian medical chief dies after contracting viruspublished at 17:51 Greenwich Mean Time 11 March 2020

    The head of the medical association in the northern Italian province of Varese, Roberto Stella, 67, has died of respiratory failure after contracting coronavirus.

    He had been practising medicine at an outpatient clinic in Busto Arsizio, north-west of Milan, and Italian reports say he and a colleague were infected at the weekend.

    Varese is in the Lombardy region, which has been at the centre of Italy's coronavirus outbreak.

  5. Canada pledges C$1bn to virus responsepublished at 17:39 Greenwich Mean Time 11 March 2020

    Jessica Murphy, BBC News, Toronto

    Canada is setting up a C$1bn ($728m; £562m) coronavirus response fund, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has announced.

    The funding package is meant to help the country address the domestic impact of the virus and to support further research, including vaccine development.

    There are currently 93 confirmed cases of the disease in Canada. One death has been linked to the coronavirus.

    "We are pulling out all the stops to make sure Canadians stay healthy, safe and supported," Mr Trudeau said earlier today.

    Funds allocated include C$275m for research and C$500m for provinces and territories to support critical health care system needs and mitigation efforts.

    For workers who are in quarantine or who have been directed to self-isolate, the federal government is also waiving its mandatory one-week waiting period to claim unemployment benefits.

    Justin Trudeau with ministersImage source, Reuters
  6. India suspends visas until mid-Aprilpublished at 17:20 Greenwich Mean Time 11 March 2020
    Breaking

    In an attempt to stem the spread of the virus, India has announced it will suspend many different types of visas used to visit the country until 15 April.

    The measure comes into effect from 13 March, but exemptions will be granted for diplomats, government and UN officials, and people travelling on work visas.

    A minimum 14-day quarantine has also been announced for all incoming travelers - including Indian nationals - arriving from or having visited China, Italy, Iran, South Korea, France, Spain and Germany after 15 February.

    India travel advisoryImage source, Indian Press Information Bureau
  7. What can you do to stay safe?published at 17:17 Greenwich Mean Time 11 March 2020

    If you're worried about this virus and its spread, you're not alone

    But experts advise there are some simple steps you can take to protect yourself and those around you.

    Coronavirus prevention graphic

    And if you're looking for more information, here are some of our coverage highlights to help answer your questions:

    Tomorrow, BBC correspondents and experts will also be answering your coronavirus questions across TV, radio, online and social media. If you've got a question you think we should be answering, get in touch.

    You can contact us in the following ways:

    Your Questions Answered graphic
  8. In pictures: The world battles coronaviruspublished at 16:56 Greenwich Mean Time 11 March 2020

    A cosmetics shop in Liverpool, England, advertises free handwashing facilitiesImage source, AFP
    Image caption,

    A cosmetics shop in Liverpool, England, advertises free handwashing facilities

    Pope delivers weekly general audienceImage source, Getty Images
    Image caption,

    The Pope's weekly general audience was live-streamed online from the library at the Vatican. Thousands of people normally gather in St Peter's Square for the address, but such crowds are being discouraged during Italy's coronavirus emergency

    "Stop F1" is written above SydneyImage source, Getty Images
    Image caption,

    A skywriter scrawled "Stop F1" above Sydney amid calls for the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne to be postponed or barred to spectators because of the virus

    Disinfectant sprayed in ManilaImage source, getty
    Image caption,

    A worker on board a fire engine sprayed disinfectant on the streets in the Philippines' capital Manila as the number of cases in the country rose to 49

    Jacinda Ardern addresses a news conferenceImage source, Getty Images
    Image caption,

    New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern chaired a special meeting of ministers and experts to discuss ways to contain Covid-19. There are five confirmed cases in the country

    Seoul metro train is disinfectedImage source, Getty Images
    Image caption,

    The metro in South Korea's capital, Seoul, is being disinfected as a precaution against coronavirus. There have been more than 7,700 cases in South Korea and at least 60 deaths

  9. The pandemic label - what does it mean?published at 16:42 Greenwich Mean Time 11 March 2020

    World Health Organization (WHO) chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has confirmed that the coronavirus outbreak is now a pandemic after choosing not to use that description for several weeks.

    A pandemic is when an infectious disease spreads easily from person to person in many parts of the world.

    He said: "WHO has been assessing this outbreak around the clock and we're deeply concerned, both by the alarming levels of spread and severity, and by the alarming levels of inaction. We have therefore made the assessment that Covid-19 can be characterised as a pandemic."

    But he added:

    "Describing the situation as a pandemic does not change WHO's assessment of the threat posed by this coronavirus. It doesn't change what WHO is doing, and it doesn't change what countries should do.

    "We have called every day for countries to take urgent and aggressive action. We have rung the alarm bell loud and clear."

    What does pandemic mean?

    • A pandemic is the worldwide spread of a new disease
    • The H1N1 (swine flu) outbreak, which killed hundreds of thousands of people, was declared a pandemic by the WHO in 2009
    • The WHO no longer formally labels an outbreak of disease a "pandemic" but says the term may be used "colloquially"
    • Its advice to countries - to limit infections while preparing for wider spread - remains the same

    Read our main story on this development here.

  10. WHO declares coronavirus global pandemicpublished at 16:33 Greenwich Mean Time 11 March 2020
    Breaking

    This has just come in: the World Health Organization has for the first time labelled the new coronavirus a global pandemic.

    But the global health body's chief says the term does not change the assessment of threat or advice to countries as to what they should do.

  11. Norway cancels Nato exercise over viruspublished at 16:30 Greenwich Mean Time 11 March 2020

    Paul Kirby
    BBC online Europe editor

    Norway’s armed forces have cancelled a big Nato exercise involving soldiers from nine countries because of the spread of coronavirus.

    About 15,000 soldiers from the US, UK, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden and Belgium had gathered for the Cold Response winter exercise that was set to start on Thursday in northern Norway.

    The decision was taken after one of the Norwegian soldiers fell ill with coronavirus. About 250 people from his company have been put in quarantine.

    However, Maj Brynjar Stordal from the Norwegian joint headquarters said the reason for cancelling the exercise was that the virus was now spreading in Norwegian society and no longer involved cases that had originated abroad.

    “It’s an exercise so there’ll be a time to do it again but now’s the time to focus on supporting Norwegian society,” he told the BBC. Norway has had 277 coronavirus infections so far, although no fatalities.

    Organisers will now have to focus on sending the Nato forces home. “You can’t flick a switch to just shut it down,” said Maj Stordal.

  12. Festivals and sports fixtures fall victim to viruspublished at 16:18 Greenwich Mean Time 11 March 2020

    April 13, 2019 fans attend the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in Indio, CaliforniaImage source, AFP
    Image caption,

    The Coachella festival attracted 250,000 people last year

    Fears that the coronavirus will spread quickly among large gatherings is continuing to take its toll on cultural events and sports fixtures.

    One of the world's biggest music festivals - Coachella - had been due to take place in California next month with a star-studded lineup. But organisers have shelved it until October. Last year, the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival attracted about 250,000 people.

    In Spain, the Unesco-recognised Fallas festival in Valencia has also been postponed.

    A mask is fixed to a Fallas sculpture in Valencia, eastern Spain, 11 March 2020Image source, EPA
    Image caption,

    One of the giant structures prepared in Valencia was virus-themed

    The festival features giant papier-mache structures that are paraded through the town and on the last night are set alight. Organisers have not set an alternative date.

    Also cancelled is Series Mania, a leading European festival featuring upcoming streaming and TV series, due to take place in the northern French city of Lille on 20 March. The gathering was expected to draw more than 80,000 people.

    And just in - the E3 gaming expo, a huge video game industry event scheduled for June in Los Angeles, has been cancelled, its organisers said. , external

    In sport, the English Premier League match between Manchester City and Arsenal this evening has been postponed amid news that several Arsenal players were going into self-isolation. The players and some team staff had come into contact with Evangelos Marinakis - owner of the Greek team Olympiacos - who has contracted the virus. Arsenal and Olympiacos met in a 27 February Europa League tie at the Emirates Stadium in London.

  13. UK minister's staffer has coronaviruspublished at 16:05 Greenwich Mean Time 11 March 2020

    Nadine Dorries and Boris JohnsonImage source, PA Media
    Image caption,

    Nadine Dorries, pictured in a file photo with Prime Minister Boris Johnson

    UK Health Minister Nadine Dorries has told the BBC that a member of her parliamentary staff has also been infected with the virus.

    Ms Dorries was confirmed as having Covid-19 yesterday.

    She didn't name the staff member, but according to the parliamentary register of MPs' staff she employs three people - one of whom is her daughter.

    This morning Ms Dorries posted in a WhatsApp group of Tory MPs that if any of them had sat next to her last week in the "tea room or library etc", to please let her know, because it was "hard to remember" everyone she had come into contact with.

    This afternoon she told the BBC: "Contact tracers have full list of everyone I have been in contact with."

    She apparently started experiencing symptoms on Thursday, but afterwards attended an event at Downing Street hosted by Prime Minister Boris Johnson, and held a constituency surgery attended by dozens of members of the public.

    Labour MP Rachael Maskell met Ms Dorries last week, and has now been told to self-isolate after feeling unwell.

  14. Iranian ministers mask up for cabinet meetingpublished at 15:58 Greenwich Mean Time 11 March 2020

    Iranian ministers wear face masks and gloves at a cabinet meeting in Tehran (11 March 2020)Image source, AFP

    Photographs released by the Iranian presidency show ministers wearing face masks and gloves at a cabinet meeting in Tehran on Wednesday.

    President Hassan Rouhani appears to be the only person in the room not wearing a mask.

    During the meeting, he called on Iranians to reduce their movements as much as possible in order to contain the outbreak, which has left 354 people dead. He also warned against "exaggerating" the death toll and causing "fear and anxiety" among the public.

    Two weeks ago, Deputy Health Minister Iraj Harirchi tested positive for the Covid-19 virus a day after being filmed mopping sweat from his brow during a news conference.

    He is just one of many officials and politicians to have been infected.

    Iranian President Hassan Rouhani (centre) speaks as ministers wear face masks and gloves at a cabinet meeting in Tehran (11 March 2020)Image source, AFP

    If you want to know more about the situation in Iran, and just how bad it might be, watch this video.

    Media caption,

    WATCH: Iran faces a coronavirus crisis

  15. Students clash with police over virus orderpublished at 15:47 Greenwich Mean Time 11 March 2020

    A crowd of people at the University of DaytonImage source, CBS

    Students at the University of Dayton in the US state of Ohio clashed with police early on Wednesday after they were told to clear out of their dormitories two days early due to coronavirus fears.

    The order gave students less than 24 hours to pack up and leave.

    Local media report the protest, which grew to more than 1,000 people, started as a party before the crowd became unruly.

    University of Dayton officials said the crowd was "throwing objects and bottles in the street and at police, and jumping on cars".

    "Police gave verbal orders to disperse which were ignored. Police initially launched pepper balls, which contain powder with an irritant that disperses quickly, that were unsuccessful in reducing the crowd size," a statement from officials said.

    Student Chris Rose told WHIO-News: "We were all kind of shocked, being gassed was kind of crazy. It’s one of the last nights I have on campus as a senior; I'm just trying to make the best of it."

    Students eventually cleared the area at about 02:15 (06:15 GMT).

  16. Ireland and Belgium record first coronavirus deathspublished at 15:42 Greenwich Mean Time 11 March 2020

    Both Ireland and Belgium have recorded their first coronavirus-related deaths today.

    In Ireland, a patient died in the east of the country on Wednesday morning. The person is understood to be elderly, according to The Irish Times, external.

    There are a total of 34 confirmed cases in total in Ireland.

    Meanwhile in Belgium, three people died on Wednesday, marking the first deaths in the country from the virus.

    One was a 73-year-old man, another was an 86-year-old man and the third person was a 90-year-old woman.

  17. Expert casts doubt on Merkel's figurepublished at 15:38 Greenwich Mean Time 11 March 2020

    Angela Merkel and Jens Spahn at press conferenceImage source, EPA
    Image caption,

    Chancellor Angela Merkel took part in the press conference with Health Minister Jens Spahn

    Earlier today, German Chancellor Angela Merkel warned that up to 70% of her country's population - some 58 million people - were likely to get infected with the coronavirus.

    That figure came from scientists at the country's public health body, the Robert Koch Institute, and was set against the context of there continuing to be no vaccine nor specific treatment available for Covid-19.

    But another German health expert has disagreed with this, saying it's unlikely that two-thirds of Germans will get the virus.

    Virologist Alexander Kekulé, a former federal government advisor on disease control, told local media that even in a worst-case scenario a maximum of about 40,000 people would get it.

    This was based on the number of cases in China, where the rate of new infections is significantly slowing and close to 81,000 cases have been confirmed.

  18. Greta: Let's take climate strikes onlinepublished at 15:28 Greenwich Mean Time 11 March 2020

    Greta ThunbergImage source, Reuters

    Climate change activist Greta Thunberg has called on students to move their Fridays for Future strikes online to help prevent the spread of the virus.

    Her movement sees students around the world walk out of class en masse to demand action on climate change

    The teenager has called on fellow strikers to start instead posting photos of themselves with a sign using the Fridays for Future hashtag.

    "We young people are the least affected by this virus but it’s essential that we act in solidarity with the most vulnerable and that we act in the best interest of our common society," she wrote on Twitter.

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  19. US economists say more needs to be donepublished at 15:17 Greenwich Mean Time 11 March 2020

    Natalie Sherman
    New York business reporter

    A stock exchange worker looks despondentImage source, AFP

    Economists say the coronavirus outbreak presents the greatest risk to the US economy in more than a decade - but for now, it’s not clear the tools being mobilised are up to the task.

    At first, the president seemed inclined to leave the response to the US central bank, which last week made its first emergency interest rate cut since the 2008 financial crisis.

    But even if the Federal Reserve cuts rates again – as investors widely anticipate and Mr Trump has recommended - Fed chair Jerome Powell has warned that many firms and staff will need more direct help than reduced borrowing costs.

    This week, spurred on by plunging financial markets, the president promised additional relief, proposing a payroll tax cut which would reduce the amount of money automatically deducted from worker pay cheques to pay for social programmes.

    A bit of extra cash in people’s pockets could help boost confidence, but economists say much more needs to be done.

    As Jay Shambaugh of the Brookings Institution told me: “If we don’t do enough… there’s going to be unnecessary pain in the economy that we know ways to prevent.”

    Mr Shambaugh is among those calling for paid sick leave, relief for state health programmes, loan deferrals and money mailed directly to families, among other stimulus measures.

    For now, it’s unclear what a final package will look like. But even Mr Trump’s fellow Republicans seem unconvinced a payroll tax cut is the most effective response.

  20. Hungary shuts universities and bans big gatheringspublished at 14:57 Greenwich Mean Time 11 March 2020

    Hungary has banned inbound travel from Italy, South Korea, Iran and China for non-Hungarians.

    The country's universities will be shut down and public gatherings of more than 100 people inside and 500 outside will be banned, an official told a news briefing.

    The restrictions will be in force until further notice.

    Hungary has 13 confirmed cases of the coronavirus but no virus-related deaths.