Until a few weeks ago, self-isolating yourself and distancing yourself from other people were seen as unusual, even a sign of being unwell. Now, they've become essential measures to stem the spread of the virus.

The two are not quite the same.

Social distancing involves cutting down on non-essential travel and interactions, staying home if you're unwell, and not visiting social venues.

Self-isolation means cutting yourself off entirely from the outside world.

Each country is issuing their own advice on who needs to do what, but here's the BBC guide on how to exercise social distancing and how to self-isolate.

Image source, Reuters

Just like for the previous day, China's latest figures have only one single new domestic case of a coronavirus infection.

The data for Tuesday shows one local case but 12 imported ones.

China is where the outbreak started and the new figures brings the country's numbers to:

• 81,000 infections

• almost 70,000 have recovered so far
• 3,241 deaths

A 17-year-old dog in Hong Kong which had tested "weak positive" for the coronavirus but was then cleared has died two days after coming out of quarantine.

The dog belonged to a Hong Kong woman who tested positive for Covid-19. It was allowed home after testing negative, but died shortly after.

The case made headlines as a possible first human-to-animal transmission of the virus.

The World Heath Organization says there is no evidence pets can be infected with coronavirus. The dog likely just had the virus in its system, and is not believed to have been killed by it.

Image source, Facebook

More on that press conference earlier from Australian PM Scott Morrison.

He saved his strongest words for people who were hoarding and panic-buying food and medicine, telling them simply to “stop it”.

Fights between shoppers have been reported in supermarket aisles, while staples such as toilet paper, rice, pasta and meat mince are still rare commodities on store shelves.

"It has been one of the most disappointing things I have seen in Australian behaviour in response to this crisis," Mr Morrison said.

"This is not who we are."

• Why are people stockpiling toilet paper?
• Supermarkets ask shoppers to be 'considerate'

Howard Johnson
Philippines Correspondent, BBC News

In the Philippines the government has reversed its decision to impose a travel ban on international flights scheduled to begin on Friday.

Now all foreign nationals may fly out of the country at any time according to the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases. Inbound international passengers are also allowed entry, subject to strict immigration and quarantine protocols.

The now overturned ban on international flights had left many foreign tourists, dispersed across the country’s more than 7,000 islands, puzzled as to how they could leave the country.

With domestic flights in and out of the Philippine capital suspended while the main Luzon region is under lockdown, the British embassy in Manila is reporting a “small number” of Britons affected by the travel restrictions.

The government says their “enhanced community quarantine” will stay in place until 12 April.

The government says the country currently has a total of 187 confirmed Covid-19 cases with 14 deaths, but experts are warning that with limited pre-emptive testing the number is likely to be higher.

You would have heard by now that washing your hands is one of the most important and effective ways to keep the coronavirus at bay - but you shouldn't be doing just a quick rinse. Here's a quick video to explain the correct technique.

Image source, Getty Images

It's "rien ne va plus" for Las Vegas for now.

The US state of Nevada is ordering the closure of casinos, restaurants and all non-essential businesses.

While a few casinos had already shut down business, the new order will have the glitzy gambling capital of Las Vegas come to an abrupt halt.

The order will come into effect at noon on Wednesday and is currently planned for an entire month.

The coronavirus is of course also affecting the BBC. Many are working from home and many are getting ready to do so. But TV programmes can only come from a studio (for now) - and the BBC has announced a number of changes to its news output in light of the situation.

"These are unprecedented and difficult days," the BBC's director of news, Fran Unsworth, said.

"Trusted, accurate information is vital in a public health emergency and the BBC has a key role to play."

Programmes including Politics Live and Victoria Derbyshire have been temporarily suspended, allowing the News Channel to focus on "core news".

Question Time, which has political figures and commentators taking questions from the public, will move to a prime time 20:00 slot on BBC One. The show will be without a studio audience though.

Simon Atkinson
BBC News, Sydney

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison's press conference this morning was his most frank statement yet about how Australia was in this for the long-haul – of at least six months or more.

He said all decisions they announced needed to be sustainable for that period.

One of the key announcements was the ban on gatherings of more than 100 people - that includes places of worship but not schools and universities or “essential” locations which range from hospitals and airports to shopping centres and workplaces.

"They are essential places of where there are essential gatherings. Non-essential is everything else," said Mr Morrison.

The school policy has been controversial - as calls grow for them to be closed and several independent schools shut of their own accord.

However, Mr Morrison said the health advice remained the same - and cited Singapore where schools have remained open and "they have been effective in managing and limiting the transmission of this virus".

He has warned closing schools could cost tens of thousands of jobs and could take 30% of health workers out of the health system.

The latest advice to Britons from the UK's Foreign Office is to delay all non-essential travel.

Its website says:

If you now need to change or cancel your travel plans, follow these steps:

1. contact your airline, travel company, cruise line or other transport and accommodation providers
2. get in touch with your insurance provider
3. continue to follow the NHS coronavirus guidance, external

Soutik Biswas
India Correspondent

The 1918 influenza epidemic killed between 17 and 18 million Indians, more than all the casualties in World War One. India bore a considerable burden of death - it lost 6% of its people.

To be sure, the medical realities are vastly different now. Although there's still no cure, scientists have mapped the genetic material of the coronavirus, and there's the promise of anti-viral drugs, and a vaccine.

Yet, there appear to be some striking similarities between the two pandemics, separated by a century. And possibly there are some relevant lessons to learn from the flu, and the bungled response to it.

Read more Soutik here: What India can learn from the deadly 1918 flu

Zoe Thomas
US business reporter

San Francisco’s streets are far quieter than usual. Most people are obeying the shelter in place order but that doesn’t mean all residents are staying inside.

The city’s mayor said residents can go for runs or hikes and many seem to be taking the opportunity to get out and do just that. Though runners passing one another on empty streets are making an effort to keep their distance.

Meanwhile, commercial streets lined with stores and restaurants seem the most abounded. Many restaurants have printed signs declaring they are open for "delivery only".

Many technology companies in the Bay Area have prided themselves on their flexible working policies allowing employees the opportunity to work from home whenever they wanted. Now that all-but-essential workers are being told to stay home, San Franciscans will have the chance to test whether the pleasure of working from the sofa does fade.

Image source, Getty Images

Still have questions about this virus and how it spreads? Our 60-second video explainer tells you all you need to know.

As many companies are trying to let employees work from home, there are also those where that's not possible. For instance a TV station. In the Philippines, the local CNN channel is off air because of a coronavirus case among its employees.

The broadcaster is among the leading news channels in the country and for now, the outage will be for 24 hours.

Schools in California will likely remain closed for the rest of the school year, Governor Gavin Newsom said on Tuesday.

“I would plan and assume it is unlikely that many of these schools, few if any, will open before the summer break,” he said in a news conference.

Almost all of the state's schools have closed although there's not yet been a state mandate to do so.

Currently, there are 700 confirmed coronavirus cases in California and 12 deaths. Overall the US has more than 6,000 cases.

Image source, EPA

Australia has now reported over 450 cases, a doubling of cases in one week.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison delivered a major update this morning, saying Australia had not seen such a national emergency since the end of World War One.

However he urged the public to remain calm, and announced two new key restrictions on travel and social settings.

"Non-essential" gatherings of more than 100 people are now banned, while Australians have also been told to not travel overseas.

• Full news report on Australia's latest response

"Do not travel abroad. Do not go overseas. That is very clear that instruction," Mr Morrison said in press conference.

"The biggest risk we have had and the biggest incidents of cases we have had... has been from Australians returning from overseas."

On Sunday, Australia ordered anyone arriving in the nation to self-isolate for 14 days. Last night it also urged its citizens abroad to return home immediately warning that other nations were rapidly closing borders.

The South China Morning Post, one of the most prominent newspapers in the region, has closed its offices in Hong Kong as a precaution, after someone tested positive.

"As of Wednesday, all employees will be working from home while offices at both Times Square and South Island Place are shut down until further notice for deep cleansing and disinfection," said the newspaper.

Its operations will move online.

Image source, AFP

Here in Singapore, there were huge queues at the borders with Malaysia late on Tuesday, ahead of a two-week ban on Malaysians travelling abroad.

Tens of thousands of Malaysians travel into Singapore every day to work, and the small country relies on their labour. Some were rushing home in time, whereas others were rushing into Singapore, where accommodation has been found for them.

Malaysia is also the source of much of Singapore's food, particularly fresh produce. And despite government assurances food would not run out, the lockdown sparked another burst of panic-buying in Singapore.

Image source, AFP

On Tuesday, the World Health Organization issued a stark warning to countries in South East Asia.

"The situation is evolving rapidly. We need to immediately scale up all efforts to prevent the virus from infecting more people," said regional director Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh.

"More clusters of virus transmission are being confirmed. While this is an indication of an alert and effective surveillance, it also puts the spotlight on the need for more aggressive and whole of society efforts to prevent further spread of COVID-19. We clearly need to do more, and urgently."

Eight of the 11 countries in the WHO's SE Asia region have confirmed cases:

• Thailand 177
• Indonesia 134
• India 125
• Sri Lanka 19
• Maldives 13
• Bangladesh 5
• Nepal and Bhutan one each

We're beginning live coverage now of the global coronavirus pandemic, welcome.

BBC staff here in Singapore will be bringing you events as they happen and news and analysis from our correspondents around the world.

Later on we'll pass coverage to our colleagues in the UK.

We'll also be sharing lots of information about how you can play your part, and keep you and your loved ones safe.