Image source, Reuters

Tesla boss Elon Musk says he has donated 1,255 ventilators to officials in Los Angeles to meet demand as the pandemic becomes more severe.

In a tweet, he said he had helped acquire the machines from China, external last week and arranged for them to be brought to the US.

The billionaire had been an outspoken sceptic of the severity of the coronavirus clampdown, calling the reaction to the outbreak “dumb” and wrongly claiming that children are "essentially immune", despite evidence that it can be serious for some minors.

Image source, Getty Images

Retailer now says it will not open its shops 'until we are given the go ahead by the government'.

Image source, Getty Images

How long do you have the illness, how does it affect asthmatics and other questions answered.

We're all working on getting social distancing right - whether that's by giving other pedestrians a wide berth on our daily run, leaving two desk spaces between ourselves and our colleagues, or measuring out a length of exactly two metres (six feet).

But for Armenian President Armen Sarkissian and the Chinese ambassador to Armenia, Tian Erlong, it seems to have come naturally.

This photo of a meeting between the two - in which they appear to chat comfortably while sitting at opposite ends of the room - has started circulating on Twitter.

For most of us, social distancing still takes a bit of getting used to.

For tips on how to get it right, read our article on social distancing and self-isolation.

Despite restrictions on movement across Europe, crucial medical co-operation continues across borders.

Severely ill patients from France's Alsace region are being treated in nearby cities in neighbouring Switzerland and Germany where hospitals still have capacity.

Politicians helping to co-ordinate the transfers have praised the co-operation as an example of European solidarity, while others are warning that the excess capacity might be short-lived as every country in the region expects its medical system to be overwhelmed soon by patients needing care.

On Wednesday, a small group of coronavirus patients were flown from Italy to the German state of Saxony to be treated there. Officials said the hospitals could help as long as they have spare capacity and the treatment of Italian patients might also help medical staff to learn how better to deal with the new illness.

Resty Woro Yuniar
BBC News, Jakarta

National exams in Indonesia are officially off.

The country's education minister said the exams - initially set to be held at the end of the month - carried "more risks than benefits" for students.

ndonesia is currently urging people to practice social distancing, as the death toll there reaches 49 - the highest in South East Asia.

There are 579 confirmed cases nationwide.

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Major airlines in the US are preparing themselves for a voluntary shutdown of essentially all passenger flights, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal.

The paper says US government agencies are also thought to be considering ordering airlines to stop running flights.

The industry has suffered a huge hit from the coronavirus pandemic, with people around the world either choosing not to travel abroad, or being ordered not to by their respective governments.

About 80 million US residents in states such as California, New York and Washington are already subjected to mandatory stay-at-home orders.

And aircraft firm Boeing said earlier that it was suspending operations at its plant near Seattle.

Hundreds of Britons stuck "Down Under" are calling on the UK government to send chartered flights. Read our full story here.

Image source, LOUIS VERKAIK

Japan’s services sector shrank at the fastest pace on record in March and factory activity at its quickest in about a decade, according to a newly-released business survey.

The slowdown in manufacturing and services raises the risk of a sharp downturn in the world’s third-largest economy as the coronavirus pandemic paralyses business and consumer activity.

“If the outbreak were to accelerate, the economic damage could far exceed what we’ve seen so far, particularly if the Olympic Games are postponed,” said Joe Hayes, economist at IHS Markit, which compiles the survey.

The Japanese government is under increasing pressure to roll out stimulus measures after figures showed the economy shrank the most since 2014 in the final quarter of last year as it struggled to overcome a rise in its sales tax.

Today Programme
BBC Radio 4

Image source, Getty Images

Some businesses have warned that the government's £330bn rescue package for British businesses doesn't go far enough.

Stephen Jones, chief executive of UK Finance, the banks' trade body, said he recognised that a lot of small business owners wouldn't want to take on more debt that will need to be repaid.

He told the BBC's Today programme: "The key will be assessing whether or not, in a few months' time when the impact of the pandemic is over, if a business can support this extra debt that it might need to take on now."

"It can be extremely difficult to tell how a business will do in the the coming months. But we are effectively all self-isolating now, the economy is on hold, and we can start to see green shoots of recovery in Wuhan, which we will hopefully see a few months down the line.

"Those are the things that banks will need to take into account when deciding how much or for how long a business can borrow."

Today Programme
BBC Radio 4

Image source, Getty Images

Under new measures announced by Prime Minister Boris Johnson, all UK shops selling non-essential goods have been ordered to close immediately.

Paddy Lillis, general secretary of the trade union Usdaw, which represents shop workers, told the BBC's Today programme: "This will take pressure off both the National Health Service, and off retail workers who have been at the front end of abuse and hysteria from a small minority of shoppers over the last number of weeks."

He added that employers needed money to be made available "as quickly as possible by the government", which has said it will cover 80% of salary for staff who are kept on despite being unable to work.

"This is one of our biggest concerns. We've been calling on the government and the Chancellor of the Exchequer to make this money available now."

After some confusion, the UK's housing minister posted this update. In short, builders can work if necessary - but must practise social distancing.

There's a low chance of you catching the virus through items posted from abroad.

It's thought the virus does not survive for long on such surfaces so by the time it reaches you, it's unlikely to be contaminated.

Some other common questions you might have, answered here.

As announced by Prime Minister Boris Johnson last night...

Simon Atkinson
BBC News, Sydney

The advice to Brits in Australia is to get on a plane if you can. But the reality is there just aren't many seats left.

We've been by told by the British High Commission that Qantas flights from Perth to London will continue until Friday.

Qatar Airways is also operating - although appears only to have business class seats available, well out of the reach of many of the backpackers we’ve met here.

Ash and Harry, pictured above, are among the many wondering what to do next. Their work has gone and they are living in a hostel.

They say they bought a ticket home with Etihad, but that flight has been cancelled. They've been given credit for a future flight - not a refund - and so they have no way to buy an alternative ticket, even if one were available.

Police officers will be given powers to enforce the new rules - including being able to force people with virus symptoms to isolate.

They'll also be able to fine people who don't follow the rules and be able to disperse gatherings (public meetings of more than two people are banned)

Home Secretary Priti Patel said the next few weeks would be "testing" for police but that she would make sure they had the resources "they need to keep themselves and the public safe".

Image source, Getty Images

The number of confirmed cases in Germany has risen by 4,764 in a day to reach to 27,436, the Robert Koch Institute for infectious diseases said on Tuesday.

A total of 114 people have died, an increase of 28 from the total published on Monday.

Should I stay home or pop out to the shops? The choice you make might not seem like a huge deal, but here's why it could make all the difference:

Many in the UK are waking up to a strange new world. Non-essential shops have been told to shut and shopping trips should be kept as infrequent as possible.

But which businesses can stay open?

• Restaurants, cafes and work canteens - but only for food delivery and takeaway services
• Supermarkets and other premises selling food, including market stalls
• "Health shops" such as pharmacies
• Corner shops, newsagents, pet shops and post offices
• Banks

Read a full list from the government here, external.

Locals post images of spectacular orange skies - with many describing it as a welcome distraction as Australia's cases mount.