Summary

  • Italy raises its coronavirus death toll from 233 to 366

  • The country places up to 16 million people under quarantine as it battles to contain the spread

  • The chief of staff of the army is one of the people infected

  • The UK's number of cases has risen by 64 taking the total to 273

  • China reported the lowest number of new cases since January - an indication that the spread is slowing

  1. No spectators at Bahrain Grand Prixpublished at 09:25 Greenwich Mean Time 8 March 2020

    2019 Grand Prix in BahrainImage source, AFP

    The virus is continuing to disrupt sporting events around the world and the latest casualty is this month's Bahrain Formula One Grand Prix.

    Organisers said the race on 20-22 March would be held behind closed doors because allowing spectators at the event "would not be the right thing to do at the present time".

    They said the race weekend would go ahead as a televised event.

    Elsewhere, the International Ice Hockey Federation called off the Women's World Ice Hockey Championships due to take place in the Canadian cities of Truro and Halifax from 31 March to 10 April. The Barcelona marathon scheduled for 15 March has also been suspended until 25 October, organisers announced.

  2. Chancellor: UK is 'well prepared' to tackle the coronaviruspublished at 09:08 Greenwich Mean Time 8 March 2020

    Rishi SunakImage source, Sky News

    The UK is “well prepared” and in a “strong” economic position to tackle the coronavirus, the country’s Chancellor Rishi Sunak has said.

    Speaking to Sky’s Sophy Ridge on Sunday, Mr Sunak said the government is poised to give the NHS “whatever it needs”.

    So far, there have been 206 confirmed cases of coronavirus in the UK.

    Touching upon the effects the outbreak could have on public services, as well as businesses, Mr Sunak said that the UK government is working to “make sure that we have the interventions required to help anyone through a difficult period”.

    Mr Sunak is due to address the outbreak in his first Budget on Wednesday.

  3. Quanzhou hotel death toll risespublished at 09:00 Greenwich Mean Time 8 March 2020

    A man (C) is rescued from the rubble of a collapsed hotel in Quanzhou on March 8, 2020Image source, AFP

    The death toll from the collapsed hotel in the Chinese city of Quanzhou has risen to 10, state media report.

    The five-storey hotel in the south-eastern coastal city was being used to quarantine those suspected of having the coronavirus. About 70 people were trapped in the rubble and more than 20 remain unaccounted for.

    The building's owner has been summoned by police, state media added.

  4. More countries report first casespublished at 08:49 Greenwich Mean Time 8 March 2020

    Colombia, Bulgaria, Costa Rica, Malta, the Maldives and Paraguay have all reported their first cases of the virus.

    In Bulgaria, the centre for infectious diseases said two men from the northern city of Pleven and two women from the central city of Gabrovo had tested positive.

    Paraguay said a 32-year-old man who arrived from Ecuador was its first Covid-19 patient.

  5. Grand Princess sails towards Oaklandpublished at 08:43 Greenwich Mean Time 8 March 2020

    More now on the cruise ship Grand Princess. California Governor Gavin Newsom gave permission for the ship to dock to the port city of Oakland later on Sunday, US media report.

    Princess Cruises said “guests who require acute medical treatment" and hospital treatment would disembark first and be taken to “medical facilities in California”.

    Congressman Joaquin Castro said he understood some would be taken to Lackland Air Force Base near San Antonio, Texas.

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  6. Sunday's live coverage beginspublished at 08:33 Greenwich Mean Time 8 March 2020

    Good morning and welcome to our live coverage of the coronavirus outbreak around the world.

    The headlines so far are:

    • Italy has placed strict travel restrictions on the region of Lombardy and 14 other provinces in a bid to control the spread of the virus. Other drastic measures have been announced for the rest of the country including the closure of schools, museums, theatres and cinemas and the suspension of weddings and funerals. We have more details here
    • A cruise ship quarantined off the coast of San Francisco because of an outbreak of coronavirus has been given permission to dock in nearby Oakland. All 3,533 passengers and crew are to be tested. So far 21 out of 45 people tested on board have the virus
    • China has reported its lowest daily number of new coronavirus infections since January - an indication that the spread there is slowing
    • At least six people have died following the collapse of a five-storey hotel in China's south-eastern coastal city of Quanzhou. The hotel was being used to quarantine people suspected of having coronavirus