Guam agrees to quarantine US Navy sailors
Read the latest on the spread of the novel coronavirus around the world here
Are loss of smell and taste key symptoms of coronavirus infection?
According to UK researchers, loss of smell or taste may be a sign of coronavirus infection.
A team of researchers at King's College London looked at responses from more than 400,000 people reporting suspected Covid-19 symptoms to an app, reports the BBC.
However, a loss of smell and taste are also signs of other respiratory infections, which includes the common cold also.
Top South African HIV scientist Gita Ramjee dies of coronavirus
Indian-origin South African scientist Gita Ramjee who died in hospital near the coastal city of Durban on Tuesday after contracting the coronavirus.
Gita Ramjee had been working as the chief scientific officer at the Aurum Institute, a leading authority in the fight against HIV and TB, reports the BBC.
India's farmers face shortage of harvest labor amid coronavirus lockdown
A severe shortage of labor, triggered by India's 21-day lockdown to rein in a coronavirus pandemic, will hobble harvesting of winter crops in the world's second largest producer of staple foodgrains such as wheat.
The northern breadbasket states of Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh rely on farm labourers from eastern India, but most of them returned home to their villages after the lockdown began on March 24, fearing the virus and facing wage disruptions.
Postcards from Wuhan - residents tell the world to stay strong, stay indoors
Life in the Chinese city of Wuhan, where the coronavirus first emerged, is slowly returning to normal as the government relaxes a more than two-month-old lockdown that cut the city off from the world and kept most of its 11 million residents at home.
Wuhan, capital of Hubei province, was once the epicentre of the now global pandemic and was subjected to the strictest curbs on movement and business.
The virus is believed to have emerged from a seafood market in Wuhan last year and the city accounted for about two-thirds of China’s total number of infections. New cases, however, have declined dramatically in the city and the rest of the country, prompting the easing of curbs that have been in place since Jan 23.
Reuters asked several Wuhan residents to share their experiences with the millions of people across the globe now in some form of lockdown or isolation.
'Some of us will die': India's homeless stranded by coronavirus lockdown
In a densely packed neighbourhood of Delhi, hundreds of homeless people queued up this week as volunteers doled out rice and peas from a vat in the back of a van.
Only a handful of the people in the crowd wore masks. There were no hand sanitizers or wash basins in sight and no social distancing.
China clamps down on coronavirus test kit exports after accuracy questioned
Beijing is stepping up its oversight of exports of coronavirus test kits after several European countries complained about the accuracy of some Chinese-made tests.
Chinese exporters of coronavirus tests must now obtain a registration certificate from the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) in order to be cleared by China's customs, the NMPA said in a statement late on Tuesday.
Putin takes coronavirus precautions as Moscow unveils tracking app
President Vladimir Putin is taking precautions to protect himself against coronavirus, the Kremlin said on Wednesday, as Moscow authorities launched a smartphone app designed to track people who have been ordered to stay home because of the virus.
Putin will hold a government meeting later on Wednesday by video conference, the Kremlin said, a day after a doctor who met him last week said he had been diagnosed with the highly infectious virus.
Switzerland past bottleneck in coronavirus testing: government
Switzerland no longer faces shortages in coronavirus testing, its top health official dealing with the pandemic said on Wednesday.
“There are no bottlenecks any more,” Daniel Koch, head of the Federal Office of Health’s communicable diseases division, told a news conference in Bern. “We did 16,000 tests since yesterday.”
Germany set to extend social distancing until at least end of Easter holidays: report
Germany’s federal government and the country’s 16 states want to extend until at least the end of the Easter holidays distancing measures introduced to slow the spread of the coronavirus, Focus Online and broadcaster n-tv reported on Wednesday.
Chancellor Angela Merkel is holding a telephone conference with the premiers of the states on Wednesday and due to give a statement later in the day.
Citizens “are urged to keep contact with people beyond their own household to an absolute minimum, even during the Easter holidays, in accordance with the applicable rules,” Focus Online cited a draft resolution for the telephone conference as saying.
Coronavirus pushes reluctant Aung San Suu Kyi to Facebook
Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi cited the coronavirus pandemic as the impetus for reluctantly creating her first personal Facebook account in a post on Wednesday.
Since coming to power in 2016, Suu Kyi has largely communicated through formal statements and public meetings. She rarely gives press conferences or interviews.
UK coronavirus deaths rise by 563 to 2,352
The number of people with coronavirus who have died in Britain rose by 563 to a total 2,352 by 1600 GMT on March 31, the government said on Wednesday.
It said there were 29,474 confirmed cases of the virus at as 0800 GMT on Wednesday, up from 25,150 the day before.
NATO seeks to speed up medical aid deliveries, wary of Russian drills
NATO will speed up deliveries of medical aid to allies suffering the most from the coronavirus but must focus on defending Europe, the alliance's chief said, after large Russian war games that were seen by allies as a signal from Moscow.
NATO foreign ministers are set to discuss aid measures on Thursday via video conference, a first for an alliance ministerial, after countries such as Turkey and the Czech Republic began delivering supplies to Italy and Spain.
India sees 386 new COVID-19 cases in last 24 hours
In the last 24 hours, 386 cases of coronavirus infection have been reported in India.
India's union health ministry said the spike was "not a national trend" and was primarily due to those who had attended the Tabligi Jamaat congregation, reports Times of India.
Total number of coronavirus cases in India has climbed to 1637 as of Wednesday evening, with 38 deaths.
Prince Charles, recovered from virus, says it is distressing time for nation
Britain’s Prince Charles, who has recovered after testing positive for coronavirus, praised the country’s healthcare workers on Wednesday and said it was a strange and distressing time for the nation.
Heir-to-the-throne Charles, 71, came out of self-isolation on Monday after suffering mild symptoms, with his office saying he was in good health.
In a video address, the prince said although he had recovered, he was still in a state of social distance and general isolation. His wife Camilla, who had tested negative, is remaining in self-isolation until the end of the week in case she develops symptoms.
“As we are all learning, this is a strange, frustrating and often distressing experience when the presence of family and friends is no longer possible and the normal structures of life are suddenly removed” he said.
Swiss coronavirus death toll rises to 378, positive tests hit 17,139
The Swiss death toll from the coronavirus has reached 378, the country’s public health ministry said on Wednesday, rising from 373 people a day earlier as Switzerland prepares additional measures to mitigate the epidemic’s economic hit.
The number of positive tests also increased to 17,139 from 16,176 on Tuesday, the ministry added.
The Swiss government is preparing to expand an emergency liquidity programme for coronavirus-hit businesses, as banks have already handed out more than half of the 20 billion Swiss francs ($20.70 billion) set aside for state-backed loans.
Erdogan says Turkey may need further measures if citizens ignore 'voluntary quarantine'
Turkey will have to take additional measures if the coronavirus outbreak widens and citizens don’t abide by a “voluntary quarantine,” President Tayyip Erdogan said on Wednesday.
Erdogan has stopped short of announcing a full lockdown across Turkey, mainly for economic reasons. He reiterated on Wednesday that Ankara was determined to continue production and exports.
Edinburgh festivals, including Fringe comedy showcase, cancelled
Edinburgh's summer festivals, which include the International music and arts showcase and renowned "Fringe" comedy event, have been cancelled for the first time in more than 70 years because of coronavirus, organisers said on Wednesday.
Featuring 25,000 performers from more than 70 countries, the five festivals attract audiences of around 4.5 million people to the Scottish capital every August.
UK to speed up coronavirus testing as criticism grows
Britain's government said on Wednesday it would ramp up the number of coronavirus tests amid widespread criticism that it was doing far too few, as ministers suggested that shortages of chemicals were partly to blame.
Officials say testing for COVID-19 is key to fighting it, not least to check if medics on the frontline of the epidemic could return to work.
Isolated and alone, Australians turn to pets during coronavirus shutdown
For Chris Moysa, a Sydney schoolteacher, the spread of coronavirus means long days at home without company. But like scores of other Australians, Moysa now has a new housemate after he adopted a cat named Fred.
"It's just the companionship, having something around, makes you smile, they do stupid stuff," Moysa told Reuters as he strokes Fred, a white cat with black markings, who was looking for a new home after being in and out of foster homes.
"They hang out with you, they don't judge you, the love is unconditional so what's not to like."
Like in many countries, Australians have for weeks been told to stay home to fight coronavirus.
'There's no better present': Chinese businesses send masks to European clients
With a dire shortage of protective face masks in Europe, even for health workers, a senior manager at a Spanish furniture store group was surprised to hear business partners and staff in China offering to send him masks.
The starting point of the coronavirus pandemic, and for weeks its epicenter, China has seen new cases fall over the past weeks.
From zero to hero: Italy's Chinese help beat coronavirus
In the storm of infection and death sweeping Italy, one big community stands out to health officials as remarkably unscathed — the 50,000 ethnic Chinese who live in the town of Prato.
Two months ago, the country's Chinese residents were the target of what Amnesty International described as shameful discrimination, the butt of insults and violent attack by people who feared they would spread the coronavirus through Italy.
Preliminary study finds UK lockdown is slowing spread of Covid-19
Lockdown and social distancing measures introduced by the British government to slow the spread of COVID-19 may already be working, according to preliminary research findings, and could soon see Britain's epidemic of infections declining.
Scientists used an online survey to ask 1,300 people in Britain to list their contacts for the previous day - and found that the average number of contacts now is more than 70 percent lower than before the lockdown.
Hezbollah asserts role in Lebanon's coronavirus fight
The Lebanese paramilitary group Hezbollah is marshalling its deep resources in the fight against coronavirus, using a corps of volunteers, doctors and facilities to carve out a prominent role in the crisis-riven state's response.
The campaign is part of wider efforts by Lebanon's sectarian parties that are scrambling to show they can help in this emergency.
Iran's coronavirus death toll rises to 3,036: health ministry official
Iran’s death toll from the new coronavirus has reached 3,036, with 138 deaths in the past 24 hours, Health Ministry spokesman Kianush Jahanpur told state TV on Wednesday, adding that the country had 47,593 infected cases.
“We had 2,987 new cases of infected people in the past 24 hours and 15,473 people have recovered from the disease,” Jahanpur said.
Spain reports more than 100,000 coronavirus cases, new daily death toll record
The number of cases of coronavirus in Spain surpassed 100,000 on Wednesday while the number of fatalities reported overnight reached a new record, the country’s health ministry said.
Indonesia set to open emergency coronavirus hospital on uninhabited island
Indonesia will by next week open a new coronavirus emergency hospital on the uninhabited island of Galang, where authorities have repurposed a former Vietnam war era refugee camp as part of efforts to rapidly augment healthcare capacities.
Indonesia has recorded 1,677 cases of coronavirus as of April 1, and 157 deaths - the highest mortality rate in Southeast Asia.
Over 100 countries ask South Korea for coronavirus testing help: official
South Korea has received requests from 121 countries for help with coronavirus testing, a foreign ministry official said on Wednesday, as authorities around the world come under intense pressure to curb the spread of the disease.
South Korea's massive testing campaign, backed by intensive contact tracing, has been credited with helping slow the spread of coronavirus in the country, which once had the second largest outbreak after China.
In Belarus, some don't wait for Lukashenko to start worrying about coronavirus
Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko may have called coronavirus a “psychosis” that can be fought with vodka, saunas and driving tractors, but some of his citizens are taking matters into their own hands to protect themselves.
The eastern European country, which Lukashenko has run with an iron fist for a quarter of a century, has been unusual in taking few measures to stop the epidemic. It has staged soccer matches while other countries imposed lockdowns.
Commander of virus-hit aircraft carrier makes extraordinary plea to US Navy
The captain of the US aircraft carrier Theodore Roosevelt, in a blunt letter, has called on Navy leadership for stronger measures to save the lives of his sailors and stop the spread of the coronavirus aboard the huge ship.
The four-page letter, the contents of which were confirmed by US officials to Reuters on Tuesday, described a bleak situation onboard the nuclear-powered carrier as more sailors test positive for the virus.
Dutch coronavirus measures have lowered infection rate: health official
Measures to limit the coronavirus outbreak in the Netherlands appear to have halved the rate of infection but need to be continued to be really effective, the country's top official for infectious diseases said on Wednesday.
The rate of recorded infections in the Netherlands, where more than 1,000 people have died, has dropped considerably since the Dutch government closed all schools, restaurants and bars last month, the head of the Dutch Public Health Institute Jaap van Dissel said in a briefing to parliament.
Trump urges Florida to welcome cruise ship with deadly coronavirus outbreak
US President Donald Trump on Tuesday urged Florida officials to open an Atlantic Coast port to a Dutch cruise ship stuck at sea with a deadly coronavirus outbreak onboard, urging the governor to drop his opposition.
Weighing in on the fate of Holland America Line's MS Zaandam during a White House briefing, Trump said he would call Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who has declared the vessel unwelcome to prevent its sick passengers from being "dumped" on his state.
Japan 'on the brink' as it struggles to hold back coronavirus
Japan is struggling to hold the line against the coronavirus and is on the brink of crisis with medical experts particularly worried about preparations in Tokyo, officials said on Wednesday, raising the prospect of emergency lockdowns.
Japan has some 2,200 cases of the coronavirus and 66 deaths, relatively small tallies compared with those of United States, China and some parts of Europe.
But the new infections are appearing relentlessly, with 105 reported on Wednesday, 65 of them in the capital, where cases are closely watched as increasing numbers there add to pressure on the government to take drastic steps.
Indonesia confirms 149 new coronavirus infections, taking total to 1,677
Indonesia confirmed on Wednesday 149 new coronavirus infections, taking the total in the Southeast Asian country to 1,677, a health ministry official said.
Achmad Yurianto reported 21 new deaths from the virus, taking the total to 157, while 103 had recovered.
Racing to stop coronavirus, India scours mosques to trace contacts with Delhi gathering
As coronavirus cases rose across densely-populated South Asia, authorities scoured mosques in northern India on Wednesday trying to trace people who attended the gathering of a Muslim group in New Delhi that later emerged as an infection hotspot.
Thousands of people from across India and some from countries like Malaysia and Indonesia, had visited the headquarters of the Sunni Muslim missionary movement, Tablighi Jamaat, in a narrow winding Delhi lane last month, participating in prayer sessions and lectures over several days.
Chinese scientists seeking potential COVID-19 treatment find 'effective' antibodies
A team of Chinese scientists has isolated several antibodies that it says are "extremely effective" at blocking the ability of the new coronavirus to enter cells, which eventually could be helpful in treating or preventing COVID-19.
There is currently no proven effective treatment for the disease, which originated in China and is spreading across the world in a pandemic that has infected more than 850,000 and killed 42,000, Reuters reported.
Zhang Linqi at Tsinghua University in Beijing said a drug made with antibodies like the ones his team have found could be used more effectively than the current approaches, including what he called "borderline" treatment such as plasma.
UK aims to test 25,000 a day for coronavirus by mid-April
Britain is aiming to increase the number of tests for coronavirus to 25,000 a day by the middle of the month from its present capacity of 12,750 a day, housing minister Robert Jenrick told Sky News on Wednesday.
Britain is beginning to test medical staff in additional to patients in hospital, but critics have said it is not expanding testing fast enough or wide enough, Reuters reported.
Jenrick said 8,240 individuals were tested on Monday and more than 900 health workers were tested over the weekend.
“We now have capacity to test 12,750 people every day, we were focusing the capacity that we had on people in critical conditions, which was on medical advice,” he said.
“We think within days we will be able to go from our present capacity of 12,750 to 15,000, so that’s a significant increase but still not as far as we’d like it to be, then mid-April is when we expect to be at 25,000.”
Italy's coronavirus lockdown measures to be extended to April 13
Italy will extend anti-coronavirus lockdown restrictions imposed last month to April 13, Health Minister Roberto Speranza said on Wednesday.
“We must not confuse the first positive signals with an ‘all clear’ signal. Data shows that we are on the right path and that the drastic decisions are bearing fruit,” Speranza told the upper house Senate, Reuters reported.
After days of steep rises in cases, data this week has suggested the pace of growth in the number of total cases in Italy is slowing, with new infections coming in at 4,053 on Tuesday. Deaths have remained largely steady at over 800 a day.
Speranza added that the “battle (against the virus) is still very long.”
Italy was the first Western country to introduce the restrictions and has tightened them week by week, banning all but core activities.
Philippines reports 227 new coronavirus cases, eight more deaths
The Philippines recorded 227 new coronavirus cases and eight more deaths on Wednesday, the health ministry said.
The latest figures brought the total number of infections and deaths in the country to 2,311 and 96, respectively, Reuters reported.
Cuba suspends arrival of international flights to stop coronavirus
Cuba said on Tuesday it was suspending the arrival of international passenger flights and asking all foreign boats to withdraw from the Caribbean island's waters to curb the spread of the new coronavirus.
Cuba, which has confirmed 186 cases of the fast-spreading disease, partially closed its borders last week, banning the arrival of foreign tourists and the departure of Cubans, Reuters reported.
But Cubans and foreigners with Cuban residency continued to return on a dwindling number of flights, although they were required to spend two weeks in quarantine at state isolation centres. The new measures appear to close that door.
Marrero clarified that Cuba would remain open for commerce and donations.
Cuba first reported cases of the new coronavirus three weeks ago in a group of Italian tourists and has since reported six deaths from the disease.
Thailand confirms 120 new coronavirus cases, 2 more deaths
Thailand confirmed 120 new coronavirus cases and two more deaths on Wednesday, said a spokesman of the government's Center for COVID-19 Situation Administration.
The new figures brought the total number of infections in the Southeast Asian country to 1,771 and 12 fatalities, Reuters reported.
The two new deaths included a 79-year-old Thai man from a southern province who attended a wedding in Malaysia in early March and a 58-year-old businessman who returned from England last month, spokesman Taweesin Wisanuyothin said.
Europe to launch coronavirus contact tracing app initiative
European scientists and technologists said on Wednesday they will launch a joint initiative to support the deployment of digital applications in the fight against coronavirus while complying with the region's tough privacy laws.
The Pan-European Privacy Preserving Proximity Tracing (PEPP-PT) brings together 130 researchers from eight countries to develop applications that can support contact tracing efforts, Reuters reported.
Saudi tells Muslims to wait on Hajj plans amid coronavirus pandemic
Saudi Arabia is asking Muslims around the world to be patient and delay their plans for the Hajj and Umrah pilgrimages amid uncertainties surrounding the coronavirus pandemic, the Kingdom's Minister of Hajj and Umrah said.
The Kingdom's Minister of Hajj and Umrah, Dr Mohammad Saleh bin Taher Benten, said that Saudi Arabia was ready to receive and serve pilgrims at any time, but that the priority is currently placed for everyone's safety, Al Arabiya reported.
China starts to report asymptomatic coronavirus cases
Chinese health authorities began on Wednesday reporting on asymptomatic cases of the coronavirus as part of an effort to allay public fears that people could be spreading the virus without knowing they are infected with it.
China, where the coronavirus emerged late last year, has managed to bring its outbreak under control and is easing travel restrictions in virus hot spots, Reuters reported.
Coronavirus the worst global crisis since World War II: UN chief
The global death toll from the coronavirus pandemic continued to worsen Wednesday despite unprecedented lockdowns, as the head of the United Nations sounded the alarm on what UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said was humanity's worst crisis since World War II.
The warning came as Donald Trump told Americans to brace for a "very painful" few weeks after the United States registered its deadliest 24 hours of the crisis.
Coronavirus lockdowns have changed the way Earth moves
Global efforts to curb the spread of the virus have slightly reduced the movements of earth layers.
Researchers reported a drop in seismic noise — the hum of vibrations in the planet's crust — that could be the result of transport networks and other human activities being shut down, Nature reported.
A noise reduction of this magnitude is usually only experienced briefly around Christmas, says Thomas Lecocq, a seismologist the Royal Observatory of Belgium in Brussels, where the drop has been observed.
This would allow detectors to spot smaller earthquakes and boost efforts to monitor volcanic activity and other seismic events.
Germany reports 5,453 additional coronavirus cases, 149 more deaths
The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Germany has risen to 67,366 and 732 people have died of the disease, statistics from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for infectious diseases showed on Wednesday.
Cases rose by 5,453 compared with the previous day while the death toll climbed by 149, the tally showed, Reuters reported.
Trump warns Americans of a 'painful' two weeks in coronavirus fight
President Donald Trump warned Americans on Tuesday of a "painful" two weeks ahead in fighting the coronavirus, with a mounting US death toll that could stretch into the hundreds of thousands even with strict social distancing measures.
In perhaps his most sombre news conference to date about the pandemic, Trump, who has faced criticism for playing down the threat of the outbreak in its initial phases, urged the population to heed guidance to limit groups to no more than 10 people, work from home and not dine in restaurants or bars, Reuters reported.
"It's absolutely critical for the American people to follow the guidelines for the next 30 days. It's a matter of life and death," Trump said.
UK reports record 381 coronavirus deaths, including 13-year-old boy
Britain reported a record daily coronavirus toll of 381 on Tuesday, including a 13-year-old boy, more than double the number of nationwide deaths posted in the previous 24 hours.
The boy, who died Monday at King’s College Hospital in London, is believed to be Britain’s youngest confirmed death in the coronavirus pandemic, with relatives saying he had no underlying illnesses, AFP reported.
Some 25,150 people have now tested positive for the virus in Britain, including Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
As of 5:00pm (1600 GMT) on March 30, 1,789 people have died, the health ministry said on its Twitter page.
But data published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) for England and Wales on Tuesday revealed that the true toll could be 24 percent higher.
France records its highest daily coronavirus toll, with 499 new deaths
France recorded its highest daily death toll since the beginning of the novel coronavirus outbreak, health director Jerome Salomon said on Tuesday evening in Paris.
Salomon said that in 24 hours 499 people died, bringing the total number of deaths in France to 3,523, Reuters reported.
New York City coronavirus death toll exceeds 1,000
New York City on March 31 reached a grim milestone in the coronavirus epidemic as the death toll from the virus exceeded 1,000.
The death toll now stands at 1,096. There are more than 41,000 people infected with the illness, and more than 8,500 people are hospitalised, The Hill reported.
Mauritania records first coronavirus death
Mauritania has declared its first fatality from coronavirus, state media reported on Tuesday, adding to the growing death toll on the African continent.
The victim is a 48-year-old French-Mauritanian dual national who tested positive for the virus after she died, according to the Mauritanian Information Agency, AFP reported.
Mauritania has recorded six coronavirus cases in total, two of which have recovered.
The government has also ordered a night-time curfew and stopped travel between its 13 regions in a bird to curb the spread of the virus.
Mexico registers 1,215 coronavirus cases, 29 deaths
Mexico's health ministry on Tuesday registered 1,215 cases of coronavirus in the country, up from 1,094 the day before.
It also said 29 people died from the virus in Mexico, up from 28 a day earlier, Reuters reported.