Numerous countries have introduced travel bans and severe quarantine measures to curb the outbreak of COVID-19, urging people to stay at home for several weeks. Some governments are also attempting to track their citizens' movements to see the spread of the pandemic.
The disease has also forced countries to cancel or delay mass events, including the 2020 Olympic Games in Japan, that will now be held in July-August 2021.
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The exception was made for railway and taxi.
101 new cases have been registered in the country in the past 24 hours. In total, 165 people have died from the disease and 5,567 have recovered, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).
A total of 41,771 cases of coronavirus have been registered in the city and 1,096 people have died from the disease.
The ministry said that overall, 22 cases of COVID-19 infection had been recorded in the republic, two people had recovered.
The number of coronavirus cases in the country totals 32.
The number of confirmed cases in the country has reached 5,717.
The total number of fatalities in Russia's capital has reached 16.
"As of noon today, 42,922 Texans have been tested for COVID-19", Governor Greg Abbott said in a press conference on Tuesday.. "Of those tested, 3,266 have confirmed positive for COVID-19... With heavy heart I share with you that we have now lost 41 Texans to fatality connected with COVID-19".
The deceased patient was a 72-year-old Omani citizen.
"As relates to the number of positives, 6,932, number of deaths - tragically, 150 in the state of California", governor Gavin Newsom said. at a daily briefing.
The largest American state has 1,617 people currently hospitalised with COVID-19 and 657 individuals that are in intensive care units.
The Central American Bank for Economic Integration (CABEI) said it would distribute 182,000 tests for coronavirus in the region.
Two people in Burundi have tested positive for the new coronavirus, both are Burundian nationals from the port city of Bujumbura. They are being treated at Bumerec Hospital, the Ministry for Public Health said in a press release.
"As of the end of yesterday, there have been 900 inmates released from our jail system, there will be more ahead", Bill de Blasio said.
Those released have medical conditions that might put them in life-threatening danger if an outbreak occurs in a highly populated enclosed space, such as prison, he said.
"Since 1 March, 3,523 people have died in hospitals. As many as 9,044 persons have been discharged from hospitals after recovering, since the same date ... The total number of confirmed cases amounts to 52,128", Jerome Salomon, the head of the national public health service, said at a briefing.
"As many as 22,757 people are currently hospitalised with the coronavirus ... As of this evening, there are 5,565 critical cases, these people have to receive treatment in life-support departments", he added.
According to the official, 60 percent of those hospitalized are from 60 to 80 years old, while those under the age of 60 account for 34 percent of all the hospitalized people.
"Doctors, controlling His Serene Highness, Prince of Monaco Albert II, since the moment he has tested positive for COVID-19, allowed him today to quit quarantine. The prince has recovered and is feeling fine", the palace said in a communiqué.
Albert II will soon rejoin his family but continue self-isolating, although maintaining contact with the government and closes associates.
The prince is calling on Monaco's people to comply fully with anti-coronavirus measures and reduce contacts, the palace added.
"Today the number of cases currently positive is 77,635 with an increase of 2,107 since yesterday", Angelo Borrelli, the head of the national Civil Protection Department said at a press conference.
"We unfortunately registered 837 deaths", he added.
"1,550 deaths, that is up from 1,218 yesterday", Cuomo said.
He added that 9,298 new COVID-19 cases had been registered overnight, bringing the statewide total to 75,795.
IDF Chief of Staff Aviv Kohavi and two other generals have gone into quarantine after taking part in a meeting with an officer who tested positive for the disease, the military says.
The fine could reach up to $3,812, according to the amendment to the Administrative Offenses Code.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The upper house of the Russian parliament, during an extraordinary session on Tuesday, approved a law granting the government powers to declare an emergency in the country .
The law amending existing legislation concerning emergencies has been adopted due to the spread of COVID-19 in the country. The Russian government will have the right to declare an emergency in some regions or across the country.
During an emergency situation, the government will, among other things, have the right to impose restrictions on the wholesale and retail sale of medicine and medical equipment.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The Central Bank of Turkey (CBRT) unveiled on Tuesday a set of new measures to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on the country's businesses.
"The CBRT introduces the following additional measures to (i) strengthen the monetary transmission mechanism by boosting the liquidity of the Government Domestic Debt Securities (GDDS) market, (ii) enhance banks’ flexibility in Turkish lira and foreign exchange liquidity management, and (iii) secure uninterrupted credit flow to the corporate sector, and broadly support the goods and services exporting firms, which are affected by the pandemic, with an SME-focused approach", the bank said in a statement.
Within the new set of measures, the bank allowed the use of asset- and mortgage-backed securities as collateral, allocated an additional 60 billion Turkish liras ($9.13 billion) for credits to support exporters and increased the flexibility of several other financial instruments.
As of Monday, the number of coronavirus cases in Turkey was at 10,827, with 168 fatalities.
CAIRO (Sputnik) - The African Union said on Tuesday that a total of 5,255 cases of the coronavirus disease have been identified in the continent's countries since the start of the outbreak.
According to the Union, the virus has spread to 49 out of 55 of the organization's member states. The total death toll is at 173, while 371 people have fully recovered from the disease.
The highest numbers of cases were registered in Egypt and Algeria with 656 and 582, respectively.
Meanwhile, Sudan has confirmed another COVID-19 case, bringing the total number of infected to seven, the Sudanese Health Ministry said on Tuesday.
Additionally, the number of coronavirus cases in Morocco has reached 574, with 18 of them being registered over the past 24 hours, according to the Health Ministry.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The UK National Union of Students (NUS) on Tuesday called on universities to cancel the end of year exams to reduce anxiety among students amid the worsening epidemiological situation caused by the spread of COVID-19.
"Following government clarifications on GCSE’s, A-Levels and AS levels (20 March 2020) NUS believes no institution should be holding compulsory examinations, and there should be no non-essential exams and assessments, particularly for first and second years, who should be allowed to progress base on previous work, with a robust appeal process, and flexibility for those who feel this will disadvantage them", the organisation said in a press release.
According to NUS Vice President Claire Sosienski-Smith, many students do not have the opportunity to fully engage with their learning due to such factors as lack of equipment for distance learning, stress and anxiety, among others.
"We know that disabled students are being hugely impacted by the pandemic, facing the loss of both university-provided and NHS [National Health Service] support, a lack of reasonable adjustments to access online teaching, as well as struggles with accommodation. We’re therefore calling for practice which is motivated by student welfare and student choice, giving students control over their education, ensuring progression and completion when they desire it", Sosienski-Smith said, as quoted in the press release.
The NUS added that final year students should have a choice to either complete or graduate with a grade given based on their prior attainment, while postgraduate research students should have a six-month extension to their submission deadlines.
To date, the UK has confirmed over 22,000 COVID-19 cases and more than 1,400 fatalities.
TEHRAN (Sputnik) - The United States has spent $9 trillion interfering in the affairs of other countries but could have used these funds internally and avoided difficulties with the coronavirus outbreak they are currently experiencing, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi said on Tuesday.
"In recent years, the US government has acknowledged spending at least $9 trillion to interfere in the internal affairs of the Middle East and create insecurity and instability", Mousavi said, as quoted by the Iran Press news agency.
He again accused Washington of creating and supporting terrorist groups as well as the so-called deal of the century on a Palestinian-Israeli settlement, which was "stillborn."
"Of that amount, the staggering $2 trillion was just Donald Trump's first 3 years in office. ... Indeed, if these enormous expenditures were made for the tens of millions of poor in the United States in these difficult days, would we have seen nurses crying for lack of facilities, and patients crying in the country [that] claims economic prosperity and [being the] defender of human rights?" Mousavi said.
Tehran has recently repeatedly accused Washington of "killing" Iranians with US sanctions during the coronavirus epidemic. On Tuesday, US State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus said on Twitter that it was the "regime" that was responsible for the spread of the coronavirus in Iran, urging Tehran to use billions from the "tax-free hedge fund" of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The 2019/20 season of Spain's top-tier football championship, La Liga, which is currently suspended due to the coronavirus outbreak, will be canceled if games do not resume before 27 June, the Marca newspaper reported on Tuesday, citing sources.
As president of one of the league's clubs explained, if the country does not return to work by the end of June, football will be the last of anyone's concerns.
The best scenarios for resuming the season - which see games starting in late April or early May - are no longer relevant, the newspaper said. However, the option to hold games with an interval of 3 days every week upon resumption remains on the table, it said.
Spain currently ranks third globally in terms of COVID-19 cases and second in terms of fatalities. The death toll from the coronavirus in the country has surged by 849 over the past day, reaching 8,189, while the number of registered cases increased by more than 9,200 to about 94,400.
ROME/MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Italy observed at Tuesday noon a moment of silence for people who have died of COVID-19, with flags flown at half-mast across the country.
The initiative of the National Association of Italian Municipalities to mourn coronavirus victims of Italy and the world was supported by all city mayors. They were joined by national and local TV channels and state bodies.
On Tuesday morning, flags of Italy and the European Union were lowered at half-mast by the Quirinal Palace, an Italian presidential residence. The Italian Embassy in Moscow has followed suit.
Italy ranks first in the world in terms of COVID-19 deaths. As of Monday, the country has had a total of 101,739 cases of the infection, including 11,591 deaths.
"There are 108 confirmed cases of infection. Among them, 20 have recovered, 5,114 are quarantined, and 263 are under medical supervision", the website said.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The World Health Organisation launched on Tuesday an interactive chatbot on Viber to provide people across the world with accurate information about the COVID-19 pandemic, with the service set to be available in more than 20 languages soon.
To date, the chatbot supports English, Russian and Arabic.
"WHO’s aim is to reach as many people as possible with reliable health information through innovative digital technology. Information is powerful and can help save lives during this pandemic", WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said, as quoted by the global health watchdog.
The WHO estimates that the chatbot will allow it to reach over 1 billion people "directly through their mobile phones."
Subscribers of the chatbot will get latest news directly from the WHO. They will also be able to learn about precautionary measures and take quizzes to test their knowledge on COVID-19.
GENEVA (Sputnik) - The number of COVID-19 cases in Switzerland has increased by 701 over the last 24 hours, with 78 dead from the disease, the Federal Office of Public Health said on Tuesday.
According to the official data, there are currently 16,176 confirmed cases, with the death toll standing at 373.
"Aeroflot decided to cancel all its flights to France starting today ... The French authorities are making every effort to find a solution together with the Russian authorities and airlines so that you can return to France as soon as possible", the embassy wrote on Facebook.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) - New Zealand has extended the state of the national emergency giving the authorities extra powers to combat the spread of coronavirus by another seven days as the number of cases neared 650, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said on Tuesday.
"A state of national emergency put in place to help stop the spread of COVID-19 has been extended for a further seven days. The initial declaration on 25 March lasted seven days and can be extended as many times as necessary", Ardern said during a press conference.
The state of emergency gives civil defence emergency services sweeping powers to manage product distribution, control border crossings, remove people and vehicles from any premises if need be.
In addition to the state of emergency, the country is now on a four-week lockdown.
The country’s Health Ministry reported 58 new cases of the coronavirus infection on Tuesday, taking the total number to 647 with 74 recoveries and no deaths reported so far.
1/3: The Office of PSA has issued a manual on homemade masks to curb the spread of SARS-CoV-2 CoronaVirus. @himdaughter @PrinSciAdvGoI
— Science, Technology and Innovation in India (@PrinSciAdvOff) March 31, 2020
Details: https://t.co/WaQdxQd38j pic.twitter.com/NwfdULAhDw
MINSK (Sputnik) - An elderly theater actor with underlying health conditions has died of pneumonia after testing positive for the new coronavirus, President Alexander Lukashenko said Tuesday.
"Poor guy didn't make it. He was hospitalized with a bad case of pneumonia, his lungs were artificially ventilated, medics worked hard to save him", he was quoted as saying by the state news agency Belta.
The man is survived by his wife and daughter, who lived with him in the northeastern city of Vitebsk. Lukashenko said both were healthy "because they have a strong immune system."
The Belarusian Health Ministry said on Monday that 110 people had been hospitalised with COVID-19 since Sunday, and 144 people had been discharged, including those who had come into contact with coronavirus patients. Another 105 are being monitored and treated.
The surgeon made history by separating twins Jadon and Anais McDonald four years ago at the Children's Hospital at Montefiore Medical Centre in New York City.
The Montefiore @EinsteinMed community is mourning the loss of Dr. James T. Goodrich, world-renowned pediatric neurosurgeon. Dr. Goodrich passed away on March 30, 2020 from complications associated with COVID-19. Please see our full statement below. pic.twitter.com/nxPcKvPRG4
— Montefiore Health System (@MontefioreNYC) March 30, 2020
It is with deep sympathy that I announce the first death resulted from #COVID19; a Tanzanian male, aged 49 years who had other underlying health conditions. Our condolences to his beloved family, relatives and friends. May his soul rest in eternal peace #COVID19Tanzania pic.twitter.com/jaUy3YSrZh
— Ummy Mwalimu, MP (@umwalimu) March 31, 2020
"Speaking about the peak of the pandemic, I want to believe that we are approaching some critical value, although for some time the number of patients may increase", Nikolai Briko, the epidemiologist with the Russian Health Ministry said.
He added that the number of new cases of COVID-19 would still increase over the next few days, and then would go into the decline.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Russia has registered 500 new cases of COVID-19 over the past 24 hours, which brings the total toll of those infected to 2,337, the country's operational headquarters for preventing the spread of coronavirus said in a statement on Tuesday.
"Over the past 24 hours, the number of confirmed cases of the coronavirus infection in 24 regions in Russia is 500", the statement read.
Moscow has registered 387 new cases of COVID-19, according to the statement.
In addition, eight patients died from the disease in Moscow, St.Petersburg, the Vladimir region and the Penza region over the last 24 hours, which brings the total death toll to 17.
So far, 73 regions across the country have been hit by the disease and 121 patients have been discharged from hospitals.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The International Space Station (ISS) crew that is expected to land in Kazakhstan on 17 April could be sent into quarantine for 14 days as part of relevant epidemiological measures amid the ongoing pandemic, according to Sergei Savin, chief epidemiologist at the Gagarin Research and Cosmonaut Training Center (GCTC).
The ISS crew currently comprises Russian cosmonaut Oleg Skripochka, and US astronauts Andrew Morgan and Jessica Meir. On 9 April, Russian cosmonauts Anatoli Ivanishin and Ivan Vagner, and US astronaut Christopher Cassidy are expected to replace them.
"Russian and Kazakh authorities have decided to place all arrivals from abroad into a 14-day isolation. This requirement will certainly apply to Oleg Skripochka after his return from the ISS. This means that the entire traditional program for post-flight rehabilitation is currently in question", Savin said.
According to Savin, in the light of the coronavirus pandemic and the closure of borders between states, it is still unclear to specialists whether the Russian cosmonaut will be able to go on vacation abroad or stay in Russia after returning from the ISS.
All personnel that will be engaged in ensuring the landing of the ISS crew have undergone medical checking and tests for coronavirus, the chief epidemiologist of the cosmonaut training center noted.
"Before leaving for the place of [ISS crew] landing in Kazakhstan, the entire personnel of the operational-tactical group always undergoes a medical examination. They have all undergone a medical examination and coronavirus testing", Savin said.
The same personnel are on duty during the launch of new missions to the ISS.
According to Savin, after returning to Earth, the ISS crew should be treated with more caution, since the astronauts' immunity is weakened.
Since the start of the pandemic, more than 780,000 people have been infected with the coronavirus worldwide, and over 37,800 people have died, according to Johns Hopkins University.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the Philippines has increased by 538 to 2,084 over the past 24 hours, the country's Health Ministry said on Tuesday, adding that the number of deaths went up to 88.
On Monday, the ministry reported about 1,546 confirmed coronavirus cases and 78 fatalities.
A total of 49 patients have recovered. The Health Ministry notes that the sharp increase in the number of confirmed cases of the disease is provided by the increased number of the conducted tests.
"We propose to empower the Russian government ... with the right to introduce high alert or emergency situations throughout the Russian Federation or parts of it, as well as the right to establish mandatory rules of conduct when introducing high alert or emergency situations", an explanatory note to the bill read.
Some 56% of those infected with COVID-19 came to Pakistan from Iran.
Meanwhile, Indonesian authorities have decided to temporarily ban entry and transit services for foreign nationals as part of measures to curb the further spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi said on Tuesday.
"President [Widodo] sees that our current policy needs to be made stricter. We have decided that all visits and transits by foreign nationals to Indonesia will temporarily be banned", Marsudi told reporters after an online cabinet meeting with the president, as quoted by The Straits Times.
According to the minister, the entry ban will not apply to holders of work permits, diplomats and other official visitors.
The Indonesian health authorities have confirmed 1,414 COVID-19 cases so far and 122 fatalities. A total of 75 patients have recovered and were discharged from hospitals.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The Russian lower house, the State Duma, adopted on Tuesday a law on criminal liability for violation of quarantine, and also said that those who spread fake information about the spread of coronavirus would get up to five years in prison.
The duma's speaker, Vyacheslav Volodin, and the head of the committee on state building and legislation Pavel Krasheninnikov are behind the initiative.
Those who violate the conditions of the quarantine will face fines of up to 2 million rubles ($25,000) or even a prison term of up to 7 years.
Meanwhile, those who spread fake information about the COVID-19 pandemic will face a five-year prison term.
TEL AVIV (Sputnik) - The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Israel has increased by 484 to 4,831 over the past 24 hours, and two patients have died over the same period, the country's Health Ministry said on Tuesday.
According to the ministry's data, 83 patients are in critical condition and 163 people have recovered. A total of 17 patients have died since the start of the epidemic.
The ministry added that 573 individuals were taken to hospitals, 2,580 were receiving treatment at home, and 619 were under medical supervision in specially equipped hotels.
NOUAKCHOTT (Sputnik) – Mauritania has confirmed that a French national has died from the coronavirus disease on its soil, the first COVID-19-related death for the country, Health Minister Mohamed Ould Hamid said on Tuesday.
The minister said that the COVID-19 carrier was a 47-year-old French woman of Mauritanian decent. She arrived in the country on March 16 and self-isolated for fear that she might be infected after experiencing fatigue.
The official stated that the woman did not discover that she was infected with the coronavirus until her health condition worsened. She died on the way to the hospital.
This case brings the total number of COVID-19 diagnoses in Mauritania to six, which includes two people who have recovered, according to Johns Hopkins University’s coronavirus resource center.
The country’s government classified the capital of Nouakchott and the city of Kaedi as two hotspots for the coronavirus outbreak, and blocked traffic to and from the cities.
Mauritania has imposed a number precautionary measures against COVID-19, including suspending flights, closing borders, and suspending schooling and all cultural and sport events.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The number of confirmed cases of the coronavirus infection has increased by 4,615 to 61,913 in Germany while the death toll has risen by 128 to 583 in the past 24 hours, the Robert Koch Institute said on Tuesday.
On Monday morning, the Robert Koch Institute, which is part of the German Health Ministry and tasked with monitoring the coronavirus situation, reported that the country had confirmed a total of 57,298 cases and 455 fatalities.
According to the institute's data, the largest numbers have been recorded in Bavaria (14,810), North Rhine-Westphalia (13,225) and Baden-Wurttemberg (12,334). Berlin has 2,575 cases.
British Airways says it is temporarily suspending its use of Gatwick airport for flights amid the coronavirus pandemic
— Sky News Breaking (@SkyNewsBreak) March 31, 2020
In a letter to hosts, published late Monday, CEO of the company Brian Chesky noted that the decision to allow guests to cancel their reservation made on or before 14 March and receive a full refund was not an easy, but necessary decision to prioritise health and safety.
"The state health committee received information from 31 provinces (areas, cities of central subordination) about 81,518 confirmed cases of infection with the new type of coronavirus, including 2,161 people currently sick (528 are in serious condition)", the official statement said.
