There is more than 182,000 cases reported worldwide and over 7,100 deaths.
Coronavirus fears led to a historic drop in US stocks, shut borders and disrupted daily life around the world, as governments took increasingly drastic measures to try to reduce the severity of the global outbreak.
DEATHS, INFECTIONS
* There have now been more cases and deaths outside mainland China than inside, with more than 182,000 cases worldwide and over 7,100 deaths.
AMERICAS
* The tally of confirmed cases in the US has multiplied in recent weeks, now surpassing 4,300, with more than 80 deaths.
* Trump administration and leading Republicans urged the Senate on Monday to swiftly back a House-passed aid plan and seriously consider massive new economic stimulus legislation.
* Ohio will postpone its presidential nominating election planned for Tuesday.
* Canada closed its borders to all foreign nationals except US citizens and permanent residents on Monday.
* Countries around Latin America tightened restrictions on Monday, with Peru putting military personnel on the streets, and Chile, Costa Rica and Colombia closing their borders.
* Venezuela will implement a nationwide quarantine after its number of cases rose to 33 on Monday.
* Mexico’s confirmed cases rose to 82 on Monday from 53 a day earlier.
EUROPE
* Lombardy, Italy’s worst hit region, is showing the first signs of a possible slowdown in contagion, its governor said on Monday.
* French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday ordered stringent restrictions on people’s movements, and said the army would be drafted in to help move the sick to hospitals. France has a death toll of 148 and more than 6,600 infections.
* Spain said a state of emergency will have to be extended beyond an initial 15-day period, and it was considering closing borders.
* Stock market regulators in Italy, France and Spain imposed bans on short-selling.
* Germany is setting aside 50 million euros ($56 million) to repatriate German tourists stranded around the world.
* Finland passed emergency legislation to close all schools and universities from Wednesday.
ASIA
* Mainland China had 21 new cases on Monday, 20 of them infected travellers arriving from abroad.
* Some parts of China have tightened monitoring of foreign travellers, and the foreign ministry on Tuesday advised citizens to avoid travel to high-risk countries.
* South Korea reported 84 cases on Tuesday, its third day in a row with fewer than 100 new infections. It plans to tighten border checks for all arrivals from overseas.
* Taiwan asked people on Tuesday not to travel abroad, as it announced its first double-digit rise in cases, all imported from overseas, bringing the total to 77.
* Kazakhstan reported 14 new cases on Tuesday, raising the total to 27.
* Mongolia reported three new cases among citizens repatriated from South Korea and Germany.
* Thailand plans to close schools, bars, movie theatres, cockfighting arenas as well as postpone next month’s Thai New Year holiday, as its total cases climbed to 177.
* Cambodia reported 12 new cases on Tuesday, doubling its tally to 24.
* Hong Kong will quarantine for 14 days all people entering the city starting midnight on Thursday.
* Vietnam will suspend the issue of new visas for all foreign nationals.
* Georgia will ban minibuses and restrict services of gyms and swimming pools from Wednesday.
* Kyrgyzstan, which has no reported cases, banned entry to all foreigners.
* Australia – which has around 400 cases and five deaths – is considering tougher restrictions on public gatherings as the Sydney Opera House closed its doors, national airline Qantas slashed its flight capacity and courts suspended hearings.
MIDDLE EAST AND AFRICA
* Iran, with death toll of 853 and 14,991 cases, has temporarily freed about 85,000 prisoners, including political ones.
* Bahrain reported the Arab Gulf’s first death on Monday and Saudi Arabia urged its citizens to stay at home. Dozens of Bahrain’s reported 227 cases were among citizens evacuated from Iran last week.
* The World Health Organization will start testing in rebel-held northwest Syria later this week.
* Egypt on Monday reported two more deaths, bringing its toll to four.
* The US is unlikely to ease sanctions on Iran despite an appeal from China that it do so because of the pandemic.
* Tunisia will suspend international flights and close its land border.
ECONOMIC FALLOUT
* World share markets and oil prices struggled on Tuesday after Wall Street’s worst one-day rout since the Black Monday crash of 1987.
* As US aviation companies angle for billions in assistance, airlines and airport operators globally are suspending dividends, selling airplanes and flying cargo on passenger jets amid plunging demand.
* Australia’s central bank reiterated it stood ready to ease policy further, adding to speculation of aggressive stimulus this week.
* Malaysia postponed a meeting of finance and central bank officials from APEC countries scheduled to start on Tuesday.
* The virus is threatening project schedules in the US solar industry, according to a report on Tuesday.
* The Philippine Stock Exchange closed indefinitely on Tuesday while currency and bond trading were suspended.
EVENTS
* A summit between China and the European Union has been postponed, the European Commission said on Tuesday.
* Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said on Tuesday that Group of Seven leaders had agreed to support a “complete” Olympics, but dodged questions about whether any of the leaders had brought up the possibility of postponement.
* The Kentucky Derby, the first jewel in North American horse racing’s Triple Crown, will be postponed to September from May due to the coronavirus.
