Spanish officials announce nearly 400 new deaths overnight, bringing the total number of fatalities to more than 1,700.

The death toll from the coronavirus pandemic has continued to rise in Europe, with officials in Spain announcing nearly 400 new deaths overnight, bringing the total number of fatalities in the country to more than 1,700.

In India, the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi imposed a nationwide curfew, heavily restricting the movement of more than 1 billion people as it considers its next steps.

Globally, more than 13,000 people have now died from the COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, data collected by the US-based John Hopkins University University showed. Meanwhile, an estimated 92,000 of the 304,500 people who contracted the disease have recovered.

Singapore reports 23 new cases of coronavirus, taking tally to 455
Singapore reported 23 new cases of coronavirus, mainly imported, taking the city state’s tally of the infection to 455, according to a health ministry statement.

Authorities said they will not allow any short-term visitors to transit or enter Singapore, a move aimed at trying to contain the spread of the virus and conserve resources for citizens who are returning from other countries.

Riot police clash with market traders in attempted closure
Riot police in Kenya fired tear gas and beat protesters with sticks after traders resisted police attempts to close a crowded market in Kisumu in a measure to curb the spread of the coronavirus.

It happened after Kisumu County Governor Anyang’ Nyong’o ordered traders to shut down their stalls.

Traders shouted “Nyong’o must go” and “(The) market must (stay) open,” as police patrolled and ensured the market remained closed.

“Some of the traders here are willing to take their chances with the coronavirus and die because we don’t have any other choice. But why should we be beaten and attacked with tear gas?” asked Mohamed Hassan, one of the traders at Kibuye Market.

Iraq orders lockdown until March 28 
Iraq has imposed a nationwide lockdown until March 28 to fight the novel coronavirus, as the number of cases grew and the death toll climbed to 20.

Most of Iraq’s 18 provinces had so far imposed their own local curfews but the new measures would include the entire country, according to a new decision by the government’s crisis cell.

Palestinians to home-confine for 14 days 
The Palestinian government ordered Palestinians in the Israeli-occupied West Bank to remain indoors for two weeks as a precaution against the spread of coronavirus.

The order, announced by Prime Minister Mohammed Shtayyeh on television, goes into force at 10 pm. Medical personnel, pharmacists, grocers and bakers would be exempt, he said.

Macron threatened travel ban on UK unless stringent measures enacted 
French President Emmanuel Macron threatened to close France’s border with Britain on Friday if Prime Minister Boris Johnson failed to take more stringent measures to contain the coronavirus outbreak, the French newspaper Liberation reported.

“We had to clearly threaten him to make him finally budge,” the newspaper quoted an Elysee official close to Macron as saying, referring to the Johnson administration’s lenient approach to the pandemic.

The report echoed comments made by Macron’s prime minister, Edouard Philippe, who also expressed the French government’s displeasure over how Britain was dealing with the crisis.

“If neighbouring countries, Britain for instance, stayed for too long in a situation without taking these measures, then we would find it hard to accept on our soil British nationals who would have been moving freely in their own country,” Philippe said in an interview on Tuesday.

Kosovo records first death from coronavirus 
The Kosovo Public Health Institute announced that an 82-year-old man is the country’s first victim to die from the coronavirus.

“Patient already had chronic illness, cardio and pulmonary,” the statement said.

A country of some 2 million people, Kosovo has registered 31 cases of people infected with the virus.

Emirates airline suspends flights to Beijing, Seattle 
Seattle and Beijing are the latest cities to be added to the Emirate  carrier’s list of suspended destinations, the company announced on its website.

The state-run Dubai carrier has suspended flights to 109 different destinations, representing nearly 70% of its network of 159 international destinations, because of the coronavirus outbreak and its impact on travel demand.

Spain reports 394 new coronavirus deaths, up 30 percent in 24 hours
Spain’s death toll from the coronavirus epidemic soared to 1,720 on Sunday from 1,326 the day before, according to multiple media outlets citing the latest health data.

The number of registered cases in the country rose to 28,572 on Sunday from 24,926 in the previous tally announced on Saturday, the reports added.

Australia to shut down non-essential services
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has ordered the closure of pubs, casinos, gyms and other public venues starting midday on Monday to combat coronavirus after many people appeared to disregard health warnings.

“I am deeply regretful that those workers and those business owners who will be impacted by this decision will suffer the economic hardship that undoubtedly they will now have to face,” Morrison said in a national address.

After an initial relatively slow spread, the number of infections in Australia has quickly risen, climbing to 1,098 confirmed cases and seven deaths.

Oman bans public gatherings, shuts currency exchanges
Oman has restricted movement, banning public gatherings and limiting staffing at state entities, as it attempts to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. The Gulf state also shut currency exchange bureaus as part of its containment efforts.

Authorities in the sultanate, which has reported 55 cases of the virus, also asked the private sector to facilitate remote working and urged commercial businesses and individuals to limit cash transactions, state television reported.

Lockdown to combat coronavirus not enough: WHO
Mike Ryan, the World Health Organization’s top emergency expert, said locking down societies to stem the spread of the novel coronavirus will not suffice to exterminate it.

“What we really need to focus on is finding those who are sick, those who have the virus, and isolate them, find their contacts and isolate them,” Mike Ryan said in an interview on the BBC’s Andrew Marr Show.

“If we don’t put in place the strong public health measures now, when those movement restrictions and lockdowns are lifted, the danger is the disease will jump back up.”

Iran’s death toll from the coronavirus hits 1,685 
Iran has announced 129 new deaths caused by the novel coronavirus, raising to 1,685 the official death toll in one of the worst-hit countries along with Italy and China.

“There were 1,028 new confirmed infected cases in the past 24 hours … and 7,913 people have recovered,” said health ministry spokesperson Kianush Jahanpur.

Malaysia has confirmed 123 new coronavirus cases, taking the total to 1,306 cases, with 10 deaths.

The health ministry said 34 of the new cases were linked to a religious gathering held late last month. Malaysia has the highest number of cases in Southeast Asia.

Indonesia registers 64 new coronavirus cases, 10 deaths 
Indonesia confirmed 64 new coronavirus cases and 10 new deaths, a health ministry official told reporters on Sunday, bringing the total number to 514 and 48 respectively.

Nine coronavirus patients have recovered, health ministry spokesman, Achmad Yurianto said, bringing the total number of recoveries to 29.

More than 500 people have tested positive for the virus in Indonesia