Cyprus Mail 14 March 2020 - Reuters News Service
Infections have now been reported by 132 countries outside China. Trinidad and Tobago and Ghana reported their first cases, while Algeria, Azerbaijan, Greece, India, Norway and Poland had their first fatalities. The death toll in Iran, one of the hardest-hit countries outside China, crossed 500.
13:18 Greece reports two more fatalities
Greece said on Saturday it would suspend all flights that were still operating to and from Italy, after reporting two more fatalities from a coronavirus infection, raising the total number of deaths in the country to three.
The deceased were two men, aged 67 and 90, both with serious underlying health problems, the Health Ministry said. There were 190 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Greece by late Friday.
Greece has shut schools, bars, cafes and shopping malls and has already suspended all flights to and from northern Italy until March 23 to combat the spread of coronavirus.
12.36 Cambodia bars entry from five countries as coronavirus cases increase
Cambodia has banned entry of visitors from Italy, Germany, Spain, France and the U.S. to curb the spread of coronavirus.
The 30-day ban on “foreigners” will come into effect on March 17, the Ministry of Health said in a statement on Saturday as Cambodia recorded two new cases, bringing its tally to seven.
12.32 Iran coronavirus death toll rises by nearly one hundred to 611
The death toll from coronavirus infections in Iran rose on Saturday to 611, state TV said, citing a health ministry official who put the total number of those diagnosed with the disease at 12,729.
12.30 Malaysia reports 41 new cases of coronavirus, all linked to religious event
Malaysia reported 41 new cases of the new coronavirus on Saturday, all linked to a religious event on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur that was attended by about 10,000 people from several countries.
12.15 Greece reports two more coronavirus fatalities, toll rises to three
Greece reported two more fatalities from a coronavirus infection on Saturday, raising the total number of deaths in the country to three.
The deceased were two men, aged 67 and 90, both with serious underlying health problems, the Health Ministry said. There were 190 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Greece by late Friday.
12.10 Abu Dhabi to temporarily shut Louvre Abu Dhabi museum, Ferrari World
Abu Dhabi announced on Saturday it was shutting major tourism and cultural venues, including the Louvre Abu Dhabi museum and the Ferrari World theme park, from March 15-31,
11.44 Rwanda confirms first case of coronavirus
Rwanda has confirmed its first case of coronavirus, an Indian citizen who arrived in the East African nation from Mumbai on March 8, the Health Ministry said on Saturday.
11.28 Airline Swiss to ground half its fleet, cut work hours
Lufthansa subsidiary Swiss International is taking half its fleet out of service and reducing working hours for flight personnel to help safeguard its finances during the coronavirus outbreak, it said.
11.12 Morocco halts flights with Belgium, Netherlands, Germany and Portugal
Morocco suspended flights to and from Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany and Portugal the foreign ministry said on Saturday.
11.08 Philippines confirms 34 new coronavirus cases, full tally at 98
The Philippines reported on Saturday an additional 34 confirmed coronavirus cases, bringing total to 98 ahead of the implementation of quarantine measures in the capital Manila.
11.04 Namibia reports first two cases of coronavirus
Namibia reported its first two cases of coronavirus on Saturday, with a Spanish couple who arrived in the Southern African country on Wednesday both testing positive and quarantined, Health Minister Kalumbi Shangula said.
10.53 Norway advises against all foreign travel amid virus outbreak
Norway on Saturday advised its citizens not to travel to any foreign country for the next month, while Norwegians currently abroad should consider returning home as soon as possible amid the coronavirus outbreak, the foreign ministry said.
09.45 UK to move to ban mass gatherings next week
Britain’s government will introduce emergency laws next week to ban mass gatherings in an attempt to curb the coronavirus outbreak, an escalation of its crisis plan which critics had said was too relaxed.
09.24 Moscow makes school attendance optional
Moscow will make school attendance optional starting on Monday in a bid to curb the spread of the coronavirus, its mayor said on Saturday.
08.45 Indonesian capital closes schools for two weeks
Indonesia’s capital city will close all schools and ordered remote teaching for at least two weeks starting next week to curb the spread of the coronavirus
06.29 Colombia to turn away visitors who have stayed in Asia, Europe in last two weeks
Colombia will close its borders with Venezuela and stop visitors who have been in Europe or Asia from entering the country, President Ivan Duque said
05.23 Saudi Arabia suspends international flights for two weeks
Saudi Arabia has suspended all international flights for two weeks, starting Sunday, to prevent the spread of coronavirus, state news agency SPA said on Saturday, citing an official source at interior ministry.
04.59 Czech government closing most shops, restaurants
The Czech government will shut most shops and restaurants from 6:00 a.m. on Saturday as part of measures to contain the spread of the new coronavirus, it said in an overnight statement.
04.36 Mainland China reports 11 new coronavirus cases
Mainland China had 11 new confirmed cases of coronavirus infections on March 13, the country’s National Health Commission said on Saturday, up from eight cases a day earlier.
04.19 Philippines records one new coronavirus death, raises toll to six
The Philippines health department on Saturday confirmed one new fatality from the coronavirus outbreak, bringing the total number of deaths to six, a day after the country raised its health emergency status to the highest level.
03.10 S.Korea reports 107 new coronavirus cases, total 8,086
South Korea reported 107 new coronavirus cases on Saturday, taking the country’s total infections to 8,086, the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) said.
02.40 Guatemala bans arrivals from U.S., Canada
Guatemala has extended a ban on arrivals from countries more heavily affected by the coronavirus outbreak to include the United States and Canada, President Alejandro Giammattei said
01.46 Mauritania confirms first coronavirus case
Mauritania’s health ministry confirmed the first case of coronavirus in the West African country in a statement
00.54 IMF, World Bank staff to work from home
The International Monetary Fund and World Bank Group advised their Washington headquarters staff to work from home after an IMF employee was diagnosed with COVID-19
00.51 Eswatini in Southern Africa reports first coronavirus case
Eswatini, a small, land-locked Southern African country, reported its first confirmed case of coronavirus, the minister of health said in a statement on Saturday.
00.15 Ireland cautions citizens about travel to other EU states
Ireland advised its citizens on Friday to exercise a high degree of caution before deciding to travel to other European Union members states due to action over the spread of the coronavirus, the country’s foreign minister said.
00.05 Trump says he will be tested for coronavirus
U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday reversed course and said he would get tested for the coronavirus, days after he stood next to a Brazilian official who tested positive for virus.
00.03 Oslo’s airport shuts gates to foreign travellers
Travellers from countries outside the Nordics arriving at the Norwegian capital’s main airport will not be admitted into the country, the municipality where the airport is located said on Friday.
LATE FRIDAY EVENING
Washington state’s death jumps to 37
The death toll in Washington state from coronavirus has surged by six to a total of 37, Governor Jay Inslee said on Friday as he issued new executive orders intended to reduce the spread of the respiratory illness.
Poland to close borders to foreigners, quarantine returnees
Poland will ban foreigners from entering the country from Sunday and impose a 14-day quarantine on its citizens returning home in a bid to curb the spread of coronavirus, Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said on Friday.
Hungary will close all schools to slow coronavirus
Hungary will close all schools and continue education as best as it can via digital channels from Monday to try and slow the spread of the coronavirus epidemic, Prime Minister Viktor Orban said
Kosovo confirms first coronavirus cases
Kosovo reported its first coronavirus cases on Friday, in a 20-year-old Italian woman and a 77-year-old Kosovar man.
FIFA recommends March, April internationals be postponed
FIFA has recommended that all international matches scheduled to be played in March and April be postponed because of the coronavirus, the global soccer body said in a statement
Air France-KLM Dutch subsidiary to cut 1500 jobs
KLM, the Dutch subsidiary of Air France KLM, plans to request government support to cut the working hours of its entire staff of 35,000 by a third starting in April, Dutch broadcaster RTL reported on Friday.
Egypt reports 13 new bringing total to 93
Egypt reported on Friday 13 new cases of coronavirus, bringing the total of cases detected in the country to 93, the health ministry said in a statement.
Spain’s Catalonia requests regional lockdown over coronavirus
The regional government of Spain’s Catalonia asked Spanish central authorities to help it block access by air, rail and water to guarantee the confinement of the whole region due to the coronavirus epidemic, regional leader Quim Torra said.
