COVID-19: Latest information from around world on March 13

More than 1,34,500 people have been infected globally and over 4,900 have died, according to a Reuters tally of government announcements.

The alarm over the coronavirus intensified and governments from Ireland to Italy unveiled measures to try to slow the spread of a disease that has infected more than 1,34,500 people worldwide by Friday afternoon (March 13, 2020)

* More than 1,34,500 people have been infected globally and over 4,900 have died, according to a Reuters tally of government announcements.

* Mainland China had eight new cases by Thursday, down from 15 cases a day earlier. That brings the total number of cases in mainland China to 80,813. The death toll touched 3,176, up by seven from the previous day.

EUROPE

* Poland reported its first death from coronavirus. So far, 47 cases have been confirmed in the country.

* Greece reported its first fatality, a 66 year-old-man who had returned from a religious pilgrimage to Israel and Egypt at the end of February.

* Italy's death toll from the coronavirus epidemic shot past 1,000 as the economic impact worsened. The total number of infections rose to 15,113.

* The number of confirmed cases across the UK rose 29% to 590 over the past 24 hours. Ten people have died.

* The death toll in France rose to 61 from Wednesday's 48. The country will close all nurseries, schools and universities from Monday.

* Turkish schools will be closed for one week and universities for three weeks from March 16 and sports events will be held without spectators until end-April.

* Austria will deny entry to people arriving from Italy, ban indoor events of more than 100 people and close schools from next week until April, along with the Czech Republic which is also closing schools and universities.

* Bulgaria plans to declare a state of emergency as the country`s confirmed cases rose sharply to 23.

* Ukraine said it would restrict mass events and close schools and universities in capital Kiev.

AMERICAS

* US President Donald Trump ordered the suspension of European travel to the United States for 30 days to help curb the spread of a coronavirus pandemic.

* Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will be in isolation for two weeks after his wife, Sophie, tested positive on Thursday. The country on Thursday reported 138 confirmed cases, a 34% increase from Wednesday and a three-fold gain from a week ago.

* Costa Rica, which has reported 22 cases, has ordered all university classes suspended.

ASIA

* South Korea reported more recoveries than new infections on Friday for the first time since its outbreak emerged in January. The country recorded 110 new cases, compared with 114 a day earlier, taking the national tally to 7,979.

* A female diplomat from the Philippines mission to the United Nations tested positive on Thursday, according to a note sent to UN missions.

* An 80-year old man became the fourth patient in Hong Kong to die due to the coronavirus.

* China's Hubei province said public transport workers in Wuhan and those engaged in making medical supplies and daily necessities could return to work along with some industries that impact national or global supply chains.

* India said it will suspend a vast majority of visas to the country in a wide-reaching attempt to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

* Total infections in Japan rose to 1,380.

* Thailand reported five new coronavirus cases, bringing the total cases to 75.

* Weeks after Vietnam declared that all its 16 cases had recovered, the number of infections is on the rise following a flight from Britain.

MIDDLE EAST AND AFRICA

* Saudi Arabia detected 17 new cases, 11 of whom were Egyptians.

* Iran on Thursday reported 75 new deaths in the past 24 hours, bringing the death toll to 429 in the worst-hit country in the Middle East.

* Gabon and Ghana confirmed their first cases on Thursday, becoming the ninth and 10th countries in sub-Saharan Africa to register positive cases.
* South Africa reported its first case of local transmission of the coronavirus on Thursday.

AUSTRALIA

* Australia's government said it would pump A$17.6 billion ($11.4 billion) into the economy to prevent the outbreak from pushing the country into its first recession in nearly 30 years.

ECONOMIC FALLOUT

* The Indonesian government has prepared a 120 trillion rupiah ($8.1 billion) stimulus package to support its economy as the spread of coronavirus disrupts global activities.

* Spain placed four towns under quarantine and announced measures to tackle the economic impact.

* Canada will spend C$1 billion ($728 million) to fight the spread of coronavirus and stands ready to do more, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said.

* Italy will ramp up spending to help the economy, earmarking 25 billion euros ($28.3 billion) to tackle the growing crisis, its Prime Minister said on Wednesday.

* Japan's government is expected to cut its assessment of the economy in a monthly report due later this month.

MARKETS

* Global stock markets crashed, ending a years-long bull run, with coronavirus panic selling hitting almost every asset class and leaving investors nowhere to hide.

EVENT CANCELLED, POSTPONED, PARED BACK

* Top Japanese government officials said they were determined to hold "safe and secure" Olympics on schedule, a day after US President Donald Trump said Tokyo should consider delaying them for a year because of the pandemic.

* Walt Disney Co will close its theme parks in California and Florida and its resort in Paris from this weekend through the end of the month, the company said on Thursday.

* The impact of the coronavirus on sport swept into the southern hemisphere, with the cancellation of the Australian Formula One Grand Prix adding to an unprecedented shutdown of elite events and competitions around the globe.

* The World Trade Organization's major biennial meeting, due to be held in Kazakhstan in June, was cancelled, dealing a blow to its efforts to update the global rules of commerce.

* Bob Dylan's upcoming concerts in Japan have been cancelled because of the coronavirus outbreak, the tour organiser said.

* The Australian Formula One Grand Prix was cancelled on Friday due to worries about the coronavirus outbreak.

* The Tokyo 2020 Olympics torch was lit behind closed doors in ancient Olympia.

* India ordered upcoming international cricket matches to be played in empty stadiums.

* The World Endurance Championship (WEC) has cancelled Sebring 1,000 Miles race in Florida.

* The National Basketball Association (NBA) said on Wednesday it was suspending the season until further notice after a Utah Jazz player tested positive.

* A meeting of G20 Agriculture and Water ministers scheduled for March 17-19 in Saudi Arabia has been postponed.

* FIFA has postponed its annual Congress, due to be held in Ethiopia in June, for three months.

* The inaugural edition of the multi-nation Fed Cup finals that were scheduled to be held in Budapest next month was postponed on Wednesday.

* The world figure skating championships, scheduled to be held in Montreal from March 16-22, have been cancelled.

* The International Weightlifting Federation postponed the European championship from April to June.