Here is a recap of the main news currently, courtesy of Reuters as of 6am GMT.
UK
Another 115 people have died in the United Kingdom after testing positive for the coronavirus, bringing the total number of deaths to 578.
Britain has placed an emergency order of 10,000 ventilators from Dyson.
EUROPE
– The coronavirus death toll in Italy rose by 662 to 8,165 on Thursday.
– The number of cases in Italy’s northern region of Lombardy increased by some 2,500, a steeper increase than in previous days.
– Spain extended its lockdown to at least April 12, as the death toll rose to 4,089.
– German hospitals with spare capacity will take in at least 47 coronavirus patients from Italy in a sign of European solidarity.
– Switzerland’s infections topped 10,000 as the government pumped money into the economy and army medical units helped hospitals handle the spreading epidemic.
– President Vladimir Putin said he hoped Russia would defeat the virus in two to three months, as authorities suspended international flights, ordered most shops in the capital to shut and halted some church services.
– In Lisbon, a “drive-thru” clinic is performing five-minute swab tests through car windows on people with symptoms, as Portuguese authorities ramp up testing facilities.
– Slovakia aims to sharply increase daily testing in the next few weeks.
AMERICAS
– The number of U.S. coronavirus infections climbed above 82,000 on Thursday, surpassing the national tallies of China and Italy, as New York, New Orleans and other hot spots faced a surge in hospitalizations and looming shortages of supplies, staff and sick beds.
– Americans should receive cash payments within three weeks, Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin said.
– Canada on Thursday attacked a U.S. proposal to deploy troops along the undefended joint border to help fight the spread of coronavirus.
– Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador on Thursday urged Mexicans in the United States to avoid visiting Mexico except in emergencies.
– Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro on Thursday exempted churches from coronavirus lockdowns by classifying religious activity as an essential service.
ASIA AND THE PACIFIC
– Mainland China reported its first locally transmitted coronavirus case in three days and 54 new imported cases, as Beijing ordered airlines to sharply cut international flights. – Large queues formed at supermarkets and stores in Tokyo on Friday as residents in the Japanese capital prepared for a weekend at home.
– South Korean authorities pleaded with residents on Friday to stay indoors and avoid large gatherings as new coronavirus cases hovered close to 100 per day.
– Australia will enact mandatory quarantine measures for all new arrivals by midnight, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said.
– Thailand reported 91 new coronavirus cases and 1 fatality, bringing the total to 1,136 cases and 5 deaths.
– Uzbekistan locked down more cities and districts, and announced large bonus payments for medical workers,, as it reported the country’s first death and the number of cases climbed to 83.
MIDDLE EAST AND AFRICA
– About half of the countries in sub-Saharan Africa still have a “narrowing” opportunity to curb the spread of the virus, the regional head of the World Health Organisation said.
– Turkey could order the public to stay at home if infections continue to spread, the government said as it clamped down further on medical equipment leaving the country.
