MAKASSAR, INDONESIA, March 19: Indonesia halted a mass congregation of nearly 9,000 Muslim pilgrims and began quarantining and checking their health Thursday to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus.

SYDNEY, March 18: Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Wednesday declared a “human biosecurity emergency” and said the country’s citizens should abandon all overseas travel because of the coronavirus epidemic that he warned could last at least six months.

BERLIN, March 18: Desperate travelers choked European border crossings Wednesday after countries implemented strict controls to try to slow the spread of the coronavirus, which has now infected more than 200,000 people worldwide and killed more than 8,000.

Bangladesh reports first coronavirus death - officials

Published On: March 18, 2020 06:05 PM NPT By: Reuters

DHAKA, March 18: A patient who was suffering from COVID-19 died in Bangladesh on Wednesday, said healthcare officials, marking the first fatality from the disease in the South Asian country.

ISLAMABAD/COLOMBO, March 18: Pakistan’s prime minister has urged calm after its tally of coronavirus cases rose to 245 while Sri Lanka sealed itself off and shut its stock market on Wednesday, fuelling fears that South Asian countries are struggling to stem the pandemic.

Tit-for-tat actions: China to expel American reporters

Published On: March 18, 2020 01:10 PM NPT By: Associated Press

BEIJING, March 18: China said Wednesday it will revoke the media credentials of all American journalists at three major U.S. news organizations, in effect expelling them from the country, in response to U.S. restrictions on Chinese state-controlled media.

Netherlands coronavirus tally at 1,705, with 43 deaths

Published On: March 17, 2020 07:10 PM NPT By: Reuters

AMSTERDAM, March 17: The total number of confirmed cases of coronavirus in the Netherlands stood at 1,705, health officials said an update on Tuesday, with 43 people dead as a result of the disease.

Deaths in Spain hit 491, infections up to 11,178

Published On: March 17, 2020 07:00 PM NPT By: Associated Press

SPAIN, March 17: The Latest on the world’s coronavirus pandemic, which has infected more than 183,000 people and killed more than 7,100. The COVID-19 illness causes mild or moderate symptoms in most people, but severe symptoms are more likely in the elderly or those with existing health problems. More than 79,000 people have recovered so far, mostly in China.

TEHRAN, IRAN, March 17: Iran issued its most dire warning yet Tuesday about the outbreak of the new coronavirus ravaging the country, suggesting “millions” could die in the Islamic Republic if the public keeps traveling and ignoring health guidance.

MANILA/SINGAPORE, March 17: The Philippine Stock Exchange closed indefinitely on Tuesday while currency and bond trading were suspended, the first shutdown of markets worldwide in response to the coronavirus, with authorities citing risks to the safety of traders.