Key Points:
- Confirmed cases 276 457
- Deaths 11 417
- One in five Americans ordered to stay at home
- UK pubs and restaurants told to shut in virus fight
- Police in Sydney have closed Bondi Beach after crowds exceeded Australia’s outdoor gathering limit.
- Singapore reports first two deaths
- Italy locks down further after deaths spike by 627 in one day
UK pubs and restaurants told to shut in virus fight
Cafes, pubs and restaurants must close from Friday night – except for take-away food – to tackle coronavirus, Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said.
All the UK’s nightclubs, theatres, cinemas, gyms and leisure centres have also been told to close “as soon as they reasonably can”.
Mr Johnson said the situation would be reviewed each month.
Meanwhile, the government said it will pay 80% of wages for employees who are not able to work, up to £2,500 a month.
The announcement about closures follows similar measures taken in other countries – including in Ireland, where pubs and bars were asked to close from last Sunday.
There have been 167 deaths in England from the coronavirus outbreak, as well as six in Scotland, three in Wales and one in Northern Ireland.
Italy locks down further after deaths spike by 627 in one day
The number of deaths in Italy spiked by 627 in a single day — the highest daily increase recorded globally — prompting the country to impose further restrictions. On Thursday, Italy overtook China to be the world’s deadliest hotspot. As of Mar. 20, total fatalities was 4,032.
The mayor of the most badly affected city, Bergamo in Lombardy, said the true number of fatalities in his area was four times higher than what was officially reported, Reuters said.
Italy’s health ministry said that new restrictions include closure of all parks, and people can only exercise around their residences. Authorities were frustrated that people were still out and about despite appeals for them to stay indoors, according to reports.
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