The followings are the latest developments in the coronavirus crisis until 30 March 2020:
More than 700,000 cases
More than 727,080 cases of infection and 34,610 deaths have been recorded in 183 countries and territories since the epidemic started in China in December, according to an AFP tally compiled at 1100 GMT Monday based on official sources.
Italy has 10,779 deaths and has recorded 97,689 cases, Spain 7,340 deaths out of 85,195 cases, mainland China 3,304 deaths and 81,470 cases, Iran 2,757 deaths and 41,495 cases and France 2,606 fatalities and 40,174 cases.
A Greek woman aged in her 70s became the first person to die of COVID-19 on the Greek Aegean island of Lesbos, where the overcrowded Moria migrant camp is based.
Confinement
Moscow on Monday started a lockdown of indefinite duration and several regional authorities followed a request from Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin to make similar preparations. Russia has so far reported 1,534 cases and eight deaths.
In Nigeria, where 97 cases have been declared, the cities of Abuja and Lagos enter total confinement on Monday evening for at least 14 days.
More than 3.4 billion people in nearly 80 countries or territories have been called on or forced by the authorities to stay at home, around 43 percent of the world population, according to a count based on an AFP database.
Chinese masks for France
France continued to take delivery of masks via an airlift from China to cope with an acute shortage. After a first delivery on Sunday, France expects to receive a billion masks over 14 weeks.
Chloroquine for hospitals
The US Food and Drug Administration on Sunday authorised use of the anti-malarial drug chloroquine and its derivative hydroxychloroquine for use in hospitals as a treatment against the new coronavirus. It will not be available for the general public.
Oil prices plummet
Oil prices plunged in Asian trade to 17-year lows, with the US benchmark West Texas Intermediate falling 5.3 percent, while international benchmark Brent crude was off 6.5 percent at $23.
EasyJet grounded
British airline EasyJet said on Monday it had grounded its entire fleet for an indefinite period.
Wimbledon probably cancelled
Vice President of the German tennis federation Dirk Hordorff predicted in an interview with France's "Equipe" newspaper the cancellation of Wimbledon, which is scheduled for June 29-July 12. He said organisers would make the official announcement on Wednesday.
US: '100,000 to 200,000 deaths'
One of President Donald Trump's top medical advisors, Anthony Fauci, predicted that the virus could possibly result in 100,000 to 200,000 deaths in the United States.
Trump extended until April 30 recommendations for social distancing.
Britain: six months before normal
Britain's deputy chief medical officer Jenny Harries warned Sunday that life may not return to normal for six months or more, and that if emergency measures are lifted too quickly, the coronavirus virus could surge once again.
Markets resume sell-off
Asian markets fell following a steep drop on Wall Street as the jubilation from last week's enormous US stimulus package faded and investors returned their attention to the soaring infection and death rate of the pandemic.
Equities have been hammered as the virus spreads and the global economy heads for recession, but they bounced back for a few days last week as governments worldwide unleashed unprecedented rescue measures.
Returning Aussies in quarantine
Thousands of Australians returning from overseas were holed up in hotels for a mandatory 14-day quarantine as the country stepped up measures to slow the spread of the virus.
Some returning travellers have complained about conditions in the five-star hotels, reportedly writing in a private Facebook group that their food deliveries had been rejected and they had not received requested medication.
The government also announced it would spend Aus$130 billion ($80 billion) to supplement workers' wages over the next six months.
Police site crashes as Kiwis turn into shutdown snitches
New Zealanders have become so keen to report their neighbours for breaking coronavirus lockdown rules that police said a website dedicated to addressing the issue crashed soon after going live.
The South Pacific nation is in the midst of a four-week lockdown, with residents under orders to stay at home or remain at least two metres (6.5 feet) apart if they must go outside.
Convictions over
Hong Kong quarantine rules Hong Kong has handed down its first convictions over violations of strict quarantine rules, with three people jailed over the breaches, local media reported.
A homeless man was jailed for three months after falsifying a home address to evade the isolation rules following his arrival from mainland China, while two other people were jailed for six weeks and 10 days respectively, the reports said.
Microbiologist Yuen Kwok-yung, a leading expert in the city's fight against the virus, warned on Monday that the outbreak there has got "slightly out of control", as confirmed infections increased threefold to 641 in the past two weeks.
Tough Phuket lockdown
The popular Thai holiday island has introduced even tougher restrictions than the rest of the kingdom -- which has declared a state of emergency -- with people and vehicles barred from leaving, although air travel is still an option.
The government took the step after more than 40 virus cases were discovered on the island.
Australian rugby league rolls out rescue package.
Australia's National Rugby League rolled out an emergency rescue package to ensure all 16 clubs can stay afloat during the coronavirus shutdown, with plans to resume the season on July 1.
Funding was agreed that will see each team get an extra Aus$2.5 million to cover operational costs between April and October, paid for by the NRL slashing its staffing levels by 95 percent, cutting the governing body's own expenses by half.
REF: AFP, Xinhua
