Latest on the spread of Coronavirus around the world

The new coronavirus appears to now be spreading much more rapidly outside China than within, and airports in hard-hit countries were ramping up screening of travellers.

• Mainland China had 119 new confirmed cases as of Tuesday, down slightly from 125 on the previous day. The total number of cases on the mainland touched 80,270, while the death toll rose by 38 to 2,981 by March 3.
• More than 93,000 cases have been reported globally.
• South Korea, which announced a $9.8 billion stimulus package on Wednesday, reported 516 new cases as thousands of sick people waited for hospital beds in Daegu, the city at the centre of the worst outbreak outside mainland China.
• South Korea’s President cancelled a planned trip to the UAE, Egypt and Turkey in mid-March.
• Japan’s confirmed infections topped 1,000, mostly from the Diamond Princess cruise liner, as the government reiterated that plans for the Tokyo Olympics in July remained on track.
• Poland’s health minister confirmed the country’s first case on Wednesday.
• Argentina’s health minister on Tuesday confirmed its first case.
• The World Health Organization (WHO) on Tuesday warned of a global shortage and price gouging for protective equipment to fight the virus and asked companies and governments to increase production by 40%.
• On Wednesday China encouraged producers to export protective suits to meet overseas demand, while Russia suspended the export of masks, medical gear and suits.
• China approved a Roche arthritis drug to treat some coronavirus patients in severe conditions, health authorities said on Wednesday.
• The World Bank on Tuesday announced an initial $12 billion in immediate funds to assist countries grappling with the health and economic impacts of the outbreak that has spread quickly from China to some 80 countries.
• A fourth person has died from coronavirus infection in France, which has 212 confirmed cases, and President Emmanuel Macron warned that the health crisis could last several months.
• A New York man tested positive for the virus, bringing the total of confirmed cases in the state to two, officials said on Tuesday, as the number of infections in the United States rose above 100.
• The number of cases diagnosed in Washington state rose on Tuesday to 27, including nine deaths, up from 18 cases and six deaths a day earlier, state health authorities reported.
• Irish authorities have confirmed a second case, a woman in the east of the country who recently travelled to Italy, the Department of Health said on Tuesday.
• Pakistan reported a new coronavirus case, bringing the total to five since last week.
• Germany’s confirmed cases rose to 188 on Tuesday from 157 on Monday afternoon, the Robert Koch Institute said.
• Iran, one of the worst-hit nations, reported infections rising to 2,336, with 77 deaths, including a senior official.
• Iran’s judiciary spokesman said on Tuesday that jailed British-Iranian charity worker Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe is in good health after her husband said on Saturday he believed she had contracted the coronavirus in prison.
• Tajikistan on Wednesday asked its citizens to avoid going to mosques for Friday prayers, though the Central Asian nation has not reported any cases so far.
• Sixteen Italian nationals in India have tested positive for coronavirus, New Delhi’s health minister said on Wednesday, as the total number of cases in the country rose sharply to 28.
• Twenty-seven people died in Italy over the past 24 hours, bringing the total toll to 79, the Civil Protection Agency said. The total number of cases rose to 2,502.
• Spain reported its first death from the outbreak in Valencia, a local health official said on Tuesday, when around 150 people had been diagnosed and some 100 health workers in the Basque region isolated in their homes.
• Sweden’s confirmed cases rose to 30 on Tuesday, up from 15 the day before.
• Australian stores put strict limits on toilet paper purchases on Wednesday after panic buying, as the country recorded its third case of local transmission.
• Coronavirus has not affected oil or gas production in Iran, the National Iranian Oil Company said on Wednesday, according to the Tasnim news agency.
• Asian shares struggled to find their footing on Wednesday and bonds held stunning gains, as an emergency rate cut from the U.S. Federal Reserve seemed to stoke rather than soothe fears over the coronavirus’ widening global economic fallout.