Latest updates on Coronavirus globally

Here are the latest developments in the coronavirus crisis:

– One third of people confined –

More than 2.6 billion people worldwide are in lockdown after India introduced its measures to fight the coronavirus pandemic at 1830 GMT, more than one-third of a global population.

In France scientific experts advising the government on the outbreak say a lockdown imposed on March 17 should last at least six weeks in total.

Senegal, Ivory Coast and Sierra Leone come under state of emergency and nightime curfew.

Egypt will impose a night-time curfew for two weeks from Wednesday.

Cuba will quarantine foreign tourists from Tuesday when it seals its borders.

– China epicentre opens up –

Hubei, where the novel coronavirus emerged late last year, will allow healthy residents to leave the province from midnight. Officials say rules will be relaxed in the hardest-hit city of Wuhan on April 8.

– More than 400,000 cases –

At least 18,259 deaths have been recorded since the virus first emerged in December, according to an AFP tally compiled at 1900 GMT on Tuesday based on official sources.

More than 404,020 declared cases have been registered in 175 countries and territories.

Italy has suffered the most deaths with 6,820, out of 69,176 declared infections. 

Mainland China has 3,277 deaths out of 81,171 cases and 73,159 recoveries.

Spain has had 2,696 fatalities from 39,673 cases, followed by Iran with 1,934 deaths and 24,811 cases, France with 1,100 deaths and 22,302 cases, and the United States with 600 deaths and 49,768 cases.

– US could become epicentre: WHO 

The COVID-19 outbreak in the United States has the potential to exceed that in Europe and become the new epicentre of the pandemic, the World Health Organization (WHO) warns.

The Pentagon says it assumes the epidemic in the United States will last at least several months, with a return to normal in June-July.

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo says coronavirus infections in New York are doubling every three days.

– Trump warns against long lockdown –

US President Donald Trump warns that a long coronavirus lockdown could “destroy” the country, saying he wants it relaxed in the United States by mid-April, He says the coronavirus would kill fewer than a “massive recession or depression”

– Stock exchanges rebound  –

World stock markets rally strongly, with Europe following Asia up in response to economic support measures. Frankfurt ends up 10.11 percent, London gains 9.05 percent and Paris ends 8.39 percent higher.

– ‘Financial package’ –

French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian says Europe will organise a financial package for poor countries, especially in Africa, to prevent them becoming future sources of coronavirus contamination.

Russia says the G20 will hold an emergency online summit on Thursday to discuss a global coronavirus response.

Medical workers wearing protective gear carry a patient infected with the COVID-19 coronavirus at a hospital in Chuncheon on February 22, 2020. - South Korea reported 142 more coronavirus cases on February 22, the sharpest spike in infections yet, with more than half of the new cases linked to a hospital in a southern city. The national toll of 346 is now the second-highest outside of China. (Photo by - / YONHAP / AFP)