Coronavirus updates: data, infections, deaths USA, India and UK on 1 April
Coronavirus Live: latest Covid 19 updates - Tuesday 31 March
This live Covid-19 blog is now closed.
We have launched our new daily feed for Tuesday 1 April and that can be followed here.
Twelve too many at Real Madrid
Here's Wednesday's front page, hot off the press, with Zidane needing to work out how to trim what will be a bloated squad of 37 come the summer, with an influx of loan players.
We're going to take a brief pause here in our live coverage of the coronavirus outbreak, but the morning shift will be here soon to keep you up to date with all the developments. Stay safe wherever you are.
Although cases remain comparatively low in India with the nation on a 14-day lockdown, the country is working on an affordable ventilator system for hospitals.
Coronavirus: Liga MX clubs will readjust wages during Covid-19 pandemic
The majority of teams in Liga MX will follow the example of the big leagues in Europe by readjusting their players' salaries during the coronavirus crisis.
Coronavirus: Liga MX president remains isolated due to Covid-19
The president of the Mexican league, Enrique Bonilla, tested positive for coronavirus a few weeks ago and remains isolated because he has not fully recovered.
Coronavirus: Seven US states extend school closures for the remainder of the year
When Covid-19 first appeared in the US many states temporarily closed schools, but with the pandemic spreading rapidly classrooms may remain empty for longer.
The US could be facing between 100,000 and 200,000 deaths due to Covid-19, according to White House health officials.
Five U.S. states have so far reported more than 1,000 new coronavirus cases on Tuesday, according to recent figures gathered by CNN from each state's Department of Health or state officials.
New York: +9,298 cases
New Jersey: +2,060 cases
California: +1,169 cases
Louisiana: +1,212 cases
Michigan: +1,117 cases
Coronavirus: Italy lock down to end in mid-May with partial lifting of Covid-19 restrictions
The Italian government is planning a gradual reopening of the country in mid-May with the focus on preventing fresh coronavirus outbreaks.
The Bundesliga is still hopeful of completing the 2019-20 season but has ratified the suspension of all football activities until the end of April and set up a task force to study ways of concluding the current campaign by the end of June.
Pape Diouf has been identified as the latest French football fgiure to have tested positive for COVID-19...
Spring break college students test positive for COVID-19
The City of Austin has reported that 28 students who recently travelled to the Cabo San Lucas beach resort in Mexico have tested positive for coronavirus.
"About a week and a half ago, approximately 70 people in their 20s departed in a chartered plane for a spring break trip. Some of the group returned on separate commercial flights. Currently, 28 young adults on this trip have tested positive for COVID-19 and dozens more are under public health investigation."
There was fierce criticism in the U.S. last week aimed at college students who had ignored warnings to forego the traditional Spring Break festivities amid the coronavirus pandemic.
FIFA's "Football Marshall Plan" to address coronavirus impact
FIFA is currently putting together a “Football Marshall Plan” which will see the governing body deploy some of its $2.7 billion reserve funds to help mitigate the financial impact of the coronavirus crisis...
A nice gesture from Celta Vigo's Denis Suarez, who joins the growing list of LaLiga players doing there bit to tackle the coronavirus crisis in Spain, where there have so far been 94,417 confirmed cases and 8,269 resultant deaths.
USA overtakes China
Despite numerous doubts over the veracity of the reporting, the USA has now passed the total number of confirmed coronavirus deaths of China.
The official figures show that the US now has seen 3,415 deaths against the 3,309 of China.
Coronavirus: how long does it survive on objects and surfaces?
Buttons on an elevator or cash machine, shopping trolleys and food packaging, hand rails and door handles...
As well as the virus spreading through the air from infected people coughing or sneezing, the droplets that land on surfaces can also be dangerous for days.
Italy reports another 837 deaths
Italy's health ministry has reported a further 837 deaths in past 24-hour period. Italy's total death toll now stands at 12,428, while confirmed cases rose by 2,107 to reach a total of 105,792. 15,729 people have recovered from the disease.
"The curve tells us that we’re at the plateau. That doesn’t mean we’ve hit the peak and that it is over but that we must start the descent and you start the descent by applying the measures in force," said National Higher Health Institute president, Silvio Brusaferro.
Harry Kane showing his thanks to the NHS, Daisy Hall and her nephew Lenny, who showed his support to NHS staff by making 207 dinners, the same number of goals the Spurs striker has scored for the club...
Coronavirus: China begins human trials on Covid-19 vaccine
The pandemic begin in Wuhan, Hubei Province, and there are hopes that the solution to the global catastrophe may also emerge from there.
Coronavirus: US unemployment rate - 31 March 2020
The impact of the spread of Covid-19 across the United States of America has seen a surge in jobless claims, and signs that it will get a lot worse than even the Great Depression of the 1930s.
EU Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen
"We all need to work together to master this crisis. On this path, we'll uphold our European values & human rights. This is who we are & what we stand for."
Global infections confirmed reaches 800,000
The Johns Hopkins university tracker now has the confirmed cases of coronavirus at over 800,000 across the world. There have been more than 38,000 deaths from the disease confirmed.
Netherlands hit 1,000 deaths
According to Reuters, the Netherlands have seen 175 more deaths resulting from coronavirus, taking their total to 1,039.
While it appears that new reports of infections are slowing, today's reported deaths and the number of those being admitted to hospital are record highs.
Quite a scary article in the New York Times just now that says a new model that is set to be released by the White House could paint a very grim picture of the toll the pandemic will take on the US.
Report from El Razon now says Spain will likely extend lockdown measures until April 26. That is two extra weeks on top of current state of alarm. "The next two weeks are important to intensify the fight against the virus," it says.
Spain figures March 31
94,417 confirmed positive cases, 8,189 recorded deaths and 19,259 full recoveries are the Spanish figures for March 31 as confirmed by the Ministry of Health and today relayed by leading medic Maria Jose Sierra in today's daily briefing. The capital of Madrid remains the epicentre in the country with over 27,000 positive cases confirmed in the city since the outbreak of the pandemic.
In Las Vegas, a car park has been turned into a homeless shelter. The homeless people are socially distancing based off the lines where cars should be.
Spain reports highest daily fatality figure
849 people died in the past 24 hours from the Covid-19 virus it was confirmed by the Spanish Ministry of Heath. The daily media briefing is due to commence imminently and we'll bring you the key observations later this morning.
Ireland sees cases reduced by 50%
Implemented measures have resulted in a “huge” fall in the growth rate of the outbreak but it will take from seven to 14 days before the full impact of the measures will be known, said Prof Philip Nolan, president of NUI Maynooth and chair of the Irish epidemiological modelling advisory group.
Covid-19 CR7 Juve impact
Despite the first team squad already agreeing a cut in salary, the financial impact being suffered by the Turin giants may force the club to consider Cristaino's future.
Spanish tenor Placido Domingo has been given the all-clear from the Covid-19 virus and is now recovering at his Acapulco home.
We'll have a definitive answer on a possible Wimbledon cancellation tomorrow morning when the All England Club meet. At present, all signs point to the tournament being cancelled/suspended.
Covid-19: Nigeria latest
With Lagos, Abuja and Ogun on lockdown, here's the latest #COVID19 situation in Nigeria.
Coronavirus lockdown advice issued by Malaysia that urges women to dress up at home and avoid nagging their husbands sparked a sexism row on Tuesday, with critics saying it promotes gender stereotypes. In a series of online posters with the hashtag #WomenPreventCOVID19, Malaysia's women's affairs ministry issued advice on how to avoid domestic conflicts during the partial lockdown, which began on March 18.
One of the campaign posters depicted a man sitting on a sofa, and asked women to refrain from being 'sarcastic' if they need help with household chores. Avoid nagging your husband, another poster said, attempting to inject humour by using a voice similar to the anime character Doraemon - a blue robot cat popular across Asia. The ministry also urged women to dress up and wear their makeup while working from home. "(It) is extremely condescending both to women and men," said Nisha Sabanayagam, a manager at All Women's Action Society, a Malaysian advocacy group. (Reuters)
Real Madrid and their Covid-19 fight
The Spanish outfit have joined the fight against Covid-19 on a number of fronts. A week ago, the club offered their help to Madrid’s regional government, announcing that they were to donate healthcare equipment to aid the battle against the coronavirus in the capital. The LaLiga side have also loaned out their Bernabéu home stadium as a temporary storage facility for medical supplies.
Aviation specialist website, Airlive have confirmed the earlier BBC Sussex news that British Airways have suspended all air traffic from London Gatwick airport.
FC Barcelona officially announce wage cuts
The front cover of AS today focuses on the confirmation that Barcelona players will reduce their salaries by 70% with club captain Lionel Messi breaking the news via an Instagram statement which was then commented by an official communique from the Catalan club.
BBC Sussex report that British Airways are poised to suspend all flights from London Gatwick airport due to 'unprecendented circumstances'. Gatwick is the UK's second busiest airport which saw a total of 44 million passengers use the airport in 2018.
Covid-19 (at a glance figures)
Cases-Deaths
USA: total confirmed cases 164,266 / total Covid-19 deaths: 3,170
Italy: total confirmed cases 101,739 / total Covid-19 deaths:11,591
Spain: total confirmed cases 87,956 / total Covid-19 deaths: 7,716
Germany: total confirmed cases 66,885 / total Covid-19 deaths: 645
France: total confirmed cases 44,580 / total Covid-19 deaths: 3,024
*source (Worldometer 0900 CEST)
The cruise liner Ruby Princess has been directly linked to a high number of Covid-19 cases in Australia. In mid-March over 2,500 passengers were allowed to disembark in Sydney, a 'mistake' as later acknowledged by the health minister for New South Wales with now 440 positive cases among passengers travelling aboard the luxury cruise liner. To date Australia has recorded over 4,000 positive cases with 19 deaths as a direct result of the virus.
Still recovering from the virus, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson took to social media to thanks to NHS returning staff and the substantial number of volunteers who have signed up to help the service.
Coronavirus: total India
Updates on the total number of confirmed Covid-19 cases, deaths and discharged patients, both in India and worldwide.
The Russian capital of Moscow is coming to terms with life under lockdown after Russian PM Vladimir Putin. The measures were drafted in late on Sunday night and affect the capital which is home to a population of over 12 million people. After the first day of the lockdown, Putin urged Muscovites to take the matter 'very seriously indeed'.
Last night Japan closed its borders to an additional series of countries (including the UK, Brazil, Greece) as a preventative measure to control the virus. The border was already closed to nations such as Spain, Italy and France and the Minister with the move announced by the Minister for Foreign Affairs Toshimitsu Motegi.
Good morning and welcome to our live blog as over the course of the day, we will be bring you all the latest news relating to the Covid-19 virus from around the world on Tuesday 31 March. At the time of writing, the virus has claimed over 38,000 lives with over 786,000 positive cases currently confirmed around the world.