Coronavirus pandemic is clearly "accelerating" - WHO

COLOMBO (News 1st): 334,981 cases of COVID - 19 have been reported globally with 14,652 deaths while more than 100,000 people have recovered from the coronavirus. 189 countries and territories have been affected by the virus as of now. The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that the new coronavirus pandemic is clearly "accelerating". Monday was the deadliest day in the United States' fight against the Covid-19 disease caused by the coronavirus with more than 100 new deaths reported. United Kingdom Strict new curbs on life in the UK to tackle the spread of coronavirus have been announced by the prime minister. People may only leave home to exercise once a day, to travel to and from work where "absolutely necessary", to shop for essential items, and to fulfil any medical or care needs. The UK death toll has reached 335. The UK move came after the country reported 52 more deaths and followed the imposition of strict lockdowns in France, Spain and Italy, as Europe reels from a pandemic that the World Health Organization has warned is accelerating. China China has announced it will lift the lockdown on Wuhan, the city at the epicentre of the coronavirus pandemic. China has said it will relax many restrictions on travel to and from Hubei, the province where the coronavirus outbreak began, as the United Kingdom announced strict controls on movement to slow the spread of COVID-19. Italy  The Italian government has announced tougher lockdown restrictions as the country struggles with the increasing death toll. Thailand Thailand's government is set to declare a state of emergency, as the outbreak continues to infect hundreds across the country. United States  Tesla boss Elon Musk says he has donated 1,255 ventilators to officials in Los Angeles to meet demand as the pandemic becomes more severe. Major airlines in the US are preparing themselves for a voluntary shutdown of essentially all passenger flights. Japan Japan’s services sector shrank at the fastest pace on record in March and factory activity at its quickest in about a decade. The slowdown in manufacturing and services raises the risk of a sharp downturn in the world’s third-largest economy. Iran Iran's President Hassan Rouhani said about half of all government employees were staying at home as part of measures to contain the coronavirus outbreak. Bahrain Bahrain's finance minister Sheikh Salman Bin Khalifa Al Khalifa has announced that his country will soon deliver a stimulus package worth $11.41 billion. Taiwan Taiwan has reported 20 additional coronavirus cases, taking its tally to 215 cases. New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern urged New Zealanders to reduce contact with others to a bare minimum in preparation for a one-month lockdown from midnight on Wednesday. Myanmar Myanmar has reported its first confirmed cases of coronavirus. Cuba Cuba is the latest country to impose a lockdown to curb the spread of the coronavirus - banning Cubans from leaving, closing schools and suspending inter-regional public transport.