Coronavirus LIVE: Slovakia confirms first virus case

Slovakia reported its first case of the novel coronavirus on Friday, after a man whose son visited Venice in COVID-19 hotspot Italy, tested positive.

"Today, a 52-year-old patient was confirmed to be infected," Prime Minister Peter Pellegrini told journalist Friday.

He said the man, who has not been named, is currently hospitalised in Bratislava.

"The patient did not travel anywhere recently but his son returned from Venice a couple of weeks ago," Pellegrini added.

Sonia Gandhi to CMs of Cong-ruled states: Must lend all support to public healthcare responders to carry out their duties effectively, Protocols for contact identification must be put in place; quarantine facilities must be set up urgently.

South-West Delhi DM orders govt, private hospitals to set aside 10 per cent beds for COVID-19 patients

The World Cup of shooting became the first major sporting event to be postponed in India due to the global novel coronavirus outbreak, which has also impacted the Olympic preparations of the country's top athletes.

The event, which was to be held from March 15 to 25 in the national capital, had to be postponed, while an Olympic Test event in Tokyo, scheduled from April 16, stood cancelled.

India's coronavirus patient count is 31 at this point, including 16 Italian tourists. Internationally, the deadly outbreak has so far killed more than 3,300 people and infected nearly 100,000 in about 85 countries.

But amid the uncertainty, cricket's glitzy T20 extravaganza -- the IPL -- looks set to roll out as planned on March 29 in Mumbai.

BCCI President Sourav Ganguly, while talking to PTI on Friday, asserted that all "preventive measures" will be in place to ensure that neither the players nor the fans are impacted by the fast-spreading health crisis.

The shooting World Cup, on the other hand, will now held in two parts before the the Olympic Games.

"It is proposed to divide the World Cup in two parts and hold Rifle and Pistol competitions on May 5-12, 2020, while Shotgun competitions – on June 2-9, 2020," the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) said in a statement.

Government of Karnataka: 8 persons are admitted in selected isolation hospitals, 343 samples of symptomatic persons are sent for testing and 296 samples are reported as negative. No positive cases of Coronavirus in state till date.

Egypt says that it detected 12 new Coronavirus cases on Nile cruise boat: AFP news agency

Border Security Force on suspension of Retreat ceremony at Atari: BSF troopers will continue performing Retreat ceremony. As per govt guidelines,congregations are to be avoided,hence visitors to ceremony will not be entertained & it will be conducted without visitors

Iran on Friday said the new coronavirus has killed 124 people amid 4,747 confirmed cases in the Islamic Republic as authorities warned they may use "force" to limit travel between cities.

Health Ministry spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour offered the figures at a televised news conference. He did not elaborate on the threat to use force, though he acknowledged the virus now was in all of Iran's 31 provinces.

Iran cancelled Friday prayers across its major cities. Elsewhere in the region, Iraq canceled Friday prayers in Karbala, where a weekly sermon is delivered on behalf of the country's top Shiite cleric.

Authorities in the United Arab Emirates meanwhile limited prayers to two verses of the Quran so they lasted no longer than 10 minutes, over concerns about the virus.

Union Health Minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan: There is no need to create panic about the need to wear masks. Strict action should be taken against shopkeepers who are charging more than the fixed price for masks.

West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee on Kolkata: I have held a meeting with all concerned officers. Till today, no positive case of Coronavirus detected in West Bengal. There is no need to panic.

Muzaffarnagar: District Magistrate Selva Kumari J has issued order to ban sale of meat, semi-cooked meat, fish and chopped vegetable & fruit in open areas in the district in view of Coronavirus.

Netherlands report first Corornavirus death: AFP news agency quoting health officials

Students and staff members with travel history to coronavirus-affected countries should be home quarantined for 14 days, avoid large gatherings on campus in view of coronavirus outbreak: UGC to universities

Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar on Coronavirus: The administration and all hospitals are on alert. We will avoid/postpone all non-essential mass gatherings till the situation improves.

University Grants Commissions issues advisory to universities on Coronavirus; says, "Avoid large gathering on campus, any student/staff with travel history to COVID-19 affected countries or in contact with an infected person in last 28 days should be home quarantined for 14 days

The upcoming combined shooting World Cup in New Delhi was on Friday postponed, while an Olympic test event in Tokyo stood cancelled due to the global novel Coronavirus outbreak.

The tournament, sanctioned by the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF), was to be held from March 15 to 25 in the capital's Dr Karni Singh Shooting Range.

The Olympic Test event was scheduled to be held from April 16.

"The tournament in Delhi will now be held in two parts before the Olympic Games. Dates for the events will be announced shortly," a National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) official said.

In view of Coronavirus, all Central armed police forces have cancelled their 'Holi Milan' programmes as a preventive measure. Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) has postponed it's Raising Day as well which was to be held next week.

Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan today held review meeting with States over preparedness for Coronavirus. He stressed on the importance of keeping the testing&quarantine facilities, isolation wards, labs, in active readiness.

Lok Sabha issues advisory for Members of Parliament (MPs) and visitors, over Coronavirus.

Punjab: 13 Italian nationals have been kept in isolation at a hotel in Amritsar, keeping in view the Coronavirus situation. Vikas Heera, SDM says, "None of the 13 people have symptoms for Coronavirus. They all are healthy. They have been isolated as a precautionary measure".

First flight from Iran will carry around 300 swabs of Indians suspected of having coronavirus; flight likely to land tonight, says Official

International Indian Film Academy Awards: With due regard to the growing concerns around the spread of the Coronavirus and, after consulting the Madhya Pradesh government, it has been decided to postpone the event (originally scheduled at the end of March) to a later date.

Delhi man with travel history to Thailand, Malaysia tests positive for COVID19; so far 31 confirmed cases in India: Health ministry.

Assam: All passengers coming on international flights being screened at Dibrugarh Airport. As per directive of govt of India, all passengers, both Indian&foreign, arriving on international flights will be required to go through medical screening while entering India coronavirus.

Jammu and Kashmir: Isolation wards have been set up in Srinagar over coronavirus. 30 positive cases of Coronavirus have been reported across the country till now.

A Twenty20 league in Nepal, which was to feature West Indies swashbuckler Chris Gayle among others, has been postponed due to the novel coronavirus threat, the organisers of the event have said.

According to a report in 'ESPNCricinfo', the Everest Premier League (EPL), which was to start on March 14, would be rescheduled for "the closest possible time whenever the situation is favourable".

The tournament was to feature the likes of Gayle, home star Sandeep Lamichhane and Mohammad Shahzad among others.

Nepal has only one confirmed case of coronavirus so far. The country's health ministry has, however, asked for a suspension of gatherings to minimise the risk of a spread.

World health officials have warned that countries are not taking the coronavirus crisis seriously enough, as outbreaks surged across Europe and in the United States where medical workers sounded warnings over a "disturbing" lack of hospital preparedness.

Global markets tumbled again over concerns about the impact on the economy and as countries took more drastic steps to prevent contagion of a disease that has killed more than 3,300 people and infected nearly 100,000 in about 85 nations.

Cases soared in Italy, France, Greece and Iran, while a cruise ship was held off the coast of California to test passengers showing symptoms of the disease -- echoing a harrowing episode in Japan several weeks ago that saw hundreds infected on a luxury liner.

The epidemic has wreaked havoc on international business, tourism, sports events and schools, with almost 300 million students sent home worldwide.