AFP
2.6 BILLION UNDER LOCKDOWN
An estimated 2.6 billion people are now confined to their homes, according to an AFP tally. The majority are hemmed in by obligatory government lockdown orders while others are under curfew, in quarantine or heeding advice not to leave their homes. France tightens its rules, strictly limiting physical exercise and closing most open-air markets. It warns the lockdown could still last "several more weeks". South Africa announces a three-week lockdown to begin Thursday. Egypt imposes a night-time curfew for two weeks from Wednesday. Cuba will quarantine foreign tourists from Tuesday when it seals its borders.


MORE THAN 380,000 CASES
At least 16,961 deaths have been recorded since the virus first emerged in December, according to an AFP tally compiled at 1100 GMT on Tuesday based on official sources. More than 386,353 declared cases have been registered in 175 countries and territories. Italy has most deaths with 6,077, out of 63,927 declared infections. Mainland China has 3,270 deaths out of 81,171 cases. The worst-hit countries after Italy and China are Spain with 2,696 fatalities and 39,673 cases, followed by Iran with 1,934 fatalities and 24,811 cases, France with 860 deaths and 19,856 cases, and the United States with 499 deaths and 46,440 cases.

TOKYO OLYMPICS POSTPONED TO 2021
The International Olympic Committee announces the 2020 Tokyo Games will be postponed to no later than the summer of 2021 because of the coronavirus pandemic sweeping the globe. It is the first postponement of an Olympics in peacetime.

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.


RAY OF HOPE IN ITALY
Italy sees the second successive daily drop in deaths and infections but warns against premature hope of victory against the virus and calls on the population to continue to respect the confinement measures. The Mediterranean country yesterday reported 743 deaths, breaking two-day downward trend. But the medics there reported fewer cases and hoped the epidemic there might be slowing at last. The next few days data will establish the trend, they hoped.


INDIA IN 21-DAY LOCKDOWN
India's 1.3 billion people went under "total lockdown" from yesterday midnight (1830 GMT) for 21 days to combat the spread of the coronavirus pandemic, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said. In a national television address to the world's second most-populous nation Modi said the step is "to save India, to save its every citizen, you, your family... every street, every neighbourhood."