Spain CV #’s rise by 5,000 in 24 hrs

Vicenza, Italy – Coronavirus: Here's what has happened so far today:

Germany: Coronavirus cases in Germany passed 20,000. So far 70 people have died from COVID-19 across the country. Several German states have imposed lockdown measures, and government officials say they are monitoring citizens' behavior on Saturday to assess whether tighter restrictions are needed.

Spain: The coronavirus death toll jumped by 300 to 1,326. The number of infections also climbed by 5,000 in 24 hours, bringing the total number of cases to almost 25,000. Spain now has the third largest tally of infections behind China and Italy.

Portugal: The death toll doubled. Twelve people have now died of COVID-19 there, while more than 1,200 people are infected. Portugal declared a state of emergency last week.

Pakistan: It has halted international flights. The ban is expected to remain in place for two weeks, but does not apply to cargo and diplomatic flights.

EU: The European Commission is to suspend budget rules. The EU's executive arm has moved closer to lifting rules that limit borrowing so that member states have more flexibility in dealing with the coronavirus outbreak, Reuters reports.

Iran: Iran hopes to contain the outbreak within a few weeks. President Hassan Rouhani said the government was doing "everything necessary to return economic production to normal," and expected to be able to lift travel and social distancing restrictions in two to three weeks' time.

Africa: Confirmed coronavirus infections in Africa passed 1,000. Angola and Zimbabwe became the latest countries on the continent to record their first cases.

South Korea: The prime minister has called for stricter anti-virus measures. Prime Minister Chung Se-kyun said he "strongly recommended'' religious facilities, gyms and clubs close for the next 15 days to help stem the spread of the coronavirus. There are concerns about a rapid rise in cases in the capital, Seoul.

Singapore: It reported its first coronavirus deaths. The first fatality was confirmed as a 75-year-old woman, and the second was a 64-year-old man.

Thailand: Capital Bangkok closed malls and restaurants. The measure came into force as the country recorded its single-largest daily increase of 89 cases.

Australia: Sydney's famous Bondi beach has been closed. The decision was announced after beachgoers apparently ignored the government's social distancing rules.