Italy closing down all but most essential services as it tries to control the coronavirus, as global pandemic deepens. Italy recorded 793 deaths on Saturday, with France and Spain and Germany also reporting steep rises in confirmed cases and fatalities.

Nearly 13,000 people around the world have now died from the disease, according to data collected by the Johns Hopkins University in the United States. More than 304,500 people have been diagnosed with the infection, while nearly 92,000 have recovered.

Iran is one of the hardest-hit countries worldwide by the virus, with an official death toll only behind Italy and China. On Saturday, the health ministry's latest tally said the death toll had risen by more than 100 to 1,556, while the number of infected people stood at 20,610. A total of 7,635 people have recovered in Iran.

South Korea reports 98 new cases of coronavirus. The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 98 new cases of coronavirus, bringing the national total to 8,897.

Wuhan, where the coronavirus first emerged late last year, says it had no new cases of coronavirus on Saturday, marking the fourth straight day without a new infection.

China itself reported 46 new confirmed cases, all but one of them imported from overseas. It also said six people died from COVID-19.

Australia to consider 'draconian measures' to enforce social distancing

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison says states and territories will consider draconian measures to enforce social distancing after thousands of people thronged the country's beaches amid unusually warm weather.

Credit: Aljazeera