Coronavirus LIVE: New York bans gatherings of more than 500, say reports

High-profile fixtures of Shanghai's skyline began to re-open Thursday on a limited basis in a sign of confidence that the coronavirus was being tamed in the Chinese financial centre, reports AFP.

The 632-metre Shanghai Tower -- the world's second-tallest building -- and the futuristic Oriental Pearl Tower Radio and Television Tower were among skyscrapers to announce viewing platforms and other public areas had opened again, subject to various restrictions.

The Shanghai Museum said it was re-opening on Friday but would cap daily visitors at 2,000.

Chinese media reports said a number of other tourist sites also were gradually opening their doors again.

Italy has shut all stories except for pharmacies and food shops in a bid to halt the spread of coronavirus, reports AFP. The virus has killed 827 in the the country in just over two weeks.

Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte on Wednesday announced the latest wave of restrictions in a dramatic appeal to the nation that came with the country of 60 million battling its biggest crisis in generations.

"Thank you to all Italians who make sacrifices. We are proving to be a great nation," Conte said in his nine-minute evening prime time address to the nation.

Cancelling the 2020 Olympics is "unthinkable" although the classification of the coronavirus as a pandemic will likely have some impact on the Games, the Tokyo city governor said on Thursday.

"It can't be said that the announcement of a pandemic would have no impact... But I think cancellation is unthinkable," Yuriko Koike told reporters.

Doubts are increasingly being raised over whether the Olympics can be held as scheduled from July 24 to August 9.

New York city's St Patrick's Day parade is cancelled amid coronavirus pandemic, says governor Andrew Cuomo.

The Indian Premier League (IPL) governing council meeting will be held on 14th March over coronavirus situation and IPL2020: ANI

After his address to the nation on coronavirus, US President Trump said that the travel restriction announced by him will not affect trade. In a tweet, he said "Hoping to get the payroll tax cut approved by both Republicans and Democrats, and please remember, very important for all countries & businesses to know that trade will in no way be affected by the 30-day restriction on travel from Europe. The restriction stops people not goods."

Hoping to get the payroll tax cut approved by both Republicans and Democrats, and please remember, very important for all countries & businesses to know that trade will in no way be affected by the 30-day restriction on travel from Europe. The restriction stops people not goods.

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 12, 2020

Stock markets tumbled Thursday after US President Donald Trump announced a 30-day ban on travel to the United States from Europe over the coronavirus, reports AFP.

With the WHO officially declaring the virus a pandemic, the Asian markets were already a sea of red at the open and Trump's ban announcement caused further selling, despite a series of measures intended to ease the financial pain of the outbreak.

Tokyo's benchmark Nikkei was down 5.42 percent or 1,051.88 points to 18,364.18, while the broader Topix was down 5.06 percent or 70.15 points to 1,314.97 in the hour after Trump's address.

Australia's ASX was down 5.4 percent, while Hong Kong tumbled three percent at the open.

US President Donald Trump has cancelled events planned this week in Colorado and Nevada "out of an abundance of caution from the coronavirus outbreak," White House spokeswoman Stephanie Grisham said in a statement.

The NBA has suspended its season “until further notice" after a Utah Jazz player tested positive Wednesday for the coronavirus, a move that came only hours after the majority of the league's owners were leaning toward playing games without fans in arenas.

Oil prices fell more than two percent Thursday after US President Donald Trump announced a 30-day ban on all travel from Europe to the United States over the coronavirus epidemic.

West Texas Intermediate slipped 2.6 percent to $32 a barrel while Brent crude was off 2.3 percent at $35 a barrel.

Guyana confirms first case of coronavirus in woman who travelled from the USA, says a statement from the President.

Cuba confirmed its first cases of the new coronavirus on Wednesday, reports Reuters. The country's state news broadcaster said four Italian tourists who were staying at a hostel in the southern town of Trinidad after arriving at Havana airport on Monday had presented respiratory symptoms and were taken to a hospital on Tuesday.

South Korea reported 114 new cases of the coronavirus, as well as six more deaths from the illness, the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Thursday.

The new cases bring the country's total to 7,869, with 66 deaths.

Hollywood actor Tom Hanks announces positive test for coronavirus, reports AFP. Hanks' wife Rita Wilson has also tested positive for the virus.

Hanks, 63, said he and Wilson came down with a fever while in Australia and will now be isolated and monitored.

"To play things right, as is needed in the world right now, we were tested for the coronavirus, and were found to be positive," he wrote in a statement posted to social media.

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday urged Congress to pass tax relief measures as the economy reels from the coronavirus outbreak that has shuttered businesses and sent Wall Street plunging.

"I am calling on Congress to provide Americans with immediate payroll tax relief. Hopefully they will consider this very strongly," Trump said in an address to the nation.