'Coronavirus is spreading at a greater pace than we expected', New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo said in a briefing on Tuesday. With the number of COVID-19 cases at 25,665 and fatalities at 210, the state is under a great strain on its health care facilities.

On March 24th France sees another daily rise in coronavirus infections by 2,444 and a total of 22,300 cases, news agencies report. The number of fatalities has surpassed 1,100 making the country the fifth in the world in terms of COVID-19 death count.

The Swedish climate activist is in self-isolation at home with her father after both may have contracted the virus on the train trip across Europe. 'I am suffering from shivers, a sore throat and a cough', Greta Thunberg posted on the Instagram earlier today.

With the UK death tally up by 86, the country's police units and military scramble to enforce lockdown regulations. Lockdown dodgers are said to face a right-on-the-spot fine of 30 pounds while the police will 'take whatever steps they consider appropriate' to ensure the new rules.

As many as 90 new COVID-19 cases were reported in the Philippines on the 24th of March, bringing the total count to 552 while the nationwide fatalities stand at 35. A senior military officer and his spouse are named among the new coronavirus patients.

Indonesia has reported 50 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours as the virus now accounts for 686 of those infected and 55 deaths across the country. Jakarta's hotels and even athletes village have been transformed into emergency hospitals as the government braces for the worst case scenario.

On Monday United Nations called for the global unity, comprehensive ceasefire and help for poor countries in the face of the coronavirus challenge. 'It is time to focus on the true fight of our lives', UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said.

According to Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus, Director General of the World Health Organisation, the COVID-19 pandemic is gathering pace and 362,000 people in all but a few countries have been affected by the virus outbreak as of March 24th 2020.

Another 89 people have tested positive in the last 24 hours, bringing Pakistan's tally close to 900 mark, Dr Zafar Mirza reported on Tuesday during a press conference. Among the worst-hit states are Sindh and Punjab with 399 and 249 cases respectively.

The German government approved €156 billion worth relief package to support businesses hit worst by the covid-19-related lockdown measures. The country's death toll slowed as of Monday morning, thanks to social distancing rules, and stood at a total of 111 fatalities.

The number of fatalities in Italy dropped for the second consecutive day, official data suggests. COVID-19 attributed deaths had risen by 602 on Monday compared to 651 on Sunday and 793 on Saturday. The figures for coronavirus related cases are following a similar pattern, according to Italy's Civil Protection Agency.

At midnight Wednesday China will officially lift travel restrictions for Hubei province, with the exclusion of the city of Wuhan. On Monday some small groups of Wuhan residents were allowed to leave their houses for the first time in months.

As the number of COVID-19 cases in India stands at 315, the country with 1.3 billion population has been under 14-hour curfew since last week. All non-essential businesses and services remain shut while the police forces patrol the deserted streets.

All non-essential public businesses and services are to be closed immediately, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said in a statement. The new restrictions will not yet apply to supermarkets, petrol stations, pharmacies and home delivery.

At least 35 institutions are said to be working on the COVID-19 vaccine wordwide. The research into the new form of the coronavirus started as early as mid-January. As of late March 2020, at least four candidate vaccines are being tested in animals.

As the UK death toll reached 435, the British Prime Minister has announced nationwide quarantine in the face of the "moment of national emergency". People are only allowed to leave home once a day to exercise or go to work or shop for essentials.