Around the world...

THE coronavirus pandemic has infected more than one million people worldwide and over 53,000 deaths have been recorded.

Here is the latest on the situation from around the world:

india

To bolster morale and spirit, India’s prime minister has urged the country’s 1.3 billion people to switch off the lights in their home for nine minutes tomorrow night and light candles, lamps and even use mobile torches standing in their balconies.

In a video message, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said such a gesture will dispel the darkness created by coronavirus and show that people are together in their fight against the epidemic.

He said social distancing was the only way to break the chain of coronavirus, which has so far claimed 53 lives in India.

Mr Modi ordered a three-week lockdown across the country on March 24 to stop a massive outbreak of coronavirus infections.

kenya

Former marathon world record holder Wilson Kipsang was among 20 people arrested in Kenya for locking themselves in a bar and drinking alcohol in breach of a curfew imposed because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Police say the 2012 Olympic bronze medallist was among those detained in Iten, one of Kenya’s famous high-altitude towns where distance runners train. The group, including a local politician, were in breach of a 7pm-5am curfew.

Kipsang, who is also a police officer, was provisionally suspended this year from track and field and charged with doping offences that include tampering with doping samples. He has also won the New York, London and Berlin marathons.

Twelve athletes were arrested in Iten earlier this week for breaching Kenyan government regulations on social gatherings during the Covid-19 crisis. The runners were arrested for training in a group, which has been banned in Kenya.

thailand

The government has banned all public gatherings to stop the spread of the coronavirus.

The order prohibits people from public gatherings, carrying out activities, or gathering for unlawful purposes in a manner that risks spreading the coronavirus.

It also bans any act that aggravates people’s suffering and pranks to spread the virus. That is an apparent reference to antisocial actions such as spreading saliva on elevator buttons.

Family gatherings at homes and civic activities carried out according to safe social distancing guidelines are allowed.