Global virus death toll passes 13,000; over 1 billion people confined to their homes

22 March 2020, 7:36 am

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Nearly one billion people around the world are confined to their homes today, as the coronavirus death toll crosses 13,000 and factories are shut in worst-hit Italy after another single-day fatalities record.

The raging pandemic has forced lockdowns in 35 countries across the globe, disrupting lives, travel and businesses as governments scramble to shut borders and unleash hundreds of billions in emergency measures to avoid a widespread virus-fueled economic meltdown.

More than 300,000 infections have been confirmed worldwide, with the situation increasingly grim in Italy where the death toll spiked to more than 4,800 — over a third of the global total.

— AFP