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  • A 47-year-old man in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia is in critical condition after contracting the virus. His wife has displayed symptoms of the virus.
  • Another man in the state of Baden-Württemberg has also contracted the virus, bringing the total number of cases in Germany to 18 after two weeks without any.
  • A US soldier based in South Korea has contracted coronavirus, according to the US military. South Korea is the worst-hit country after China.
  • The death toll in China has jumped to more than 2,700 people. More than 80,000 people have contracted the virus around the globe.
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Read more: Coronavirus: How can I prepare for a pandemic?

All updates in Universal Coordinated Time (UTC/GMT).

06:25 The number of coronavirus cases in Thailand has reached 40, with three new cases reported.

06:20 German public transport in the district of Heinsberg in North-Rhine Westphalia, where a coronavirus case has been reported, will not be affected on Wednesday, a spokesman has announced. Schools and kindergartens in the district will remain closed.

06:05 A spokesman for the Japanese government confirmed that the International Olympic Committee is not planning to cancel the Tokyo Summer Olympics despite the threat of coronavirus.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe asked organizers of large cultural or sporting events to cancel them over the next two weeks.

"The next two weeks are crucial for Japan to prevent the spread of the outbreak," Abe said.

Read more: Opinion: Coronavirus pandemic is on our doorstep

05:54 The Philippines announced a travel ban on people coming from infected regions of South Korea, while in El Salvador travelers from Italy and South Korea have been banned from entering the country.

05:27 Australia will close schools and cancel sporting events if there is an uncontained coronavirus outbreak, Minister for Health Greg Hunt said on Wednesday. Australia has had 23 cases of coronavirus.

04:51 Japanese Health Minister Katsunobu Kato told parliament that 45 people who were allowed to disembark from the Diamond Princess cruise ship have developed symptoms despite having tested negative for the virus.

The WHO says the incubation period — the time from when one is infected to the moment they show symptoms — can last up to 14 days.

04:30 Tokyo's Yomiuri Giants baseball team are planning to play two preseason games in an empty stadium due to coronavirus concerns.

Read more: Coronavirus exposes the divide between China's rich and poor

04:13 Kuwait temporarily banned foreign ships from departing to or arriving from South Korea, Italy, China and Japan, among others, citing the coronavirus epidemic.

Oil carriers, however, were exempt from the ban.

03:55 A Chinese justice ministry leader said prison authorities have failed to enact appropriate disease control efforts, effectively leading to hundreds of infections.

"The transmission of the disease truly reflects some gaps in our management of prisons and in our prevention and epidemic control work," said Xiong Xuanguo, who serves as deputy minister of China's justice ministry.

02:35 Brazil's health ministry said a Sao Paolo resident is undergoing tests after returning from a trip to Lombardy, Italy. If the tests prove positive, it would make the 61-year-old the man the first case of coronavirus in South America.

02:18 The Hong Kong government said the outbreak of coronavirus in the city could further drag on economic sentiment and tourism, which has taken a hit due to anti-government protests last year.

Read more: Opinion: Coronavirus pandemic is on our doorstep

02:06 Education authorities in the Japanese prefecture of Hokkaido are seeking to close all public elementary and junior high schools starting on Thursday.

The northern island has reported the highest number of cases outside of Tokyo.

Read more: Coronavirus hits heart of Italy's economy

01:38 Kuwait announced two new cases of coronavirus, bringing its total to 11. The health ministry said infections had occurred in people returning from Iran.

Read more: World must prepare for potential COVID-19 pandemic says WHO

01:16 The US military said a soldier based in South Korea has tested positive for coronavirus, making him the first to contract the virus within the US armed forces.

12:52 Schools in the German district of Heinsberg will remain closed on Wednesday. A man from the area is in critical condition after contracting the virus. He is receiving treatment at an intensive care unit.

"The patient's wife is also being treated as an in-patient with symptoms of a viral disease," said a statement from the North Rhine-Westphalia health ministry. "Her condition is currently stable. The diagnosis on whether she has also been infected with the virus is still pending."

01:44 China reported 406 new confirmed cases of coronavirus. The mainland death toll has reached 2,715, according to Chinese authorities.

01:08 South Korea reported 169 new coronavirus cases, bringing the total number to more than 1,100. South Korea is considered the worst-hit country after China.

Read more: Coronavirus: How can I prepare for a pandemic?

12:58 Air Canada said it would continue to suspend flights to and from the Chinese cities of Beijing and Shanghai until early April due to the coronavirus epidemic.

The airliner said it "will continue to monitor this evolving situation closely."

12:42 El Salvador has announced plans to bar entry to foreign nationals arriving from Italy and South Korea.

According to President Nayib Bukele, the Salvadoran nationals – including diplomats – will have to under to 30 days of quarantine if they arrive from one of these two countries.

Read more: Africa has been spared so far from coronavirus. Why?

12:30 Japanese ad agency Dentsu Group's shares dropped 2% over fears that the Olympic Games scheduled to take place in Tokyo this summer could be canceled due to the coronavirus epidemic.

Asian, European and US stock markets have continued a downward turn over fears of the economic impact of the outbreak.

Every day, DW's editors send out a selection of the day's hard news and quality feature journalism. You can sign up to receive it directly here.

ed,ls/msh (AFP, Reuters, AP, dpa, epd)

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