The World Health Organization described the coronavirus outbreak as a pandemic for the first time yesterday as Britain and Italy announced multi-billion-dollar war chests to fight the disease.

After a commanding 48-run win in the first T20I, host Bangladesh will be looking to complete the two match T20I series with a clean sweep when they take on Zimbabwe in the final game at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur today. The game is scheduled to begin from 6:00pm BST.

A teacher’s left arm was severed below the elbow and at least 15 students of Dhaka’s Willes Little Flower School and College were injured when a bus carrying them on a study tour hit a parked truck from behind on Dhaka-Khulna highway in Gopalganj yesterday.

Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research has requested all returnees from the coronavirus-hit countries to self-quarantine for two weeks from the date of their arrival to prevent the spread of the virus in Bangladesh.

Although the diagnosis of novel coronavirus is so far only Dhaka-based, the authorities prefer not to expand the testing facilities to hospitals outside the capital right now due to a lack of trained manpower and unavailability of the necessary technology.

About 60 million Italians were told yesterday to stay in their homes to help battle the most deadly coronavirus outbreak outside China, as some Asian nations expressed hope that their outbreaks were abating.

The government has asked all students of secondary schools and colleges to wash their hands frequently and avoid any kind of gathering as preventive measures to curb the spread of coronavirus in the country.

Despite growing concern over the spread of coronavirus, health screening of incoming travellers remains lax at the country’s five busiest land ports.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Dhaka visit for attending the launch of Bangabandhu’s birth centenary celebrations on March 17 has been deferred, Indian External Affairs Ministry said yesterday.

Global health experts have warned against hoarding masks, handwash and sanitisers during the coronavirus outbreak as it could worsen the situation by depriving those who might need them.

Bangladesh’s top order came alive once more, this time in the opening T20I at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur yesterday as the Tigers posted a commanding 200 for three -- their third-highest T20 score -- before bowling out Zimbabwe for 152 to win the first T20I by 48 runs.

A few minutes before 2:30pm yesterday, a Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight from England’s Manchester landed at the Dhaka airport.

The High Court yesterday withdrew its earlier orders that granted bail to detained GK Shamim, a top government listed contractor, in two separate criminal cases.

As the first cases of coronavirus were detected in the country yesterday, education ministries said they would take all necessary measures to curb the spread of the virus.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday urged the country’s people not to worry about coronavirus as Bangladesh has enough capability to face it.

With the first cases of coronavirus confirmed in the country, the government’s preparation to contain its spread still appears to be inadequate.

The March 17 grand rally -- the flagship event of Mujib Borsho -- at the National Parade Ground was postponed hours after the first cases of coronavirus were reported in the country yesterday.

Around 16 million people across a vast swathe of northern Italy woke yesterday to find themselves cut off from the rest of the country, after the government imposed a virtual lockdown to prevent the coronavirus spreading.

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) yesterday named Tamim Iqbal as the new captain of the ODI side. The opener will replace Mashrafe Bin Mortaza, whose second stint as Bangladesh captain, since 2014, ended with the third ODI against Zimbabwe on Friday.

In 2013, the then Bangladesh coach Shane Jurgensen had said on a tour of Zimbabwe that he was actually thinking of flying Mashrafe Bin Mortaza in. His thought process had nothing to do with bolstering the squad with Bangladesh’s best ever fast bowler, who missed the tour due to injury, but it was just about having the most inspirational cricketer in the land among the squad to lift their spirits.