Shoppers around the world stood in long lines, waiting to buy essentials like toilet paper, pasta, bottled water, medicine and masks as a worsening coronavirus crisis stoked fears of shortages.

The world is slowly going into lockdown trying to stop the spread of the dangerous coronavirus disease, leading to cities and famous attractions turning eerily deserted. Many streets, train stations, mass transit systems and restaurants are now eerily empty.You can scarcely avoid seeing images of the emptiness -- the cleared streets and squares of St Petersburg, the missing throngs outside the temples of Kyoto, the abandoned restaurants in most Chinatowns, some of which have had to close.This astonishing moment when the world hit pause on normal life will never be forgotten by those who lived through it.Take a look.

The cases reported on Wednesday include a couple and their two-year-old daughter in Rajasthan who had recently returned from Italy.The patients belong to Rajasthan's Jhunjhunu and had returned from Italy on March 8.

Several MPs came to the Upper House wearing masks and demanded curtailment of the ongoing Budget session, which is due to end on April 3, in view of the novel coronavirus scare, but the government seemed unwilling.

'Coronavirus is not the only emergency, and it is certainly not the only illness people can suffer from'

The coronavirus pandemic has spread to 146 countries with the worldwide death toll from the virus surpassing the 7,000 mark on Monday.Among the more than 1,73,000 cases recorded globally are government officials, celebrities and sports personalities as authorities around the world grapple to contain the spread of coronavirus.Hollywood actor Tom Hanks and his wife, actress and singer Rita Wilson, British actor Idris Elba, and Sophie Trudeau, wife of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, are some of the most well-known faces to be infected so far.

Authorities faced double-barrel challenge -- strengthening its check and prevention mechanism, and addressing public panic, leading to hoarding of essential items.

The decision, that would be reviewed on a month-by-month basis, came a day after England registered its biggest jump in death toll of 39 to hit 177.

Four people have died including one each in Delhi, Karnataka, Punjab and Maharashtra.

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio has said that the metropolitan city is the 'epicenter' of the coronavirus crisis in the United States, as government officials announced some of the most stringent measures to slow the spread of the pandemic that has claimed over 200 lives in the country.

As the number of COVID-19 cases is witnessing a spike in India, religious places across the country remain closed to encourage social distancing, a key component in preventing the spread of the deadly coronavirus.

The Union health ministry said West Bengal and Himachal Pradesh reported a casualty each on Monday, taking the total number of deaths to nine in the country due to COVID-19.

Millions of people worldwide are having to embrace life under lockdown -- confined to their own four walls or neighbourhoods for weeks on end as countries battle to reduce the spread of the coronavirus.

The women agitators have been on a sit-in at Shaheen Bagh for over three months, protesting the newly amended Citizenship Act .

Authorities have put almost the entire country under lockdown, banning gathering of people and suspending road, rail and air traffic till March 31.

As 32 states and Union Territories imposed complete lockdown till March 31, the Centre asked them to clamp curfew wherever necessary in the wake of people defying lockdown orders.

From dancing to playing musical instruments to exercising... balconies across the world have become the hospot as people continue to quarantine and self-isolate themselves at homes to fight against the coronavirus pandemic.

From making 'COVIDIOTS' (a term coined for those flouting restrictions) squat on the road and do sit-ups, to making them pose with pamphlets admitting their fault, police officials have pulled out all the stops from their kitty of creativity to drive home the message.

The 606 positive cases includes 43 foreign nationals, the ministry said. On Tuesday, the number of cases was 519.

The Union health ministry officials also said India was at the second stage as there is still no 'hard evidence' to say that there has been community transmission of the fast-spreading coronavirus, remarks which may provide anxious citizens with much needed assurance and hope.

Trump attributed the spike in the confirmed cases of coronavirus to the large-scale testing of the deadly disease.

'All the hotels and restaurants from where I used to eat have been shut. I used to beg but now there is no one to give me alms too'

The 21-day coronavirus lockdown in force since Wednesday has triggered a mass exodus of migrant workers across the country since the last few days.

Concern is growing among healthcare experts who believe that if people do not follow the lockdown or social distancing seriously, the situation can quickly go out of control.

Deaths have so far been reported from Maharashtra (5), Gujarat (3), Karnataka (2), Madhya Pradesh (2) and one each from Tamil Nadu, Bihar, Punjab, Delhi, West Bengal, Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh.

To make the modified isolation ward, the middle berth was removed, the lower portion of the compartment plugged by plywood and a provision of partition provided from the aisle side for the isolation of the compartment, the railways said.

The police personnel, who are serving 24X7 on the streets, said that the helmet was proving to be useful in making people aware.

'I am jobless and don't have savings to sustain. Better I go home and do farming. If I am lucky, I will survive'

Hundreds of migrant workers from Delhi, Haryana and even Punjab reached Anand Vihar, Ghazipur and Ghaziabad's Lal Kuan area after taking arduous treks of many kilometers on foot to take buses to their respective native places

The total number of positive cases has increased by 106 in the last 24 hours to reach 1,024.

The government said there was no immediate plan to extend the 21-day lockdown period, which entered its sixth day on Monday, while the Indian Army dismissed as "fake" social media posts about a possible emergency declaration next month.

Fighting the coronavirus pandemic is hard, in fact it seems impossible. Doctors, nurses, carers and paramedics around the world are facing an unprecedented workload in overstretched health facilities, and with no end in sight. They are working in stressful and frightening work environments, not just because the virus is little understood, but because in most settings they are under-protected, overworked and themselves vulnerable to infection.The risk to doctors, nurses and others on the front lines has become plain: Italy has seen at least 18 doctors with coronavirus die. Spain reported that more than 3,900 health care workers have become infected. In dire times such as these, people are trying their best to show their appreciation to the frontline workers. Here are some images -- from clapping for them to singing for them.. A 'thank you' in any way goes a long way around.

They told us to wash raincoat and reuse,a doctor said.

As the world struggles with the deadly coronavirus, there are some who are dealing with the pandemic in their own unique way.Here are 12 images that show how.

When humanity's away, the animals will play.With much of the world driven indoors to quarantine during the coronavirus pandemic lockdown, some species not often seen -- or, at least, rarely in such large numbers, and certainly not against such empty backdrops -- are exploring cities across the globe. We must sadly report that though there have been many circulating on social media, many of these optimistic posts have turned out to be fake -- there were no dolphins in Venice's celebrated canals, or drunken elephants ambling through China's Yunnan province.However, there are some other instances where animals have, in fact, come out to explore city streets.

A home ministry official said while 9,000 Tablighi Jamaat members and their primary contacts have been quarantined till now across the country due to "massive efforts" to check the outbreak, the Centre has written to all states and union territories that "the lockdown measures should be implemented in letter and spirit".

With flowers pinned to their chests, Xi and other Chinese leaders paid a silent tribute in front of the national flag to the victims of the COVID-19, which is regarded as the worst public health disaster in China's history.

'The Olympics postponement may not be a political body blow to Abe Shinzo, but it is no denying that the economic cost of the postponement of the Games will be heavy for Japan,' observes Dr Rajaram Panda.

Modi had on Friday urged people to turn off lights at their homes for nine minutes at 9pm to display the country's collective resolve and solidarity to defeat the virus.

The highest number of confirmed cases are from Maharashtra (748), followed by Tamil Nadu at 571 and Delhi with 523 cases.Cases in Telangana have gone up to 321, in Kerala to 314, in Uttar Pradesh to 305, while the number of cases has gone up to 274 in Rajasthan.

As countries around the world are in lockdown to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, street artists everywhere are responding, bringing a dose of colour -- and urgent messaging -- to a weary public.

An official of the sweet shop said they have decided to offer one Corona Sandesh for free to each customer visiting the shop to lift the spirits of people.

Maharashtra has reported the most coronavirus deaths at 45, followed by Gujarat at 12, Madhya Pradesh nine, Telangana and Delhi seven each, Punjab six and Tamil Nadu five fatalities.

Looking to catch a break from all the events surrounding coronavirus, then here's some amazing images from the pink supermoon that occurred on Tuesday night, enthralling all!

A car museum owner in the city of Hyderabad has made a car, which looks like the coronavirus to spread awareness among the people about the fatal infection.

As many as 25 new deaths were reported in the last 24 hours. 16 people died Maharashtra, two each in Delhi, West Bengal, Haryana and Tamil Nadu and one in Andhra Pradesh.

Of the 20 deaths reported in the last 24 hours, eight were from Maharashtra, three each from Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh, two from Jammu and Kashmir and one each from Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.

As you are stuck at home owing to the coronavirus outbreak, here are eight images that will bring a smile on your face -- even if it's just for a while!

Patients have been waiting for days, weeks and sometimes months for appointments for dialysis, chemotherapy and other emergency procedures.

While the number of active COVID-19 cases stood at 6,039, as many as 515 people have been cured and discharged, and one had migrated, it said. The total number of cases include 71 foreign nationals.