Additional measures are being taken around the globe to tackle the spread of the coronavirus. Saudi Arabia is stopping pilgrims entering the country to visit the Muslim holy cities of Medina and Mecca. Italy has seen a 25% surge in a day, with 400 cases now recorded, and several European countries have announced new cases traced to the Italian outbreak. It brings the total number of people infected worldwide to more than 80,000 in about 40 countries. You can follow all the global developments via our live page, and get a sense of the extent of the problem thanks to our visual guide.
In the UK, where 13 cases have been confirmed, tests are being increased to include people displaying flu-like symptoms at 100 GP surgeries and eight hospitals. You can find out all about the government measures via our explainer. Meanwhile, a British guest at the Tenerife hotel placed in quarantine says she is "horrified" by conditions and that fellow guests are not following hygiene rules.

Flood-hit communities along the River Severn have been warned to expect further disruption, with emergency services expected to be deployed for at least another 10 days. "Flood waters are set to recede quite slowly and are likely to be topped up again, with additional rain over the weekend and at the end of next week," says West Mercia Police Deputy Chief Constable Julian Moss.
Swathes of Worcestershire flooded last week in the wake of Storm Dennis, while parts of Shrewsbury have also been under water for days. In Ironbridge, Shropshire, 35 homes were evacuated on Wednesday when a flood barrier buckled. This comes after properties were flooded by water coming over the defences at Bewdley, Worcestershire.

There are fears the care of vulnerable children could be put at risk, with six out of the 10 largest providers of children's homes and foster care running huge debts. The Local Government Association says many councils already struggle to find care places near children's families. One girl tells the BBC she was 12 when she was placed in a home two hours' drive away from her family. "I didn't even know what the town was called, " she says. "I felt really isolated."
Some councils are bucking the trend for using private providers by reopening their own homes, saying costs have been rising because of the way care companies are financed. But the Independent Children's Homes Association argues the report does not look into quality of care or value for money. Its chief executive says many smaller providers struggle on the fees paid by local authorities and suggests the likelihood of a company failing is "not very high".

The spread of the coronavirus leads most papers, with the Guardian reporting the health secretary's warning against "mass panic". The Daily Telegraph leads on government guidance to schools and businesses not to shut. According to the Metro and Daily Express, Prince George and Prince Charlotte's school in west London is among those to have sent children home after schoolmates of the young royals developed symptoms. Meanwhile, the Daily Mail says the NHS is to test patients in their own homes in a bid to contain the outbreak.

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