Coronavirus: What you need to know about today's big developments

It's been another huge day of developments in the coronavirus saga, as New Zealand closed its borders to all non-residents. Earlier the Government announced an extended ban on mass gatherings, which now applies to indoor events of more than 100 people. Eight more cases were reported, bringing the total to 28, Fiji recorded its first confirmed case and the Government issued a "do not travel" notice to all New Zealanders.

Latest from New Zealand and the Pacific

• Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has announced that New Zealand's borders will be closed to everyone but citizens and residents from midnight tonight. Ardern said there were significant outbreaks in other countries and all confirmed coronavirus cases in New Zealand related to overseas travel. Earlier Foreign Minister Winston Peters issued a "do not travel" guideline - the first time this has been done in New Zealand. He said the Government was looking into emergency flights to rescue New Zealanders stranded overseas as commercial flights shut down due to coronavirus fears.

• Health Minister David Clark announced that indoor gatherings of more than 100 people would be banned. He said the rule would not apply to workplaces, schools and other educational institutions, supermarkets or public transport. And the Herald revealed that the Government plans to provide home internet and laptop or tablet devices for about 70,000 schoolchildren if schools have to close.

• The Ministry of Health released flight details for New Zealand's eight newest coronavirus cases. The new cases brought numbers up to 28 confirmed cases of Covid-19 in the country. All are people who have returned from overseas, and as yet no community transmission has been confirmed.

• Meanwhile Fiji recorded its first confirmed case of coronavirus in Lautoka. It follows the first suspected case in Samoa, with a Kiwi traveller hospitalised and awaiting test results.

How we're coping

• Auckland bus drivers will no longer accept cash fares from Monday to reduce physical contact with passengers.

• On a lighter note, social media predictions of a coronavirus "baby boom" - with the generation conceived during the pandemic being dubbed "Coronials" - has run into a harsh fact of life, according to a UK poll.

• For an excellent guide to how the crisis is likely to play out in New Zealand and what further measures health officials believe are necessary, check Herald reporter David Fisher's in-depth analysis.

Around the world

• China reported that there had been no cases of domestic coronavirus infections in the country the previous day, for the first time since the outbreak began. It was a significant milestone for the country, where the virus was first reported in mid-November.

• The new epicentre of the virus is Europe, where coronavirus deaths in Italy are poised to overtake China's total.

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