africa's largest city, lagos in nigeria, has entered a 2—week lockdown to stop the spread of coronavirus. despite nigeria's relatively small number of cases residents have been ordered to stay indoors with the city's high levels of poverty, there's concerns social distancing may be impossible, as chi chi izundu reports. this is bbc news. this is life i'm simon pusey. for the next two weeks — our top stories: quiet streets, traffic—free roads, silence. hard times ahead. an estimated population president trump tells of 21 million people americans to brace themselves have been told to stay indoors. as the country's death toll but unlike the rest of the world, time has allowed nigeria to prepare. surpasses that of china. it's been nearly four weeks since the first case was confirmed, this is going to be a very and so far, painful — very, very there's been less than 140. painful two weeks. this stadium, now converted into an isolation centre, the british government is waiting for patients. admits it has to increase coronavirus testing — with only a fraction if its daily target of 25,000 when you're at war, you know, currently being carried out. you can have either an offensive or a when even a handshake defensive strategy. makes news. i think, because of our weaknesses, why russia's president finds we've opted for himself at the centre an offensive strategy, of coronavirus concerns. so that makes lagos a very vulnerable city, and what we've been trying to figure out is how and chaotic scenes in india to increase its resilience. as the authorities try so we know that lagos is a sitting to prevent the further spread of the virus among the country's 1.3 billion citizens. duck for an outbreak scenario.

while there is confidence at the top, there is concern on the frontline. two out of every three people live in a slum in lagos, where basic hygiene and social distancing is impossible, and there's a real fear that the poorest will hello. suffer the most. one of the city's nurses said we begin with the latest coronavirus developments nigeria isn't ready. from around the world. i'm worried, because nigeria deaths have accelerated as a whole doesn't have enough equipment and infrastructures, in the us and uk while italy so of course i should be worried. and spain continue to record high fatality rates. yesterday, in this popular the united states has now market, before the lockdown declared 3,415 coronavirus started, these women deaths meaning it has overtaken china. were begging for help. 0nly italy and spain the lagos state government says have a higher death toll. in the uk the figures are also sobering. the number of deaths has more that their strategy is working, than doubled in 2a hours, coming to a record daily total of 381. in the epicentre of the european outbreak, italy, high numbers people are listening and they're staying indoors, so these next two weeks are crucial when it comes of patients continue to die. to trying to contain but there's been a relatively the spread of covid—19. small rise in new infections, giving hope that the situation might be stabilising. and fears president putin may but the big question remains — have been exposed to the virus as russia's parliament approves new laws bringing in seven year what happens after 14 days prison terms for serious

violations of quarantine. when you allow africa's most populated city back on the streets? here, coronavirus is a virus let's start with the us, for the privileged — where 900 people have died for those who can afford in new york city. a home to self—isolate doctors and nurses say in and have an ability they're desperately short to buy and stockpile food. of critical equipment. nada tawfik reports. the worry is that millions who can't afford the basic advice in the lockdown will be the worst off. chi chi izundu, bbc news. a powerful symbol of the nation's effort to combat the coronavirus, the spire of one world trade center lit red, white, and blue. tokyo is considering keeping city—operated schools closed until early may , covid—19 has claimed the lives of more than 3,000 americans, that's according to the public broadcaster nhk and other local media. surpassing the number of people it comes after the japanese killed in the 9/11 attacks. capital recorded healthcare workers and 78 new cases of coronavirus emergency responders on the front lines continue on tuesday — it's highest tally to work overtime to meet in a single day. the unprecedented challenge. they do so at great personal there are more than 2000 cases in the country. risk, knowing the toughest as we've been reporting, weeks lay ahead. three in four americans will soon be ordered at his daily press briefing, to stay at home. that's some 245 million people. new york's governor, so people are finding andrew cuomo, said the virus creative ways to be together has proved even more when they're apart. take this young woman dangerous than expected. in los angeles, who found a special way to mark her only two out of new york's 62 boyfriend's birthday. counties have not reported i told him i was going to make infections. a birthday card him, so we kept it is the great equaliser. it to himself, he knew not to come near me. i

it to himself, he knew not to come near me. l was it to himself, he knew not to come near me. i was hard at work on a video that i'm trying i don't care how smart, how rich, how powerful to get out there, which took you think you are, forever to upload yesterday i don't care how young, because everyone is on the how old, this virus is a great equaliser. internet. and during that time, that reality has lawmakers i wrote out 76 personal already debating more government aid, just days invitations inside the atrium after president trump signed that we have an eye told him i was going to go for a quick run a record $2 trillion bill. but instead, i ran down to in a tweet, he said the next phase of recovery should deliver the invitations. so i focus on infrastructure. in the meantime, governors and mayors across the country are learning from new york, had no idea what was going on. testing is ramping up. in maryland, this sports field was converted into a drive—through testing site with the help of the national guard. what? open this window. i have three out of four americans a surprise for you. all the are now or soon will be under stay—at—home orders. social distancing guidelines, according to officials, appear to be working. way. happy birthday. dot. what the hell? to you. happy you're starting to see that the daily increases are not in that steep incline, they are starting to be able birthday to you. happy birthday to possibly flatten out. i mean, again, you look at it carefully, hope it's going on the right direction, dear nathan, happy birthday to

but that's what we're really trying to attain, that you. this is wild. we just multiphase component where it ultimately starts to come down. moved in like three weeks ago. good evening, everybody! and then boom, stuck inside for and that's not who knows how long? but it was the only good news. actor and directorjohn krasinski launched a newscast a great way to virtually meet a lot of our neighbours. cheering to share uplifting stories. called, appropriately, thank you. happy birthday! some good news. steve carell, his co—star cheers. look at that. we've from the hit american show the office even joined in. i guarantee you that the bottom half of what you have on does been together a little over five years, six years in not much the top! november. i think it's good to keep the excitement alive, even i am definitely wearing jams, though we can't go out and do if anybody remembers. a nice distraction for anything. the more you sit those eager to reminisce there and accept that, there is about simpler times. nada tawfik, bbc news. little things you can do without actually leaving an apartment. in australia a pop—up coronavirus testing clinic is to be opened up next well, president trump has to sydney's bondi beach. warned of the hardship america it comes as health workers will face as they deal try to contain clusters with the surge of new cases. of infections across the i want every american to be country which is in lockdown. prepared for the hard days in march, thousands of people ignored social distancing rules that lie ahead. we're going to go by visiting the famous beach.

through a very two weeks. and then, hopefully, as the experts are predicting, as, i think, a lot of us are predicting, after having studied it so hard, we're going to start seeing some real you can reach me on twitter — i'm @sipusey. light at the end of the tunnel. but this is going to be a very painful — very, very painful two weeks. when you look and see at night do stay tuned right here on bbc the kind of death that's been news. caused by this invisible enemy it's incredible. hello. tuesday was marked by fairly cloudy skies across much of central and northern that was donald trump talking a britain, and i think that's little earlier. going to be the way for more on the situation in the us, i'm joined for many of us as we get from los angeles by our on through wednesday. north america correspondent, rain to contain with as well, david willis. david, that press conference especially at the start went on for hours and hours. of the day across the northern and western isles of scotland, anything said thereby president north of the great glen too. trump that will calm fears in this is the weather front the us? a very long press is gradually working its way conference indeed. president south with time. bright enough to start in the south, but the cloud shield eventually filling trump addressing both the sharp in here and come mid—afternoon, rise in the number of deaths i think we'll find the last of the rain associated here in the united states with the weather front getting caused by the coronavirus and into northern ireland and maybe just hanging on into the south—west of scotland. expressing the hope that elsewhere, a lot of cloud around, brighter skies

so—called mitigating factors to finish the day perhaps could be bringing some hope down the road. but the across the north of scotland, president addressing, first of but the wind here will become all, that sharp rise in cases a real feature overnight and a raft of blustery and the prediction from his showers rattling in, not only to the northern isles medical team is that anything but widely across northern and western scotland, from 100,000 to 240,000 and it's the combination americans could die because of of the strength of the wind the coronavirus. it has already widely across the country and the cloud which will keep claimed more lives, the many frost—free as we start disease, the virus, should say, the new day on thursday. by thursday, the weather front thanit will have tracked its wayjust disease, the virus, should say, than it did in china and it has already claimed more lives here that little bit further south towards the scottish borders in the us than were claimed by towards northern ireland, so quite a bit of cloud the 9/11 attacks, we are now at here to start the day. but as you'll see, there's not an awful lot of rain associated with that feature as it drifts its way further south during the day. brighter skies following 3606 plus deaths here. you on behind, but that wind really noticeable. heard the president saying this surge is coming. he talked of a these are the gusts widely across the british isles. certainly 30mph or 40 mph very painful two or three weeks across some northern parts. ahead for most americans in scotland — we're looking which he predicted that at about 50mph or so. pretty raw there. further south ahead of the weather front, hospitals will be like war temperatures still holding

zones. hospitals will be like war zones. the medical advisors, though, are saying that those on to double figures, orders, for example, the social but as that front completes distancing guidelines, will its journey heading ever help to flatten out the curve, further south as we go into friday, so i think there will be generally so help to flatten out the curve, so they hope. but president speaking a fresher feel across the british isles trump's talk of getting this but perhaps on friday, country back to normal by a better chance of seeing some sunshine. easter has gone right out the there'll still be a rattle window. this is going to go on of showers into the northern and north—western for another month at least. parts of scotland. top temperature on the day some pretty negative news to be found at the other end coming out of that press conference and donald trump may of the country, getting to a high of 11 or 12, be preparing americans for what is to come over the next few with quite a mound of cloud around, but there will be some weeks. also a lot of comments sunshine as well. outside of the press conference about how many young people are being affected by the virus so far. how do you think that has come about? it's very from friday into saturday, high—pressure drifting towards the continent, interesting, isn't it? 28 allowing a southerly to develop ahead of weather fronts which will be a bit of a player spring breakers, as they are for western areas on sunday. called, people from the united but ahead of that, states who went to mexico, as the temperatures are set to rise as we pull in those southerly breezes. young people tend to do at this time of year, to celebrate the break over easter, they have come back and being tested, from mexico, to texas, and been found to be carrying the coronavirus. they have been

placed in quarantine and are under observation. but they we re under observation. but they were pa rt of under observation. but they were part of a large group and so were part of a large group and so that is the nature of the concern here, if you like, that people coming back from other countries will show signs and potentially bring the virus back into the united states. there was a lot of criticism, of course, of spring break people coming together and ignoring early warnings of the virus. now it seems that perhaps those chickens are coming home to roost. absolutely. lots more to discuss for now. that is all we have time for. david willis there in los angeles. thank you very much indeed. here in the uk, the government has admitted it has to go further and faster with its testing programme for coronavirus. it had set a target of 25,000 tests a day, but so far only around eight thousand are being carried out. our health editor hugh pym reports. drive—through coronavirus testing for some nhs staff has begun in england, but this is a very limited trial. it's not clear how quickly

it can be expanded. elsewhere, tests on patients are analysed in hospital and public health laboratories like this. they're based on swab samples. nhs staff are frustrated they can't be tested, which means they can't find out whether it's safe to return to work. this is bbc news. the headlines: president trump has warned that hospitals in england have been americans there in for a "very told to test key workers if they can. painful" two weeks as the white doctors like chinedu, house warns the country's coronavirus outbreak could kill who's a consultant, say a lack as many as 240,000 people. the death toll in the country of testing keeps staff is now more than 3,400, away from work just surpassing that of china. when they're most needed. in a week or two's time, as we've seen in italy the british government has admitted it has to go further and faster and in spain, it's going to be all hands on deck. with its testing programme for coronavirus cases. if we are losing people it has set a target of 25,000 tests because they have the kind a day by the end of april — of things they experience all year round, being public but so far only around 8,000 tests facing, because they've got a cold or something else, and really testing, even with the imperfect nature are being carried out. of those tests, has got to become readily available the number of coronavirus cases for healthcare professionals. in russia hasjumped by 500 in 24 hours — that's according to official government figures. the welsh government the russian parliament has approved started testing nhs staff earlier this month. scotland and northern ireland a series of laws aiming to slow the spread of the outbreak— including jail terms for those have now followed. the number of people tested

in the uk rose rapidly after lab capacity was expanded. it was around 8,000 a couple of days ago, but has slipped back a little. so how does that compare with other countries? this graph shows the number now on bbc news, with more of tests per 100,000 people than a third of the global since the first coronavirus death in each country. south korea, with an extensive testing regime, is well ahead of the uk and the us. a 13—year—old boy who tested positive for the virus has died at kings college hospital in london. the trust said thoughts and condolences were with his family. it's not known if he had an underlying health condition. stewart is also recovering now. he says being hit by the virus was terrifying. my lungs were losing function. and they were really struggling with the disease in them. and i really had to call upon a lot of my reserves and prayers at that moment in time and it was really a question, i think, fundamentally, do you want to live?

the prime minister chaired a cabinet meeting by video link. he and two colleagues are self isolating because of symptoms. he told them the situation‘s going to get worse before it gets better. but it will get better. hugh pym, bbc news. in addition to testing, personal protective equipment oi’ personal protective equipment or ppe is a necessity for critical care workers on the frontline. social distancing is seen frontline. social distancing is seen as a frontline. social distancing is seen as a vital measure to restrict the virus. let's move on. we will discuss that a little bit later. we go on to spain and the situation there. spain has had its worst daily figure so far. 849 people have died in the past 24 hours, bringing the national death toll to over 8,000. hospitals in madrid have started transferring fourteen hundred patients to its conference centre which has been turned into

a makeshift hospital. across italy, towns marked a minute's silence and lowered flags to half mast to mourn almost 12,500 people who have died from coronavirus. for the second day in a row, italy registered a comparatively small rise in the number of new infections, which could mean the situation is starting to come under control. as the coronavirus pandemic continues around the world could the next hotspot be in south asia? well, yesterday india had it's highest daily number of cases so far with more than 200 people testing positive. 0verall more than 1,200 people have now done so. india's 1.3 billion citizens are also on lockdown and there have been chaotic scenes with many trying to walk back to their villages. lets get more on what this could all mean for india with pratyush rao who is associate director for the india and south

asia at control risks. thanks forjoining us. how valid are these fears that south asia could be the next hotspot? tanks for having me on the show. the official caseload is just the show. the official caseload isjust under 1400, the show. the official caseload is just under 1400, it pales the show. the official caseload isjust under 1400, it pales in comparison to what you are seeing in some of the other covid—19 hotspots, but it still represents a tenfold increase in the caseload over the last two weeks. this is not dissimilar to what some of the other countries in europe, especially, based at the beginning of their covid—19 journeys. so there is a real potential that india's trajectory is no different and it is not really an outlier when it comes to the trajectory it seems to be following. what obviously makes india and more broadly south asia a powder keg for potential surges in cases in hotspots is the fact that countries like india and bangladesh are some of the most populated countries in the world, with a high degree of

population density which makes them particularly vulnerable. how well do you think corryn measures are working? there is not a huge amount of cases in india, but the potentialfor them to increase exponentially is very high. on paper, prime minister narendra modi imposed one of the largest and most stringent lock downs on the 25th. but, you know, we have seen a 25th. but, you know, we have seen a number of people defying their home quarantines. and just over the recent days we have seen millions of migrant workers trying to go back to their villages, which obviously threatens to take these cases to rural hinterlands and spread the cases and making it much harder to detect. you talk about migrants the sort of moving out from the big cities in the capital city, there is obviously average of those photos published a few days ago, the video of migrants in

utah protest, believe that the state you're in, tell us more about that. unfortunately, you are right, the incident basically pertains to migrant workers going back to a city. when they went that you had police officers essentially spring disinfectants on them. the visuals of that caused outrage across india. it also exposes the vulnerabilities of some of india's mouris migrant workers who often live on daily wages for their sustenance —— porous. they don't have the same degree of social economic buffer that the indian medical class typically does. the potential for them getting affected by this crisis is actually quite a cute and in recent days we have seen the indian government announced a ca re indian government announced a care package of about $23 billion to try to get them through this crisis —— middle—class. more might need

to be done. so many things we could discuss, including the car ‘s issues. that is all we have got time for finau. thank you very much. that is pratyush rao joining you very much. that is pratyush raojoining us from india —— for now. stay with us on bbc news. still to come: celebration in isolation. find out how one los angeles woman got creative to make sure her boyfriend didn't feel alone on his birthday. the accident that happened here was of the sort that can at worst produce a meltdown. in this case the precautions worked, but they didn't work quite well enough to prevent some old fears about the safety features of these stations from resurfacing. the republic of ireland has become the first country in the world to ban smoking in the workplace.

from today, anyone lighting up in offices, businesses, pubs and restaurants will face a heavy fine. the president was on his way out of the washington hilton hotel, where he had been addressing a trade union conference. the small crowd outside included his assailant. it has become a symbol of paris. 100 years ago, many parisians wished it had never been built. the eiffel tower's birthday is being marked by a re—enactment of the first ascent by gustave eiffel. this is bbc news, the latest headlines: president trump has warned americans to be prepared for a hard fortnight ahead as the country's death toll surpasses china's. the british government admits it has to do more to facilitate testing for covid—19 — with only a fraction if its daily target currently being met.

in russia, the number of coronavirus cases has jumped by 500 in 24 hours — according to official government figures. the russian parliament approved a series laws aiming to slow the spread of the outbreak— including jail terms for breaking quarantine rules. and as steve rosenberg reports, there are fears that president putin may have been exposed to the virus. it began with a handshake. vladimir putin greeting dr denis protsenko one week ago to inspect the main hospital in russia for coronavirus patients. now, the doctor himself has tested positive for covid—19. he and to the president spent the whole afternoon together in close contact. "no one's safe," was the headline on russian tv tonight. "this virus has come so close to all of us now," she says, "even our president."

and russia is locking down. there'll be tough penalties here for breaking quarantine — up to seven years in prison. but for the president, for now, it's business as usual. the kremlin says there's no need to panic — the president is absolutely fine. but in a country where the whole system is built around one man, vladimir putin, any suggestion that his health may be put at risk makes those in power here very nervous. in russia, it's notjust the virus that's spreading. so is fake news about covid—19. biologist igor nikulin has been telling russian media that coronavirus could be a us biological weapon, and that the americans took out a patent for it. but where's the evidence?

but conspiracy theories cannot mask the reality — that to fight a virus, the world's largest country is shutting down. 00:20:17,409 --> 2147483051:46:53,420 steve rosenberg, 2147483051:46:53,420 --> 4294966103:13:29,430 bbc news, moscow.