Italy has become so overwhelmed that it’s called on its army to help transport bodies to be cremated, and sent army health workers to two cities in Lombardy — Bergamo and Lodi.

China confirmed just 34 cases, all in people who arrived in the country from elsewhere. If the news is more than a statistical blip, it would be a remarkable turnaround, and would enable the focus to shift to restarting the Chinese economy. But experts have said at least 14 straight days without new infections are needed for the outbreak to be considered over.

Singapore, Hong Kong and Taiwan have managed to keep caseloads low, but the virus continues to spread rapidly in most of the world. Our charts show the trajectory of the pandemic in various places.

Here are the latest updates and maps.

In other developments:

A new study offered some good news: Death rates in Wuhan were lower than previously thought — around 1.4 percent, instead of the previously reported 2 percent to 3.4 percent.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India is urging citizens to stay home, hoping to dissuade hundreds of thousands of Hindus from heading to the northern town of Ayodha next week for a nine-day celebration of the god Ram.

Global markets were mixed on Thursday as the United States and Europe took more steps to offset the sharp decline in their economies. Here’s the latest.

Australia will bar all foreign visitors starting Friday. Canada and New Zealand have imposed similar orders.

Russia’s coronavirus response is a chance for President Vladimir Putin to show an uneasy public that he is indispensable.

Advice: The world has changed a lot in the past few weeks. We have answers to common questions about daily life, health, money, politics, science and travel.

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