Here are the latest updates on

from India and abroad:

Number of cases mounts to 341 in India

Prohibitory orders in Delhi, Maharashtra, Mizoram

Lockdowns in Punjab, Bihar, Karnataka

Global coronavirus infections top 300,000

Lockdown in 75 districts to be announced; train & bus services halt till March 31

First death in Afghanistan; first positive case in Gaza

Won't do indiscriminate testing: ICMR

Over 21K confirmed cases in Iran; leader denies US aide

Singapore to restrict short-term visitors

underway, PM urges people to stay indoors

Indian students seek refuge within UK mission premises

suspends all international flights

China reports first local COVID-19 case after three days

Italy's daily virus deaths climb to nearly 800

NEW DELHI: The total number of novel coronavirus cases in India rose to 341 on Sunday after fresh cases were reported from various parts of the country, the Union health ministry said. The total includes 41 foreign nationals and five deaths, the latest being reported from Maharashtra, taking the death toll in the state to two.Novel coronavirus cases in India rose to 341 on Sunday and the death toll mounted to five with the Union health ministry confirming the death of a second COVID-19 patient in Maharashtra. A 63-year-old coronavirus patient died in Mumbai on Sunday, taking the death toll in Maharashtra to two, a health official said. The total includes 41 foreign nationals and five deaths reported from Delhi, Karnataka, Punjab and Maharashtra so far.Delhi police on Sunday ordered prohibitory measures effectively banning all protests and other gatherings. Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray imposed section 144 of CrPC, which prohibits gathering of over five persons at public places, in the entire state allowing only essential services to continue. In Mizoram, section 144 of CrPC has been imposed in six districts: Aizawl, Lunglei, Lawngtlai, Kolasib, Khawzawl and Champhai for two months starting March 21, except Aizawl where it will be valid till April 10.In Punjab, chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh has ordered statewide lockdown till March 31. In Bihar, chief minister Nitish Kumar announced lockdown in all district, sub-divisional and block headquarters and municipal towns till March 31. The Karnataka government on Sunday announced shutdown of all commercial activities barring essential services in nine districts of the state including the capital city, where COVID-19 cases have been reported, till March 31 and also postponed Class XII Board exam.There are more than 300,000 declared cases of the new coronavirus around the world, according to an AFP tally on Sunday at 0900 GMT. At least 300,097 infections have been confirmed globally, including 12,895 deaths, in 169 countries and territories, according to data collected from national authorities and the World Health Organization. The figures likely reflect only a fraction of the actual number of infections with many countries only testing cases that require hospitalisation.The Centre and state governments have decided to announce a lockdown in 75 districts across the country where coronavirus cases have been reported, officials said on Sunday. It has also decided to suspend inter-state bus services till March 31. Indian railways has announced to stop passenger and sub-urban trains allowing only goods tain to continue to stay in service. As per officials, state governments will further issue orders allowing only essential services to operate in the 75 districts with confirmed COVID 19 cases or casualties. The Delhi Metro has also been discontinued till March 31.As per country's health ministry spokesperson, Afghanistan reported first death due to novel coronavirus. Meanwhile, the arrival of the coronavirus in the Gaza Strip, an impoverished enclave where the health care system has been gutted by years of conflict, raised fears on Sunday the pandemic may soon prey on some of the most vulnerable populations in the world.Addressing a press conference on Sunday Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) director-general Balram Bhargava maintained that only people who show symptoms will be tested for the novel coronavirus. Bhargava said that the easiest method for breaking the chain of transmission is to isolate the people coming from outside. "The virus is not present in the air, it can be transmitted through droplets released," he said. Bhargava explaining the nature of the virus said that 80% of the people will experience cold-like fever and they will recover. 20% may experience cough, cold, fever and some of them may be needed to be admitted to hospital. The 5% who get admitted to the hospital are given supportive treatment and in some cases, new medicines are being given."According to Health Ministry spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour, as of Sunday Iran had 21,638 confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus and 1.658 casualties. Iran now stands sixth in the world Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has also refused the US assistance to fight the virus, citing an unfounded conspiracy theory that the virus could be man-made by America. His comments come as Iran faces crushing U.S. sanctions blocking the country from selling its crude oil and accessing international financial markets. Khamenei's comments come after Chinese government spokesman Lijian Zhao tweeted earlier this month that it ``might be US army who brought the epidemic to Wuhan.Singapore will restrict short-term visitors from entering or transiting the country due to the heightened risk of the spread of the novel coronavirus as the city-state reported 47 new infections, including 39 imported cases, officials said on Sunday. The restriction to all short-term visitors will come into effect from 11.59pm on Monday, said the health ministry as the total number of new cases reached 432 in the city-state.An unprecedented shutdown commenced across the country on Sunday morning on Prime Minister Narendra Modi 's appeal for a 'Janta curfew' to help check the spread of coronavirus. As the 'Janta curfew' got underway at 7 am, people largely kept themselves indoor as part of the social distancing exercise to stop the spread of the virus and bare number of public transport vehicles plied on nearly empty roads. All markets and establishments except those dealing in essential goods and services will be closed for the day. The 'Janta curfew' will end at 9 pm. Ahead of the start of the curfew, PM Modi said, "In a few minutes from now, the #JantaCurfew commences. Let us all be a part of this curfew, which will add tremendous strength to the fight against COVID-19 menace".A group of Indian students have sought refuge within the premises of the Indian High Commission in London overnight on Saturday, demanding to be put on a flight to India despite the travel restrictions in place in view of the novel coronavirus pandemic. The group of 19 students, mostly from Telangana, have refused offers of alternate accommodation arranged with the help of Indian diaspora groups as India's ban on travellers from the UK and Europe remains in place until the end of this month.Pakistan on Saturday suspended all international flights for two weeks and curtailed train services as the coronavirus cases surged to 730 in the country after more pilgrims who returned from Iran tested positive for the deadly virus, which has turned into a major global crisis. The government in a statement said all international flights are being suspended for two weeks to curb the spread of the virus. National flag-carrier PIA however will be allowed to bring back its planes. Cargo flights will also be allowed.China reported its first domestic coronavirus case after a gap of three days as the country saw a surge in imported infections with 45 new cases and initiated stricter measures to avert COVID-19 to resurface and create a second wave of infections, health officials said on Sunday. China's National Health Commission (NHC) said that 46 new confirmed cases were reported on the mainland on Saturday, including one domestic infection transmitted by imported cases in Guangzhou. Six deaths were reported from China, including five from Hubei Province, taking the death toll in the country to 3,261.Italy on Saturday reported 793 new coronavirus deaths, a one-day record that saw its toll shoot up to 4,825 -- 38.3 percent of the world's total. The number of COVID-19 infections rose by 6,557 to 53,578, another record. The total number of fatalities in the northern Lombardy regions around Milan surpassed 3,000. It accounts for nearly two-thirds of Italy's fatalities. Italy has reported 1,420 deaths since Friday, a grim figure that suggests the pandemic is breaking through the government's various containment and social distancing measures.