NEED TO CATCH up? TheJournal.ie brings you a round-up of today’s news.

IRELAND 

Media briefing at Department of Health in Dublin this evening. Sam Boal / RollingNews.ie Sam Boal / RollingNews.ie / RollingNews.ie

• There been an increase of 39 new cases of coronavirus confirmed in Ireland and one male in the east of the country has died. 
• The US announced that Ireland and the UK is now to be included in the travel ban issued to European countries earlier this week. 
• The Irish government is now advising against non-essential travel to the Czech Republic, Cyprus, Denmark, Malta, Poland and Slovakia. 
• A male pedestrian in his 40s was killed in a road crash in Co Louth this afternoon. 
• Brittany Ferries announced that it is cancelling or scaling back its sailings until the beginning of April due to the coronavirus outbreak across Europe. 
• The HSE said it is working to ensure “sufficient testing facilities” are in place by Monday for the Covid-19 coronavirus following “high demand” in recent days. 
• Ryanair cancelled all flights to and from Poland for the rest of the month in response to the country’s ban on all foreign travellers from entering the country.

THE WORLD 

People singing on their balconies in Milan during coronavirus lockdown. SIPA USA / PA Images SIPA USA / PA Images / PA Images

#ITALY: The country reported its biggest day-to-day jump in the number of infected cases of Covid-19.

#RUSSIA: President Vladimir Putin has signed a law on constitutional changes that could keep him in power for another 16 years.

#CLOSING THE GATE: Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates said he is stepping down from the company’s board to focus on philanthropy.

PARTING SHOT

As Italy ends its first week in lockdown the country’s airforce boosted morale with this rousing display. 

Whoops!

We couldn't find this Tweet