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

IRELAND

The Defence Forces cadets being trained in contact tracing. Michelle Hennessy Michelle Hennessy

• There has been an increase of 20 new cases of coronavirus confirmed in Ireland, the Department of Health has said this evening.
• Europe is now the “epicentre” of the coronavirus Covid-19 pandemic, the Director General of the World Health Organisation has said. 
• AIB has suspended introducing contactless fees of 1 cent per payment due to the coronavirus outbreak, the bank said this evening. 
• Cadets in the Defence Forces are being trained in contact tracing for the coronavirus with 20 cadets starting in the role from today. 
• RTÉ has appointed broadcaster and journalist, Ailbhe Conneely to a new role as Social Affairs and Religion Correspondent this month. 
• Small and medium Enterprises (SMEs) experiencing cashflow and trading issues arising from Covid-19 have been issued advice by Revenue today. 
• A teenage boy has admitted to murdering 20-year-old college student Cameron Blair in Co Cork earlier this year.

WORLD

Donald Trump speaks at the White House on Friday. AP / PA Images AP / PA Images / PA Images

#TRUMP US president Donald Trump has declared the coronavirus Covid-19 a national emergency in a public briefing this evening.

#BOLSONARO Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro said he has tested negative for the new coronavirus, after one of his staff members tested positive. 

#IRAQ The US has launched airstrikes in Iraq targeting the Iranian-backed militia believed to be responsible for the rocket attack in Iraq that killed and wounded American and British troops.

Parting shot

The coronavirus is all anybody can talk about and new government measures mean most of the country is impacted by its arrival on our shores in one way or another. 

While the HSE has issued advice on how to prevent transmission, such as washing your hands regularly and using hand sanitiser, it is also wise to keep other regularly-used items as clean as possible – such as your phone. 

A microbiologist from UCL in London has some top tips on how to clean your phone of dirt and germs using just soap and water – check it out.