Updated March 23, 2020 04:49:36

Photo: Germany has the world's fifth-highest number of coronavirus cases and the strictest rules against associating. (AP via dpa: Klaus-Dietmar Gabbert)

Germany, battling the fifth-highest number of coronavirus cases globally at 23,794, and having suffered 92 deaths, has issued a contact ban limiting interactions of more than two people, authorities say.

This story is being updated regularly throughout the day.

Monday's key moments

• Australia's case numbers at a glance
• Germany ban meetings of more than two people
• Emirates grounds its entire fleet for a week
• Billionaire bails out Africa with medical supplies
• Thailand posts biggest daily increase in cases

Germany bans meetings of more than two people

Germany's federal and state authorities have issued a contact ban limiting interactions of more than two people, but families or those living in the same house will be exempt, reports the country's press agency, DPA.

"The danger lies in the direct social interaction," North Rhine-Westphalia premier Armin Laschet told reporters.

He also confirmed there would be fines of up to 25,000 euros ($46,450) for those in breach of the new rules, while the same fine will also be imposed for those in breach of a previous two-metre social distancing rule.

These new rules will remain in place until April 19 and will be enforced by police.

Germany has the fifth-highest number of coronavirus cases globally at 23,794, based on data collated by Johns Hopkins University.

The data also shows that 266 Germans have recovered from the virus, while 92 have died.

Emirates grounds entire fleet for a week

Photo: The Dubai-based carrier had already announced the suspension of 70 per cent of its network. (AP: Kamran Jebreili)

Emirates, one of the world's biggest international airlines, will ground its entire passenger fleet this week and cut staff wages by as much as half because of the coronavirus and its impact on travel demand.

The state-owned Dubai carrier had already announced the suspension of nearly 70 per cent of its network, asked staff to go on unpaid leave and frozen recruitment as the industry faces one of its biggest ever challenges.

Breaking down the latest news and research to understand how the world is living through an epidemic, this is the ABC's Coronacast.

It will stop passenger flights by Wednesday and did not say when they would resume, though cargo flights will continue.

Emirates Group, a state holding company that includes the airline among its assets, will enforce a temporary 25 to 50 per cent reduction in basic salary for the majority of employees.

The group had 100,000 employees, including more than 21,000 cabin crew and 4,000 pilots, at end-March 2019, the close of its last financial year.

Emirates President Tim Clark, who is due to step down in June, and Gary Chapman, president of the holding group's airport and travel services company, will forgo their basic salaries for three months.

Billionaire bails out Africa

Photo: Ethiopia has promised to distribute the supplies throughout Africa. (AP: Mulugeta Ayene)

A cargo flight containing more than 6 million medical items from Jack Ma — China's richest man — arrived in Ethiopia's capital, Addis Ababa on Sunday.

Some 5.4 million face masks, 1.08 million testing kits, 40,000 sets of protective clothing and 60,000 protective face shields will be distributed to African countries in need of supplies to battle the spreading COVID-19 pandemic.

Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed last week pledged to distribute the supplies to other countries in Africa.

Mr Ma, founder of Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba, has sent similar shipments of medical supplies to countries in Asia, Europe, North America and Latin America.

Photo: Mr Ma, centre, is pictured dressed as Michael Jackson at an Alibaba staff event in 2019. (AFP: STR)

He is known for his flamboyant style, which includes throwing larger-than-life company events including lavish mass weddings — which he presides over — for his employees and their families.

The virus has been slow to reach Africa but has now spread to at least 43 of the continent's 54 countries, with more than 1,100 cases confirmed.

Thailand posts its biggest daily case increase

Photo: Thailand has closed bars, karaoke parlours, cinemas, and boxing gyms to stem the spread of COVID-19. (AP: Gemunu Amarasinghe)

Thailand has posted its biggest daily increase in confirmed cases.

On Sunday, it announced 188 new cases, bringing the country's tally to 599.

Our South-East Asia Correspondent Amy Bainbridge says Bangkok is extremely quiet, with most businesses now shut down.

Five provinces surrounding Bangkok have followed measures introduced last week that were aimed at stopping the spread of the virus.

Supermarkets and pharmacies are open, and restaurants can offer take away food.

Authorities say most of the new infections are linked to a previous cluster of cases of people who attended a boxing stadium earlier this month.

Australia's case numbers

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Australia is 1,354.

Here is a state-by-state breakdown of the cases:

• NSW: 533 (six deaths)
• Victoria: 296
• Queensland: 259
• WA: 120 (one death)
• SA: 100
• Tasmania: 22
• ACT: 19
• NT: 5

These figures come from state and territory databases of confirmed COVID-19 cases. The latest update was at 7.35pm AEDT on Sunday, March 22.

Topics: infectious-diseases-other, respiratory-diseases, covid-19, foreign-aid, health-policy, air-transport, european-union, germany, thailand, asia, ethiopia, united-arab-emirates

First posted March 23, 2020 04:48:34