"It's okay to feel scared": countries across globe tighten steps against Coronavirus

Police officers wearing face masks patrolling at a down town street in Hong Kong on Monday (March 16). Hong Kong's Centre for Health Protection reported on Monday seven additional confirmed cases of Covid-19 (coronavirus) and two preliminary positive cases, most of which are imported cases. - AP

NEW YORK/LONDON: Bars, restaurants, theatres and cinemas were shutting down in New York, Los Angeles and other global cities to combat the coronavirus pandemic as countries tightened borders and central banks acted aggressively to cushion the economic impact.

The U.S. Federal Reserve cut interest rates, for the second time in less than two weeks, to near zero and other central banks followed suit, but stock markets and the dollar continued to tumble.