Morning Report

The Telecommunications Users Association says people need to make sure their home IT is up to date and fit for purpose as the growing threat from Covid-19 takes grip.

It's expected more and more people may have to work from home either because they have to self-isolate or need to as companies restrict the number of people working closely together in offices.

TUANZ says it believes providers are ready for the extra demand Covid-19 will place on infrastructure.

CEO Craig Young told our reporter Andrew McRae that even though companies have been trialling working remotely, it's now becoming a reality as people either chose to do it or are forced to.

An immigration adviser is challenging the Government's travel restrictions, under which visitors from China are still completely banned.

Harris Gu says there is no basis for allowing European travellers to arrive and self-isolate, while maintaining the bans on people coming from China and Iran.

RNZ immigration reporter, Gill Bonnett, has more.

The deputy prime minister says the 80,000 New Zealanders overseas need to hurry up if they want to get home before flights start grinding to a halt in response to Covid-19.

On woman RNZ spoke to is working at a winery near Melbourne and wasn't planning to come home until Easter.

She told RNZ reporter Katie Scotcher that she has rheumatoid arthritis and takes immuno suppressants, so she started re-thinking her plans.

Super Rugby sides the Crusaders and Chiefs have entered voluntary self-isolation, choosing to follow .New Zealand Government guidelines around the coronavirus

New Zealanders can expect tougher restrictions on gatherings being put in place today. Globally the number of coronovirus cases passes 200-thousand. Researchers say covid-19 cases here won't peak until August. And after yesterday's pause world markets fall again.

It's St Patricks' Day in Ireland, but the streets are empty and all of the pubs are closed.

Parades were called off too as part of efforts to stop the spread of Covid-19.

Ronan McGreevy is an Irish Times journalist.

Dozens of volunteers have been working to nurse back to health gulls that survived a mass poisoning near Wellington this month.

About 150 black-backed gulls have been found dead on beaches from Kapiti to Manawatu.

What killed them is still not known.

Hamish Cardwell went to the animal sanctuary in Wellington's Ohariu Valley to see how the survivors are getting on.

A new emergency mental health team in Wellington aims to keep people out of hospital beds and police cells if they don't need to be there.

The 12 month trial, launched yesterday, is a joint effort from Wellington Free Ambulance, Capital and Coast DHB and the local police.

It comes more than two years after Labour scrapped a National party plan for similar teams to be introduced around the country.

Rachel Thomas was at the launch.

Struggling Chinese businesses in Auckland hit hard by the coronavirus are hoping to get a slice of the government's massive wage subsidy package.

Employers who can prove their revenue has dropped by 30 percent can get $585 a week for evety full time worker and $350 for part-timers.

The subsidy is available for 12 weeks.

Reporter Chen Liu has been checking out the restaurant scene on Dominion Road.

Fonterra has delivered its interim financial year results.

Gyles Beckford speaks to Susie Ferguson about it.