Morning Report for Wednesday 18 March 2020

6:06 AM.New Zealand Rugby has revealed its working on a domestic competition featuring the five New Zealand Super Rugby teams. Read more Audio

6:12 AM.Schools, restaurants and non-essential businesses have closed in Germany, while holiday travel is now prohibited and borders are partially closed.

Germany correspondent Thomas Sparrow speaks to Corin… Read more Audio

6:16 AM.President Emmanuel Macron says France is at war with the coronavirus.

The country is now in lockdown for the next 15 days under the toughest restrictions in Europe.

If you do need to leave the… Read more Audio

6:20 AM.A brief update from the business sector. Read more Audio

6:22 AM.News from the rural and farming sector. Read more Audio

6:40 AM.The Government is promising to keep spending as and when required to get New Zealand through a recession that's now almost certain.

Yesterday the Finance Minister Grant Robertson announced a $12.1… Read more Audio

6:45 AM.A Wellington business owner says the government handout for businesses struggling with the impacts of Covid-19 is the "perfect" package.

Michael Hollings owns four hospitality businesses in the… Read more Audio

6:48 AM.Many beneficaries and superannuitants are over the moon with the extra money they're getting from the Covid-19 economic package.

The country's poorest and elderly are the two groups most vulnerable… Read more Audio

6:50 AM.A 12th case of Covid-19 has been confirmed.

Hospitals are now looking at using operating theatres to boost the number of intensive care beds if Covid-19 hits the country hard.

Nationwide, there are… Read more Audio

6:53 AM.News from the business sector, including a market report. Read more Audio

7:06 AM.New Zealand Rugby is working on a domestic competition to replace the suspended Super Rugby tournament, despite postponing all club and community rugby for a month. Read more Audio

7:10 AM.Governments worldwide are making cash injections to stave off the worst effects of the economic hit from attempts to contain Covid-19.

President Donald Trump wants to pump US$850 dollars into the US… Read more Audio

7:14 AM.A public health expert believes the Government should be doing more - and should close all schools and cut public transport now.

Professor Michael Baker is from the Department of Public Health… Read more Audio

7:17 AM.The government is promising to keep spending as and when required to get New Zealand through a recession that's now almost certain.

It says its $12.1 billion economic package to support businesses… Read more Audio

7:21 AM.Government is promising to keep spending as and when required to get New Zealand through a recession that's now almost certain.

It says its $12.1 billion economic package to support businesses and… Read more Audio

7:29 AM.The National Party leader is accusing the Government of getting its priorities wrong in its emergency economic package.

Simon Bridges says the Covid-19 package puts money in the pockets of… Read more Audio

7:41 AM.A Dunedin family has gone into isolation for two weeks as they anxiously wait to find out if more people at Logan Park High School may be infected with coronavirus.

The school is closed today and… Read more Audio

7:50 AM.Elderly living in rest homes around the country are facing the prospect of not being able to leave their villages for outings.

Visitors are also likely to be more limited, except for those who are… Read more Audio

7:53 AM.Club and community rugby has been cancelled until next month due to coronavirus.

School Sports New Zealand has also suspended all events on its national calendar.

Both School Sports NZ and New… Read more Audio

7:57 AM.Kicking a tennis ball around the living room, watching Netflix, wiping down the communal fridge door handle.

All things our reporter Max Towle is doing as he stays isolated after returning from… Read more Audio

8:06 AM.Sanzaar rugby officials have confirmed that they are looking at a regionalised version of Super Rugby. Read more Audio

8:10 AM.Hospitals are planning to cancel operations and convert theatres to intensive care units if needed to keep people alive in a Covid-19 outbreak.

Some intensive care wards in countries like Italy have… Read more Audio

8:14 AM.Doctors will be able to test more people for Covid-19 and keep people safe at their clinics thanks to a boost from the government.

A cash injection of $500 million will mean those who need tests can… Read more Audio

8:17 AM.Schools and universities are figuring out how to teach students from home if they are shut down because of the Covid-19 virus.

They say it is not easy to set up an online course and one Wellington… Read more Audio

8:20 AM.Instead of scaremongering, people in Canada are 'caremongering' - spreading acts of kindness.

It started with one Facebook group and has grown like topsy.

Canada correspondent Laura McQuillan speaks… Read more Audio

8:25 AM.The Student Army is mobilising to help people who are staying in isolation due to the coronavirus or who are struggling with loneliness during social distancing.

The Welly Student Volunteer Army has… Read more Audio

8:35 AM.Logan Park High School in Dunedin is closed today and tomorrow after a student tested positive for Covid-19 - the country's 12th case.

The teenager is one of two family members tested after his… Read more Audio

8:38 AM.House sales could grind to a halt as a recession from the coronavirus outbreak edges closer.

Economists and real estate agents are predicting a drop in prices and sales over the next six months as… Read more Audio

8:42 AM.Fonterra has delivered its interim financial year results.

Gyles Beckford speaks to Susie Ferguson about it. Read more Audio

8:44 AM.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… Read more Audio

8:48 AM.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… Read more Audio

8:51 AM.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… Read more Audio

8:55 AM.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… Read more Audio