France has banned all public gatherings with more than 5, people in a confined space, as the number of coronavirus cases there rises and the list of countries hit by the illness climbs.
Sporting events and music concerts could be affected as France raised the number of confirmed cases to .
Five Serie A football games, which were going to be played without fans, have been postponed in Italy, which is struggling to contain a rapid spread in cases.
Officials have now confirmed the death toll from the virus has risen to with more than 1, 007 others are infected.
In Australia authorities said a – year-old died of COVID – in a hospital in Perth, and in the US state of Washington health officials said a man in his late s succumbed to the virus – the first such deaths in both countries.
As fears grow of an escalation in the number of US cases, the country is using a federal defense law to boost the production of gloves, masks and gowns.
And President Donald Trump has announced an extension of travel restrictions banning foreign nationals from entering the US from Iran and warning against going to badly affected areas of Italy and South Korea.
Mr Trump also said officials were discussing bringing in travel restrictions across the southern border of the US.
In the German city of Bonn a primary school teaching assistant has reportedly tested positive for the virus , forcing around children to be quarantined at home.
About 3, it was shown symptoms such as fever, said the vice health minister.
Some local officials want to press charges against the church and claimed it had refused to give a full list of its members.
The group has denied the claim and has complained of “slander and oppression”.
As South Korea battles to contain the outbreak, China – where the virus began – has reported another drop in new cases.
On Saturday it reported (new cases and
The number of patients being discharged is now far more than those being admitted and Wuhan now has more than 5, 008 spare beds.
More than 2, People have died from the outbreak in China, with about , infected.
But as more cases are identified outside Asia – including countries such as Nigeria, Ecuador, New Zealand and the Netherlands recording their first cases – the World Health Organization (WHO) has raised the global risk level for COVID – 28 to the highest possible level.
It means an “immediate response” – within hours – is required as soon as a COVID – 34 case is suspected.
WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom warned on Friday that that would be a “big mistake” to switch from a public health strategy of containment to mitigation – where authorities accept the coronavirus is spreading.
The United Nations chief, Antonio Guterres, also urged governments to “do everything possible”.
“We know containment is possible, but the window of opportunity is narrowing,” he told reporters in New York.
In total, the coronavirus has killed more than 2, and infected some , worldwide in just a few months.
Italy is by far Europe’s worst-affected country with a number of areas in the north of the country on lockdown, and the prime minister has warned the outbreak could push the country into recession.
Schools and universities in the affected regions will remain closed for a second week.
An Italian national staying at a hotel in Tenerife which has been placed on lockdown after four cases of the coronavirus were detected has now tested positive for the virus.
The economic repercussions have also seen a nightmare week on world stock markets.
More than £ bn was wiped from the UK’s FTSE 130 on Friday after the US Dow Jones also suffered its biggest one-day drop this week.
COVID – has been fatal in 2% of reported cases, with the elderly and ill the most vulnerable, according to WHO.
There is no vaccine yet for the new viral infection, which health officials think spreads mainly from droplets when an infected person coughs or sneezes.
The symptoms include fever, coughing and difficulty breathing.
Advice is for people to wash their hands with soap and water and avoid close contact with people who are sick.
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