Europe is on red alert for the killer coronavirus as France today confirmed a second death amid fears the escalating crisis in Italy could continue to spread.
Officials said a 60-year-old French man died overnight after being rushed to a Paris hospital in a serious condition - the first victim was an elderly Chinese tourist.
Thirty more cases - including six children - have been confirmed in Italy, taking the country's toll past 350. Only three cases had been recorded on February 21.
At least eleven towns have been quarantined in the northern part of the country a desperate attempt to contain the crisis.
Infected patients have already spread the coronavirus from Italy to Austria, Croatia, Switzerland, Germany, France and Spain, as well as Algeria in northern Africa and Brazil in South America.
It comes after thousands of British families jetted to Italy during the half-term break from schools last week and Easter holidays are just five weeks away.
More than 81,000 cases of the COVID-19 - the disease caused by the coronavirus - have been recorded across the world, with the death toll nearing 2,800.
In other developments to Europe's escalating coronavirus crisis:
- Greece announced it has rubber stamped plans to shut down schools, churches, cinemas and sports halls if there is an outbreak of COVID-19
- Dutch officials feared an outbreak after an infected German man spent time in the Netherlands - but a probe found he was not contagious during his trip
- Croatia recorded its second case of the coronavirus, with the brother of the country's first patient being struck down
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Italian health officials today confirmed the outbreak had worsened, with 30 new cases confirmed in the two worst-hit regions – Lombardy and Veneto.
Officials in Lombardy, which includes Milan, said cases had risen overnight to 259 from 240, with six children, including a four-year-old girl, infected.
In neighbouring Veneto, the number of people confirmed to have caught the virus was 58, an increase of 13 on the previous day's tally.
All eleven of the patients in Italy who have died so far have been elderly and most had underlying health problems.
After first emerging in Lombardy and Veneto, the coronavirus has now spread to seven other regions, including Sicily in the far south. More than 350 cases have been recorded across the country.
In bid to halt the outbreak, authorities have shut schools, universities, museums, cinemas and theatres across much of the north.
Many countries have advised their nationals not to visit and hoteliers have reported a wave of cancellations, putting the local tourism industry at threat.
source : DailyMail
