North Macedonia and Greece became the latest countries to be struck down by the killer coronavirus as Europe remains braced for hundreds of more cases amid an escalating crisis in Italy.
Tourists who had recently visited northern Italy, the center of the continent’s heightening outbreak, were the ones blamed for the two confirmed cases in North Macedonia and Greece.
This incident means that the ten countries who all have confirmed cases of COVID-19 are caused by travelers who had spent time in Italy. The other eight countries were Austria, Croatia, Germany, Switzerland, France, Spain, Brazil, and Algeria.
According to authorities, fifty more cases of COVID-19, including eight children, have been confirmed in Italy today taking the country’s infection toll past 370. Twelve of these patients have already died while almost a dozen towns have been quarantined in the north to contain the situation.
France also announced today about a second death due to the coronavirus. The patient was a 60-year-old teacher who had not recently traveled from either China or Italy.
Austria also recorded its first suspected fatality as officials have quarantined a dozen people who came close with one of its two confirmed cases. This happened after thousands of British families traveled to Italy during the half-term break from schools last week and Easter holidays are just five weeks away.
Other developing stories about Europe’s escalating coronavirus crisis are as follows:
- Greece announced it already endorsed plans to shut down schools, churches, cinemas, and sports halls if there is a large outbreak of COVID-19
- Ireland’s Six Nations clash with Italy in Dublin has been canceled amid fears over the coronavirus
- Nice canceled the final major day of its carnival amid concerns about the deadly virus is spreading throughout Europe
- Italy’s infection toll jumped exponentially, rising from just three on February 21 to 374 patients struck down today
- The European Commission requested member states to review their pandemic plans amid fears the crisis could continue to escalate
As of today, more than 81,000 cases of the COVID-19 have been recorded across the globe, with the death toll nearing 2,800