Europe on red alert for coronavirus: Greece confirms its first case, France announces its second death, Italy’s infection toll nears 400 with 12 dead and Austria quarantines a dozen people
Italy is at the heart of Europe’s coronavirus crisis, with 11 deaths and 322 cases
It has already been spread to Austria, Croatia, Switzerland, Germany and Spain
A 60-year-old French man died overnight after being rushed to a Paris hospital
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By STEPHEN MATTHEWS HEALTH EDITOR
DAILYMAIL.COM
26 February 2020
Europe is on red alert for the killer coronavirus as Greece today became the latest country to confirm a case of the deadly infection sweeping the world.
France also announced a second patient had died amid growing fears the escalating crisis in Italy will continue to spread across the continent.
Fifty more cases – including eight children – of COVID-19 have now been confirmed in Italy, taking the toll past 370. Twelve patients have died.
Almost a dozen towns have been quarantined in the northern part of the country in a desperate attempt to contain the worsening coronavirus crisis.
Cases from Italy have now been confirmed in Austria, Croatia, Germany, Switzerland, France, Greece and Spain, as well as Algeria and Brazil.
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 had rubber stamped plans to shut down schools, churches, cinemas and sports halls if there is a large outbreak of COVID-19
French officials revealed the country’s second victim – a 60-year-old teacher – had not recently travelled from either China or Italy
Dutch officials traced contacts of an infected German man who spent time in the Netherlands and found he was not contagious during his trip
Croatia recorded its second case of the coronavirus, with officials revealing the brother of the country’s first patient had been struck down
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
Austria quarantined 12 people who were in close contact with a couple who were the country’s first coronavirus cases
And Austria recorded its first suspected death from the coronavirus overnight, a 56-year-old woman from Italy – tests have yet to come back
The Rest…HERE
