Coronavirus fears grow as more cases found across Europe

Virus appeared in new cases in Italy, Spain, Austria, Switzerland and Croatia

The spread of the coronavirus has accelerated across Europe with new cases in four countries and a rising death toll in Italy, which is desperately struggling to contain the outbreak.

Concern about the proliferation of cases prompted a dozen UK schools to send home pupils to self-isolate for 14 days after returning from half-term skiing trips in Lombardy.

The virus appeared in more European countries, with confirmed cases reported in Spain, Austria, Switzerland and Croatia.

Nearly £100bn were wiped off the value of Britain’s biggest companies in 48 hours, with the FTSE 100 index closing at its lowest level in a year, lowering the value of Britain’s blue-chip companies by about £35bn.

British tourists were among 1,000 holidaymakers and workers quarantined in a hotel in Tenerife after an Italian doctor and his wife tested positive for coronavirus. Austria also placed an Innsbruck hotel under lockdown when an Italian receptionist was found to have contracted the virus.

Ireland’s Department of Health called for the Six Nations rugby match between Ireland and Italy to be cancelled . The Irish Rugby Football Union has yet to confirm if the match will be cancelled or not.

The government banned the “parallel export” of two drugs – one for treating HIV, the other a malaria medication – that are being tested as potential treatments for the virus. Parallel exporting is when firms buy medicines for the UK and resell them for a higher price abroad.

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from Children | The Guardian https://ift.tt/3a6bt9S