Countries bolster virus defences

Governments around the world ramped up the battle against the new coronavirus yesterday by shutting borders and promising cash injections, as Italy, Spain and Iran emerged as global hotspots registering thousands of new infections and at least 335 deaths in just 24 hours.

A week that saw schools and businesses shut down indefinitely, millions of travellers barred from crossing borders, celebrities and politicians become infected and the whole of Italy locked down ended with a flurry of government announcements.

US President Donald Trump declared a national emergency and announced a $50 billion package, with similar measures being taken by governments from Austria to Canada yesterday.

The president's 30-day ban on travellers from Europe also came into effect yesterday, a day after the final planeloads of European passengers flew into Los Angeles.

Vice President Mike Pence yesterday extended the travel ban to the United Kingdom and Ireland starting at 0400 GMT Tuesday.

European nations meanwhile ramped up border controls, with foreigners forbidden from crossing into Russia from Norway and Poland. Denmark and the Czech Republic also announced stringent restrictions.

Squares and streets from Milan to Madrid were deserted as government calls to stay at home were heeded by most -- some Italians took to singing to each other from their windows to beat the social isolation, others organised rounds of applause.

Meanwhile, India yesterday declared the coronavirus outbreak in the country a "notified disaster".

In a brief two-page press release this evening the government said money from each state's Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) would be used for temporary accommodation and supply of food, water and medical care for patients and people in quarantine camps.

There are 83 confirmed COVID-19 cases in India, with at least two deaths linked to the virus. On Friday, Health Ministry officials said a further 4,000 potential cases had been identified through contract tracing and were being tracked.

India's West Bengal yesterday said all educational institutions will remain shut till March 31. However, board exams will continue as per schedule, they said.

The World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed Europe as the epicentre of the pandemic on Friday after a dramatic slump in new cases in China, where the virus first emerged in December last year.

China registered just a handful of new infections yesterday and most of the country's more than 80,000 confirmed patients have already recovered.

Attention instead has shifted to Spain, which has more than 5,753 cases (183 deaths) and Italy with more than 21,157 cases (1,441 deaths).

Iran too confirmed another huge jump yesterday to almost 13,000 cases, making it the world's third worst-affected country from a virus that has infected 151,760 people globally and killed 5,764.

Another hotspot France has reported 3,661 cases and 79 deaths.

The human cost is rapidly being matched by the economic cost -- financial markets endured a rollercoaster ride all week with spectacular losses triggered by fears of a global recession followed by huge gains after government spending pledges.

Companies announced drastic measures to help tackle the virus -- US tech giant Apple closed all of its stores outside China until March 27, with CEO Tim Cook saying he had learnt from steps taken in China.

British Airways meanwhile became the latest global firm to hint at drastic action to come, with CEO Alex Cruz telling staff to expect job losses.

Airlines have cancelled thousands of flights worldwide as COVID-19 decimates demand and countries, including the US ramp up travel restrictions, and several firms have hinted that bailouts could be required.

As economies reel and finance experts mull the impact, governments are also facing up to the public health dilemmas posed by the virus -- whether to try to stamp it out entirely with drastic restrictions or try to manage its spread.

British officials have argued for trying to flatten the curve, managing the outbreak to push the peak of the crisis to summer when hospitals will be able to cope better.

They argue this will help create "herd immunity", though experts are divided over whether there is evidence to support the theory.

"We don't know enough about the science of this virus, it hasn't been in our population for long enough," said the WHO's Margaret Harris.

Britain had resisted imposing any wide restrictions, but the media reported yesterday that a ban on large gatherings would come into force from next weekend. The legislation could see the cancellation of events such as the Wimbledon tennis tournament and the Glastonbury music festival, due to begin at the end of June.

Most other governments in affected regions have already begun to take drastic action.

Yesterday, the Philippines introduced a night-time curfew in Manila, Saudi Arabia became the latest country to ban international flights and New Zealand said international travellers would have to self-isolate on arrival.

Africa has so far been spared the worst of the illness but Rwanda declared its first case yesterday in a sign of the widening global spread.

Also widening was the impact on the sporting calendar, with football seasons curtailed, Formula One races postponed and cricket tours called off.

Japan was forced to deny claims that the Tokyo Olympics could be called off as well, after Trump said "maybe they postpone it for a year".