While authorities in China, where the outbreak began, have declared it "basically curbed", cases are multiplying around the world, sparking panic buying in shops, and wild swings on financial markets.
The seemingly relentless spread of the virus has now claimed its first victim in Central America, with a 64-year-old man dying in Panama on Tuesday. Indonesia also reported its first death.
China remains the hardest-hit overall with more than 80,000 cases and 3,000 deaths, out of a global total of 117,339 cases and 4,251 fatalities in 107 countries and territories, according to an AFP tally.
Beijing reported an increase in imported cases Wednesday, fuelling concerns that infections from overseas could undermine its progress in halting the spread of the virus.
Nevertheless, some companies in Wuhan, the Chinese city where the virus emerged late last year, are to be allowed to return to work -- a sign things are gradually returning to normal.
Coronavirus is infecting all walks of life, including politics, with US Democratic presidential hopefuls Bernie Sanders and Joe Biden both cancelling campaign rallies and British health minister Nadine Dorries saying she had tested positive.
And amid criticism of the US authorities' response, New York deployed the National Guard for the first time during the crisis to help contain the spread of the disease from an infection-hit suburb.
The Bank of England on Wednesday slashed its main interest rate to 0.25 percent in an emergency move to combat the fallout from the coronavirus outbreak on the UK economy.
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