The number of worldwide coronavirus cases has continued to rise, as stock markets across the globe plunged to record lows in the face of mounting fears around the disease’s spread.
A host of countries reported their first infections on Friday, as Nigeria became the first in sub-Saharan Africa to do so.
Meanwhile, Bank of England Governor Mark Carney said Britain should prepare for a financial fallout while Wall Street endured its biggest one-day drop in nine years.
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Uefa is consulting government ministers around the continent about the threat of coronavirus to Euro 2020 and other fixtures in the football calendar, write Miguel Delaney and Tony Evans.
While the governing body is insistent the competition will kick off in Rome on June 12, sources on the political side maintain there is a definite possibility the tournament could be altered or even postponed.
Read more below:
While the governing body is insistent the competition will kick off in Rome on June 12, sources on the political side maintain there is a definite possibility the tournament could be altered or even postponed.
Read more below:
Luxury hotels on lockdown in Abu Dhabi
Two luxury hotels in Abu Dhabi have been placed on lockdown to combat the spread of coronavirus.
The measure has been introduced after two Italians in the country for the UAE Tour cycling race tested positive for the coronavirus.
Scores of fellow professional cyclists, including four-time Tour de France winner Chris Froome, have been staying at the hotels and are now isolated in their rooms.
"We are co-operating with the relevant authorities as they take precautionary measures but no diagnosis has been confirmed," a spokesperson for Crowne Plaza in Yas Island said.
The measure has been introduced after two Italians in the country for the UAE Tour cycling race tested positive for the coronavirus.
Scores of fellow professional cyclists, including four-time Tour de France winner Chris Froome, have been staying at the hotels and are now isolated in their rooms.
"We are co-operating with the relevant authorities as they take precautionary measures but no diagnosis has been confirmed," a spokesperson for Crowne Plaza in Yas Island said.
'Prepare for summer exams and assessments as usual'
Ofqual, the exam regulator for British schools, has said it is working alongside the Department of Education to manage the coronavirus situation amid concerns of how summer examinations could contribute to the spread of the disease.
"We are working closely with awarding organisations and the Department for Education to consider how to manage any particular risks to the smooth running of exams and assessments should there be a widespread outbreak of coronavirus," a spokesperson for the regulator said.
"We will update our existing guidance to reflect any specific arrangements schools and colleges should put in place if required. In the meantime, students, schools and colleges should continue to prepare for the summer exams and assessments as usual."
"We will update our existing guidance to reflect any specific arrangements schools and colleges should put in place if required. In the meantime, students, schools and colleges should continue to prepare for the summer exams and assessments as usual."
BREAKING
The World Health Organisation has upgraded the global risk of coronavirus to "very high", according to AFP.
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, chief of the WHO, has described the global outbreaks as "linked epidemics," but says there's no evidence coronavirus is spreading freely and insists "we still have a chance of containing" it.
More to follow...
Guests start to leave Tenefife hotel on lockdown
At least 23 guests left a Tenerife hotel in several small groups on Friday, four days into a 14-day quarantine imposed because of the coronavirus, Reuters is reporting. Around 700 holidaymakers remained stranded in the compound.
The Canary Islands regional government on Thursday cleared 130 holidaymakers to leave the hotel. The rest of the group will be allowed to leave in the coming hours, according to a statement from the H10 Costa Adeje Palace.
It was not clear where Friday's groups were being taken, although one bus driver told TVE television he was taking his group to the airport.
An elderly couple could be seen leaving in an ambulance. But the authorities said there have been no new cases since the virus was detected in four Italian tourists earlier this week.
Half a dozen guests, including a baby in a pram, underwent temperature scans in the back of the hotel before boarding the first minibus, a video, shot by hotel guest Christopher Betts, showed. One of the people boarding said he was from Belgium.
Spain now needs to liaise with the governments of the remaining hundreds of guests, to establish monitoring protocols before they are allowed to return home, local health authorities confirmed on Friday.
At least 23 guests left a Tenerife hotel in several small groups on Friday, four days into a 14-day quarantine imposed because of the coronavirus, Reuters is reporting. Around 700 holidaymakers remained stranded in the compound.
The Canary Islands regional government on Thursday cleared 130 holidaymakers to leave the hotel. The rest of the group will be allowed to leave in the coming hours, according to a statement from the H10 Costa Adeje Palace.
It was not clear where Friday's groups were being taken, although one bus driver told TVE television he was taking his group to the airport.
An elderly couple could be seen leaving in an ambulance. But the authorities said there have been no new cases since the virus was detected in four Italian tourists earlier this week.
Half a dozen guests, including a baby in a pram, underwent temperature scans in the back of the hotel before boarding the first minibus, a video, shot by hotel guest Christopher Betts, showed. One of the people boarding said he was from Belgium.
Spain now needs to liaise with the governments of the remaining hundreds of guests, to establish monitoring protocols before they are allowed to return home, local health authorities confirmed on Friday.
Markets remain gripped by coronavirus fears
Stocks are opening sharply lower on Wall Street, putting the market on track for its worst week since October 2008 during the global financial crisis.
US indexes fell 1.8% following steep losses in Europe and Asia. The rout is driven by fear that the virus that emerged in China will derail the global economy.
Investors continue to buy up low-risk assets like bonds, sending yields to record lows.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 463 points, or 1.8%, to 25,311. The S&P 500 lost 54 points, or 1.8%, to 2,922. The Nasdaq fell 143 points, or 1.7%, to 8,423.
Germany's DAX skidded as much as 5% before stabilizing, Tokyo and Shanghai closed 3.7% lower.
Investors had been growing confident the disease that emerged in China in December might be under control. But outbreaks in Italy, South Korea, Japan and Iran have fueled fears the virus is turning into a global threat that might derail trade and industry.
Stocks are opening sharply lower on Wall Street, putting the market on track for its worst week since October 2008 during the global financial crisis.
US indexes fell 1.8% following steep losses in Europe and Asia. The rout is driven by fear that the virus that emerged in China will derail the global economy.
Investors continue to buy up low-risk assets like bonds, sending yields to record lows.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 463 points, or 1.8%, to 25,311. The S&P 500 lost 54 points, or 1.8%, to 2,922. The Nasdaq fell 143 points, or 1.7%, to 8,423.
Germany's DAX skidded as much as 5% before stabilizing, Tokyo and Shanghai closed 3.7% lower.
Investors had been growing confident the disease that emerged in China in December might be under control. But outbreaks in Italy, South Korea, Japan and Iran have fueled fears the virus is turning into a global threat that might derail trade and industry.
Millions of Britons don’t qualify for sick pay and may have little choice but to turn up for work even if they’ve potentially been exposed, writes James Moore
'It is not something terrible'
The president of Mexico appeared to downplay the seriousness of coronavirus, saying "it isn't even equivalent to flu," as the country's second case of infection was confirmed.
Seasonal flu kills more people because it has infected far more people, but the new virus appears to have a far higher mortality rate.
In the central China city of Wuhan, where the new coronavirus first surfaced, 2 per cent to 4 per cent of patients have died, according to the World Health Organization.
But in the rest of China, the death rate has been 0.7 per cent. On average, the death rate from seasonal flu is about 0.1 per cent.
But in the rest of China, the death rate has been 0.7 per cent. On average, the death rate from seasonal flu is about 0.1 per cent.
"I repeat, according to the available information, it is not something terrible, fatal," Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said. "There shouldn't be any yellow journalism, or exaggerations, to cause a mass psychosis of fear, of terror."
That's one way to contain the spread of coronavirus...
PM told to 'get a grip' over coronavirus outbreak
Boris Johnson has been urged to "get a grip" on the coronavirus crisis amid rising fears the UK will experience an outbreak in cases similar to the ones witnessed in Italy, Iran and elsewhere across the globe.
The prime minister is under fire for waiting until next week to chair his first meeting of the Government's Cobra contingencies committee.
A No 10 spokesman said this followed the sharp increase in the number of cases of Covid-19 in mainland Europe - prompting fears it is only a matter of time before they start rising in the UK.
But Labour again accused Mr Johnson of acting as a "part-time prime minister", saying he should be taking action immediately to take control of the situation.
The prime minister is under fire for waiting until next week to chair his first meeting of the Government's Cobra contingencies committee.
A No 10 spokesman said this followed the sharp increase in the number of cases of Covid-19 in mainland Europe - prompting fears it is only a matter of time before they start rising in the UK.
But Labour again accused Mr Johnson of acting as a "part-time prime minister", saying he should be taking action immediately to take control of the situation.
Shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth said: "Our part-time prime minister needs to get a grip of this escalating situation quickly. It shouldn't take another three days for this meeting to take place."
Former chancellor George Osborne said Mr Johnson should be chairing a daily Cobra meeting, saying the public needed to know that ministers had the situation under control.
"The British Government now needs to go onto a 'war footing' with the coronavirus: daily NHS press briefings, regular Cobra meetings chaired by the PM, ministers on all major media shows," Mr Osborne, who now edits the London Evening Standard, tweeted.
First cases confirmed in Mexico
Mexico has reported its first two cases, in what are among the few confirmed instances in Latin America.
A man who had been in Italy, and showed positive in an initial test in Mexico City, went through a second test that turned up positive results early on Friday, deputy health minister Hugo Lopez-Gatell Ramirez told reporters. The man is in isolation, he added.
His case is connected to a second confirmed case in the northern state of Sinaloa, Mr Lopez-Gatell added.
"Due to the epidemiological association with the other case, it is confirmed," he told a news conference.
A man who had been in Italy, and showed positive in an initial test in Mexico City, went through a second test that turned up positive results early on Friday, deputy health minister Hugo Lopez-Gatell Ramirez told reporters. The man is in isolation, he added.
His case is connected to a second confirmed case in the northern state of Sinaloa, Mr Lopez-Gatell added.
"Due to the epidemiological association with the other case, it is confirmed," he told a news conference.
Priests in Jerusalem instructed to administer communion by hand only
Roman Catholic authorities in Jerusalem have instructed their priests to give communion by hand only, rather than placing the wafers on worshippers' tongues, and to empty holy water fonts - as precautions against the spread of the coronavirus.
The Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem announced the measures on Thursday, shortly after the start of Lent, the 40-day season that leads up to Easter. Millions of pilgrims frequent Jerusalem and other holy cities such as Nazareth and Bethlehem each year.
Archbishop Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Vatican's apostolic administrator, said in a statement that with its many visitors the Holy Land is in a "unique situation".
The guidelines include "receiving Communion by hand only", rather than placing the wafer directly on the recipient's tongue, and avoiding "having the faithful receive Communion from the chalice".
The Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem announced the measures on Thursday, shortly after the start of Lent, the 40-day season that leads up to Easter. Millions of pilgrims frequent Jerusalem and other holy cities such as Nazareth and Bethlehem each year.
Archbishop Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Vatican's apostolic administrator, said in a statement that with its many visitors the Holy Land is in a "unique situation".
The guidelines include "receiving Communion by hand only", rather than placing the wafer directly on the recipient's tongue, and avoiding "having the faithful receive Communion from the chalice".
'The outbreak is getting bigger'
The coronavirus could reach most “if not all countries”, the World Health Organisation said on Friday, after Nigeria confirmed sub-Saharan Africa’s first case.
“The outbreak is getting bigger,” WHO spokesman Christian Lindmeier told a Geneva news briefing on Friday. “The scenario of the coronavirus reaching multiple countries, if not all countries around the world, is something we have been looking at and warning against since quite a while.”
Mr Lindmeier added that the WHO was looking into reports of patients being re-infected.
“We need to carefully look at how the tests were taken, how the person was examined, if it was maybe overlooked that the person still had the virus somewhere in the residue in the body, whether they got reinfected by different means or ways," he said. "We’re not in a position to say it is possible or not to be coming back and being re-infected.
“In general, we would expect that a person who had the coronavirus infection would be immune for at least a while afterwards. But again this is something we do not yet know.”
The coronavirus could reach most “if not all countries”, the World Health Organisation said on Friday, after Nigeria confirmed sub-Saharan Africa’s first case.
“The outbreak is getting bigger,” WHO spokesman Christian Lindmeier told a Geneva news briefing on Friday. “The scenario of the coronavirus reaching multiple countries, if not all countries around the world, is something we have been looking at and warning against since quite a while.”
Mr Lindmeier added that the WHO was looking into reports of patients being re-infected.
“We need to carefully look at how the tests were taken, how the person was examined, if it was maybe overlooked that the person still had the virus somewhere in the residue in the body, whether they got reinfected by different means or ways," he said. "We’re not in a position to say it is possible or not to be coming back and being re-infected.
“In general, we would expect that a person who had the coronavirus infection would be immune for at least a while afterwards. But again this is something we do not yet know.”
Japanese Ministry of Health confirms British death
The Japanese Ministry of Health has confirmed the death of a British man on board a cruise ship in Japan.
The man is the sixth person to have died after contracting the virus aboard the Diamond Princess cruise ship, which has been quarantined in Yokohama port.
He is the first Briton to have died from coronavirus, also known as Covid-19.
He is the first Briton to have died from coronavirus, also known as Covid-19.
A spokesperson for the Foreign Office said: “We are supporting the family of a British man who has died in Japan and are in contact with local authorities. Our sympathies and thoughts are with his family at this difficult time.”
A total of 19 British nationals have been diagnosed with the illness.
A total of 19 British nationals have been diagnosed with the illness.
Iran outbreak intensifies
A total of 34 people have died from coronavirus in Iran and 388 are infected by the virus, health ministry spokesman Kianush Jahanpur announced on state television on Friday.
The vast majority of infections were in three provinces: Tehran, 128, Qom, 88, and Gilan, 65, according to a map published by the official IRNA news agency citing health ministry figures.
Iran cancelled Friday prayers in the capitals of 23 of Iran's 31 provinces because of the coronavirus outbreak.
Tehran, the national capital, and the holy cities of Qom and Mashhad were among places where authorities called off Friday prayers.
Those infected in Iran include Deputy Health Minister Iraj Harirchi and Masoumeh Ebtekar, vice president for women and family affairs.
The Islamic Republic is the only country in the Gulf region that has reported deaths from the coronavirus, which has spread from China, but people have been infected in Kuwait, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Oman.
The vast majority of infections were in three provinces: Tehran, 128, Qom, 88, and Gilan, 65, according to a map published by the official IRNA news agency citing health ministry figures.
Iran cancelled Friday prayers in the capitals of 23 of Iran's 31 provinces because of the coronavirus outbreak.
Tehran, the national capital, and the holy cities of Qom and Mashhad were among places where authorities called off Friday prayers.
Those infected in Iran include Deputy Health Minister Iraj Harirchi and Masoumeh Ebtekar, vice president for women and family affairs.
The Islamic Republic is the only country in the Gulf region that has reported deaths from the coronavirus, which has spread from China, but people have been infected in Kuwait, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Oman.
First Briton dies of coronavirus on cruise ship quarantined in Japan, reports say
A British man who was aboard the quarantined Diamond Princess cruise ship in Japan has died from coronavirus, local media reports
Romania confirms two more cases
Romania has confirmed two more cases of coronavirus since Wednesday, the country's deputy health minister has said, bringing the total number of cases to three.
"They are a 45-year-old man from the county of Maramures and a 38-year-old woman from [the western city of] Timisoara. They both tested positive for the virus," Nelu Tataru said. "They recently returned from Italy."
Romania has confirmed two more cases of coronavirus since Wednesday, the country's deputy health minister has said, bringing the total number of cases to three.
"They are a 45-year-old man from the county of Maramures and a 38-year-old woman from [the western city of] Timisoara. They both tested positive for the virus," Nelu Tataru said. "They recently returned from Italy."
Lunchtime update - here's the latest:
- The number of confirmed cases in the UK has risen to 19 after Wales identified its first infection and two new patients were found in England
- Boris Johnson has called an emergency Cobra meeting of government ministers to discuss the rapidly escalating crisis, to be held on Monday
- The Swiss government announced that it will be banning all "public and private" events with more than 1,000 people as part of continuing measures to contain the virus
- Lithuania, Belarus and New Zealand have both reported their first infections
- Germany confirmed almost 60 cases of coronavirus on Friday
- South Korea has reported 256 new cases, bringing the total number of infections to 2,022. The death toll stood at 13, unchanged from a day earlier
- The coronavirus outbreak is "getting bigger", the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Friday after Nigeria confirmed sub-Saharan Africa's first case, reiterating its warning that the virus could reach most "if not all countries"
- Stock markets across the world plummeted on Friday as analysts warned the deadly coronavirus outbreak could trigger a recession. Global stocks have seen an estimated $6 trillion wiped off their value in little over a month
- A total of 34 people have died from coronavirus in Iran and 388 are infected by the virus, health ministry spokesman Kianush Jahanpur has announced
- Mainland China, where the virus originated late last year, reported 327 new cases on Friday, the lowest since 23 January
- The Japanese island of Hokkaido is declaring a state of emergency over the rapid spread of coronavirus there.
Foreign Office criticised over 'poor communication' with Britons quarantined in Tenerife
A Briton quarantined at a coronavirus-hit hotel in Tenerife has criticised the "poor" communication from the Foreign Office.
Lara Pennington said her family have been "kept completely in the dark" at the H10 Costa Adeje Palace hotel, where at least four guests, including an Italian doctor, have tested positive for coronavirus.
The mother-of-two told BBC Breakfast that she felt quarantine provisions were not being safely managed at the four-star hotel in the south-west of the Spanish island.
On Friday morning, guests started to leave the locked-down hotel after undergoing screening for Covid-19.
Overall, 130 guests from 11 countries have been told by Spanish authorities that they can leave, because they arrived at the hotel on Monday - after those who tested positive had been taken to hospital.
"We don't have an issue with being quarantined, it's that we do not believe it is being safely managed within the hotel," Ms Pennington said.
"Obviously we've had very, very limited communication, we feel like we've been kept completely in the dark. So what we are told we're not even sure is coming from a reliable source."
Stock markets across the world plummeted on Friday as analysts warned the deadly coronavirus outbreak could trigger a recession, writes Ben Chapman.
Global stocks have seen an estimated $6 trillion wiped off their value in little over a month and there was no sign of the rout easing on Friday, with the FTSE 100 dropping 3 per cent immediately after opening. The UK's blue chip index of large companies briefly touched a three-and-a-half year low, before rallying to partially regain some of the day's losses.
Among the biggest fallers was British Airways owner International Airlines Group which saw its shares tank after warning the Covid-19 had caused a drop in demand for flights. The carrier has now lost more than a quarter of its value in less than 10 days.
Asian stock markets also plunged further on Friday after Wall Street registered its biggest single-day fall in nine years.
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