Europe now ‘epicenter’ of coronavirus pandemic: WHO

The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that Europe is now the “epicenter” for the global coronavirus pandemic, and is reporting more daily cases than China did at the height of its outbreak.

“Europe has now become the epicenter of the pandemic,” WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in a virtual press conference.

He described the more than 5,000 deaths worldwide as “a tragic milestone.”

Dr. Tedros said any country that looks at the experience of other countries with large outbreaks and thinks that would not happen to them was making a deadly mistake.

He said funds will be raised and used to coordinate a response, buy masks, gloves, gowns, and goggles for health workers, buy diagnostic kits, and invest in research and development.

The EU health agency has warned the risk is so high that healthcare systems in the bloc will be overwhelmed.

Italy clocked 189 new deaths yesterday — and more than 15,000 total infections — while Spain’s infections neared 3,000, with more than 80 fatalities.

Italy has ordered the closure of all stores except pharmacies and food shops in a move that has emptied world-famous tourist sites in Rome, Venice, and Florence.

Four towns in Spain’s northeastern Catalonia region were put under quarantine on Thursday, a first in the country.

France has announced it would close all schools nationwide and urged people over the age of 70 to stay home.

Slovakia and the Czech Republic banned travelers from a host of countries yesterday.

Other countries in the region readied for the worst, including Britain, which said the real number of cases on its soil could reach 10,000. It has 590 confirmed cases.

US sanctions condemned amid Coronavirus crisis

EU lawmakers accuse the United States of exacerbating the Coronavirus crisis through sanctions Washington is imposing on nations around the world.

As the crisis deepened in Europe, China, where more people have been infected than anywhere else in the world, appeared to be making headway against the outbreak.

Eleven people died in China yesterday — bringing the toll there to 3,169 deaths — the lowest daily increase since late January.

EU growth may fall ‘considerably below zero’

An EU official, meanwhile, warned that growth in the eurozone and across the EU would fall below “and potentially considerably below” zero in 2020.

Stock markets nosedived yesterday, with London, Paris, and Frankfurt recording their worst day in decades as fears mounted of a global economic slowdown.

On Friday, European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen unveiled a raft of economic measures meant to protect the economy of the hardest-hit Italy.

Von der Leyen’s intervention followed several days of criticism for the EU’s lack of collective response, which was most exposed by a series of border closures among partner member states.

The commission’s firepower to save Rome and others is limited and would mainly involve reallocating unused EU spending, as well as giving governments a free pass to bail out businesses.

Brussels would also loosen rules on running high public debt and deficits, a sensitive topic for financially overstretched Italy.

Von der Leyen said member states would receive “maximum flexibility” to boost spending beyond the legal limits, a promise that will also help France and Belgium, both chronic overspenders.

Countries “should feel comfortable to take all the necessary measures,” she said.

All eyes now are on a meeting Monday of EU finance ministers, who between them have the financial muscle to earn respect on markets that have been punished by the virus fallout.

(Source: AFP)

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