Spain’s La Rioja region orders schools shutdown
Spanish wine-growing region La Rioja ordered all schools to close down in a bid to slow the spreading coronavirus, a local health authority’s spokeswoman said on Tuesday.
Austria takes additional measures
Austria has banned entry for Italians while Chancellor Kurz says they are encouraging companies to introduce teleworking. Austria is also banning indoor events of more than 100 people and outdoor events of more than 500 in a bid to slow the spread of the coronavirus, Interior Minister Karl Nehammer said
Kazakhstan adds Italy, France, Germany, Spain to travel ban list
Kazakhstan has barred entry to travellers from Italy over coronavirus and is adding France, Germany, and Spain to the list from March 12, chief sanitary doctor Zhandarbek Bekshin said on Tuesday.
The Central Asian nation bordering China has so far reported no cases on its territory.
Air traffic to Denmark from coronavirus hotspots to be suspended – Danish PM
All air traffic to Denmark from areas severely hit by coronavirus, will cease later on Tuesday, Denmarks Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said.
“Effective from later today all air traffic to Denmark from red areas will be suspended,” Frederiksen said, referring to areas hard hit by the coronavirus such as Northern Italy, Iran and South Korea.
Serbia shuts borders for people from coronavirus-affected countries
Serbia closed its borders on Tuesday for travellers from countries most affected by the coronavirus outbreak to prevent spreading of the disease, the government said in a statement.
Japan unveils $4 bln coronavirus package
Japan unveiled on Tuesday a second package of measures worth about $4 billion in spending to cope with the fallout of the coronavirus outbreak, focusing on support to small and mid-sized firms, as concerns mount about risks to the fragile economy.
The package, totalling 430.8 billion yen ($4.1 billion) in spending, shows how much pressure policymakers are under to bolster fragile growth and stem the risk of corporate bankruptcies, as event cancellations and a slump in tourism threaten to hit the broader economy hard.
Israel said it will require anyone arriving from overseas to self-quarantine
Israel said it will require anyone arriving from overseas to self-quarantine for 14 days as a precaution against the spread of coronavirus, at Ben Gurion in Lod, near Tel Aviv
Budget airline easyJet cancels Italian flights
European budget airline easyJet has cancelled the majority of its flights to and from Milan, Venice and Verona after the whole of Italy was placed under lockdown until next month to tackle coronavirus.
Customers will have the opportunity to rebook or get a refund, it said on Tuesday.
Wizz Air suspends all flights to Italy, Israel over coronavirus
Wizz Air has suspended all flights to Italy and Israel after the two countries announced moves to try to beat Europe’s worst outbreak of coronavirus, the low-cost carrier said on Tuesday.
Flights to and from Italian airports will be cancelled from March 10 until April 3 and flights serving Israel’s Tel Aviv and Eilat will be suspended from March 12 until March 23, the company said.
Polish president calls off big election rallies due to coronavirus
Polish President Andrzej Duda has said he will not organise large campaign meetings in a bid to stop the spread of coronavirus, raising questions over how the outbreak will affect the election due in May.
Czech Republic closing schools, banning events to fight coronavirus spread
The Czech Republic will suspend schools other than universities from Wednesday, and ban events hosting more than 100 people, as the government steps up measures to contain the spread of the new coronavirus, Prime Minister Andrej Babis said on Tuesday.
Moldova bans foreigners on all flights from countries with coronavirus
Moldova has banned all foreigners from entering by plane from any country affected by the coronavirus.
The ban took effect on Tuesday, three days after the eastern European state reported its first coronavirus case.
Announcing it late on Monday, Prime Minister Ion Chicu said the country could not completely ban flights, but that only Moldovan citizens would be permitted to board planes departing for Moldova from virus-infected countries.
Malta halts all passenger travel with locked-down Italy
Malta has stopped all travel links with Italy, its nearest neighbour and main source of food and other essentials, after confirming its fourth coronavirus case since Saturday, Prime Minister Robert Abela said on Tuesday.
Russia tells people not to use public transport at rush hour amid virus fears
Russia’s consumer safety watchdog recommended on Tuesday that people avoid public transport, shopping malls and other public places at rush hour as a precaution against the coronavirus, the RIA news agency reported.
Austria recommends citizens return home from Italy
Austria advised citizens to return home from Italy, its southern neighbour that plans a nationwide lockdown until next month in a new attempt to beat the coronavirus in Europe’s worst-affected country.
Mongolia and Panama confirm its first coronavirus cases
Mongolia said on Tuesday that a French national working in the country has been confirmed to be infected with the coronavirus that has spread throughout the globe, marking the country’s first case.
A 40-year-old women in Panama has tested positive for coronavirus, the country’s health minister said marking the first such case in the Central American nation.
Emaar halts bookings at three Dubai hotels as coronavirus hits demand
Emaar Properties’ hospitality division will stop taking bookings at three hotels in Dubai for more than five months from March 15, a company document seen by Reuters said, in a sign of the coronavirus impact on travel demand.
Gates, other charities pledge $125 mln towards COVID-19 treatments
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and two other large charities on Tuesday pledged up to $125 million to help speed the development of treatments for the fast-spreading coronavirus, which the World Health Organization said on Monday was nearing pandemic proportions.
Trump vows ‘major’ steps to aid U.S. economy amid coronavirus rise
President Donald Trump on Monday said he will be taking “major” steps to gird the economy against the impact of the spreading coronavirus outbreak and will discuss a payroll tax cut with congressional Republicans on Tuesday.
PSG cut media access for Dortmund game to minimum over coronavirus
Media access for Paris St Germain’s Champions League last-16 return leg against Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday has been cut to the bare minimum over coronavirus concerns, the French club said.
REUTERS