A religious street preacher stands alongside protesters who are calling for greater action from the government to prevent the spread of coronavirus, outside Downing Street in London, March 16, 2020. (DOMINIC LIPINSKI / PA VIA AP)

BRUSSELS / BERLIN / NAIROBI / OTTAWA / NEW YORK / PRAGUE / LJUBLJANA / BOGOTA / WASHINGTON / MEXICO CITY / SAO PAULO / KIGALI / PARIS / ROME / YEREVAN / MOSCOW / STOCKHOLM / MADRID / MONROVIA / ZURICH / KIEV / BUDAPEST/ CAIRO / TUNIS / LONDON - British Prime Minister Boris Johnson faced a backlash on Monday over his decision to keep schools open, with angry parents keeping their children at home and complaining that other countries were doing more to stop the spread of coronavirus.

Britain has reported 1,372 confirmed cases of coronavirus and 35 deaths, fewer than in Italy, Spain and France, where schools have been shut, though the British numbers are expected to rise

Britain has reported 1,372 confirmed cases of coronavirus and 35 deaths, fewer than in Italy, Spain and France, where schools have been shut, though the British numbers are expected to rise.

Johnson’s spokesman said the scientific advice was that school closures were not a step the government should be taking at this time, but a growing number of parents are refusing to send their children to school.

In Doncaster in northern England, Suzana Ilieva has kept her six-year-old son at home since Friday, out of fear that he could transmit the virus to an elderly relative who lives with her family.

“I think the government is irresponsible and for the sake of protecting the economy is damaging people’s lives,” she said. “I made my own decision with my husband.”

In Anglesey in north Wales, Helen Wright was at home with her 10-year-old son and had asked his school to send her a home education pack.

“I do not trust government guidelines or the government over their handling of the matter,” she said.

Several teachers who spoke to Reuters reported that a larger than usual number of children were absent on Monday. They did not wish to be quoted, saying that managers had asked staff not to talk to media.

The tags #Covid19Walkout and #CloseTheSchoolsNow were both trending on Twitter in Britain. Pupils were posting photos of densely packed school corridors and staircases, saying it was impossible to follow guidelines on social distancing.

“@BorisJohnson it’s time to act!” a user called Charlotte said in one of many tweets directed at the prime minister. “We need you to take action to SAVE LIVES! Why are we the only country not doing anything? This is so frustrating.”

On parliament’s website, a petition calling on the government to shut schools and colleges had attracted more than 590,000 signatures, and numbers were rising fast. Any petition on the website that gets more than 100,000 signatures must be considered for a parliamentary debate.

In Northern Ireland, a part of the United Kingdom that shares a land border with the Republic of Ireland, a mother whose daughter suffers from underlying health problems launched an emergency legal challenge against the government’s stance.

ALSO READ: UK, Switzerland not trying to contain virus: Singapore

The education ministry said on Monday morning that the official guidance had not changed.

“Our advice to schools is to remain open unless otherwise advised by Public Health England,” a spokeswoman for the ministry said.

Some schools have already closed due to a member of staff or a pupil or a relative showing symptoms of the coronavirus, but the spokeswoman declined to say how many.

“It’s a dynamic situation. We’re not going to get into a numbers game. Some schools are opening, closing, opening again,” she said.

The education minister, Gavin Williamson, will meet school representatives later on Monday and information will be given to the public after that meeting, the spokeswoman said.

Some parents said pulling their children out of school was a difficult choice.

“I’m very much on the cusp, the key balance to strike being the likelihood that my kids could get and spread it (two of them are asthmatic) against the likelihood they could fall behind their peers educationally,” said father Gary Mark Fuller on Twitter.

The British government said on Sunday it would step up its response to the crisis, including isolating older people "in the coming weeks".

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said the government would legislate this week to force people into quarantine if they are diagnosed with the virus, and was ready to ban mass gatherings.

People gather on the banks of the Canal Saint-Martin in Paris on March 15, 2020, as cafes and restaurants are closed amid the COVID-19 outbreak. (THOMAS SAMSON / AFP)

France

France is struggling to curb the spread of the coronavirus pandemic in the country, its top health official Jerome Salomon said on Monday, as authorities consider whether to implement a partial lockdown.

Salomon expressed his regret that many Parisians had ventured out in large numbers on Sunday despite official advice to stay at home and a government shutdown on bars and restaurants around the country.

... I appeal to all French people to mobilize in the fight.

Jerome Salomon, France's top health official

“A lot of people have not understood that they need to stay at home, and this low level at which people have adhered means that we are not succeeding in curbing the outbreak of the epidemic,” Salomon told France Inter radio.

He added it would be “catastrophic” if France were to reach a stage on deciding whether to save the lives of certain patients over that of others.

READ MORE: France closes cafés as Europe tightens vise on public life

“This morning, I appeal to all French people to mobilize in the fight,” he said.

French tour operators have delayed all planned departures scheduled until March 31, a business federation said on Monday, as French authorities imposed stringent restrictions on public life to curb the spread of the coronavirus.

The tour operators federation said in a statement that departures were delayed as it was impossible to guarantee services at destination, and because of uncertainty about return.

The number of deaths in France from the coronavirus increased by more than a third on Sunday to 127 and over 5,400 have been infected.

Sources told Reuters on Sunday that France is preparing an order that would put its inhabitants under partial lockdown to combat the pandemic, a move that would tighten further restrictions on public life.

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro takes a selfie with supporters in front of the Planalto Palace, after a protest against the National Congress and the Supreme Court. In Brasilia, on March 15, 2020. (SERGIO LIMA / AFP)

Brazil, Mexico leaders slammed for snubbing virus warnings

Mexico’s health ministry reported more coronavirus cases on Sunday, urging people to maintain a “healthy distance” to avoid infection, even as the president held rallies in the country, shaking hands with and hugging dozens of people.

“It’s social distancing, it’s about distance to keep us healthy,” Ricardo Cortes, a health ministry official said at a Sunday evening news conference that announced Mexico’s tally of coronavirus infections had risen to 53 from 41 a day earlier.

Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador was seen hugging supporters and kissing their children at rallies over the weekend, while Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro took selfies with supporters and celebrated their demonstrations in major cities

Meanwhile, leftist President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador kept up his busy schedule of rallies around Mexico at the weekend, touring towns in the southwestern state of Guerrero.

Some critics and health experts expressed alarm at the sight of the president hugging supporters and kissing their children on Saturday, arguing he was setting a bad example.

ALSO READ: WHO declares virus outbreak a pandemic, seeks urgent action

On Sunday, Lopez Obrador shook hands with dozens of people at a rally in the town of Marquelia, embracing many others as they reached out to take selfies.

In Brazil, where the number of confirmed cases has reached 200, President Jair Bolsonaro took selfies with supporters and celebrated their demonstrations in major cities on Sunday, drawing criticism from congressional leaders for encouraging large gatherings that could worsen the spreading coronavirus. 

ALSO READ: Trump tests negative for virus, extends travel ban to Britain

In streaming video of the encounter from his official Facebook account, Bolsonaro said it was “priceless” to see so many public demonstrations in favor of his agenda, playing down his warnings against them in a Thursday address to the nation. 

House Speaker Rodrigo Maia called Bolsonaro’s support for the protests “an attack against public health” and Senate President Davi Alcolumbre called it “reckless to stimulate gatherings in the streets” in separate written statements.

Health Minister Luiz Henrique Mandetta echoed concerns in a separate interview with the network, reiterating that large gatherings were a mistake.

A participant, right, washes her hands with soap and water at a women's 5km fun run in the capital Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, March 15, 2020. (MULUGETA AYENE / AP)

African nations close borders, cancel flights

Tunisia’s land border with Libya has been closed due to the coronavirus, Transport Minister Anouar Maarouf said on Monday.

Tunisia, which has confirmed 20 cases of the coronavirus, has imposed restrictions on flights with some European countries and stopped sea travel.

Libya, where power is split between rival administrations in Tripoli and Benghazi, has not yet confirmed any cases of the coronavirus, but has stopped most commercial air and sea travel.

Liberia reported its first coronavirus case on Monday, a ministry official said, becoming the latest country in sub-Saharan Africa to be hit with the coronavirus.

Several African governments on Sunday closed borders, canceled flights and imposed strict entry and quarantine requirements to contain the spread of the new coronavirus, which has a foothold in at least 26 countries on the continent as cases keep rising.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa declared a national state of disaster. Measures to be taken in the country, which has recorded 61 cases, include barring travel to and from countries such as Italy, Germany, and the United States, as well as prohibiting gatherings of more than 100 people, Ramaphosa said.

In Kenya, President Uhuru Kenyatta said his government was suspending travel from any country with reported COVID-19 cases. Schools should close immediately and universities by the end of the week, he added. 

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa declared a national state of disaster, while Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta has ordered school closures and said his government was suspending travel from any country with reported COVID-19 cases

Kenya and Ethiopia have now recorded three and four cases respectively, authorities in each nation said on Sunday, two days after they both reported their first cases.

Rwanda's health minister said late on Sunday that the number of coronavirus cases in the country has risen to five from one, and included a man of Rwandese nationality with no recent history of travel.

In West Africa, Ghana will ban entry from Tuesday to anyone who has been to a country with more than 200 coronavirus cases in the past 14 days, unless they are an official resident or Ghanaian national. Ghana has recorded six cases.

President Nana Akufo-Addo said in a televised Sunday evening address that universities and schools will be closed from Monday until further notice. Public gatherings will be banned for four weeks, he said, though private burials are allowed for groups of less than 25 people.

In southern Africa, Namibia ordered schools to close for a month after recording its first two cases on Saturday.

Djibouti, which has no confirmed case of COVID-19, said on Sunday it was suspending all international flights. 

Tanzanian health authorities on Monday confirmed the first case of COVID-19, saying the patient was a female who arrived in the country from Belgium by RwandAir on Sunday.

Somalia's government on Monday announced the suspension of all international flights for 15 days starting on Wednesday over fears of the spread of the novel coronavirus as the country confirmed its first case. 

Benin health ministry also confirmed the country's first case of COVID-19 on Monday.

Algeria's state carrier Air Algerie will suspend all flights to and from France starting March 17 due to the coronavirus outbreak, state television reported on Sunday.

Egypt will halt all air traffic from its airports starting Thursday until March 31 to prevent the spread of coronavirus, Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly said on Monday.

Egypt will sanitize hotels during the closure, he said in a televised news conference, adding that tourists currently staying in the country would be able to complete their vacation.

Madbouly said Egypt’s strategic reserves of key commodities would last for months and there was no need for people to stock up.

Macron, Merkel to discuss coronavirus, borders with EU officials

French President Emmanuel Macron will discuss the coronavirus and the topic of border controls on Monday with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and leading EU officials Charles Michel and Ursula von der Leyen, said Macron's office.

The discussion between Macron and Merkel comes after Germany decided to temporarily introduce border controls on itsfrontiers with Austria, Switzerland, France, Luxembourg and Denmark from Monday to curb the spread of coronavirus.

EU chief urges open borders

European Council President Charles Michel said he had called a video conference of EU leaders on Tuesday to discuss the coronavirus and the bloc's response.

On Sunday, it was said that the European Commission on Monday would present guidelines on border measures to prevent controls designed to stem the spread of coronavirus from blocking the supply of essential goods and medical staff.

ALSO READ: WHO: Europe is new epicenter of coronavirus pandemic

The head of the EU executive, Ursula von der Leyen, said that the 27-member European Union needed to keep goods flowing across Europe without obstacles.

Von der Leyen said the EU executive was urging industry to ramp up production of protective equipment and that exports of these products outside the bloc would only be allowed with explicit authorization of EU governments.

The EU will on Monday also launch joint procurement with EU countries of testing kits and respiratory ventilators.

Also on Monday, EU finance ministers plan to agree on a coordinated economic response to the coronavirus pandemic, with the European Commission forecasting the effects of the virus could push the EU into a recession.

Austria

Austria's chancellor on Sunday banned gatherings of more than five persons and urged Austrians to self-isolate. The restrictions on public movement and gatherings will come into force on Monday, while restaurants are ordered closed from Tuesday, when new restrictions on entering the country will also take effect, a government spokesman said.

Austria, which had 800 cases and one death by 0700GMT on Sunday, also expanded its list of countries from which it restricts entry, adding Britain, the Netherlands, Russia and Ukraine. 

Cyprus

Cyprus on Sunday said it would tighten its borders to only allow people into the country with medical clearance, and would place those who do arrive in compulsory quarantine for two weeks to curb the spread of coronavirus.

Cyprus, which presently has 33 coronavirus cases reported, also announced it was suspending operations of private businesses, including retail stores, nightclubs, hotels and malls.

Czech Republic

The Czech Republic sealed off several towns on Monday to combat the new coronavirus outbreak and banned people from moving around except for work, shopping and some other limited activities until March 24.

Prime Minister Andrej Babis urged people to work from home or take holidays if possible. Public transport would remain running, he added.

The country has confirmed 298 cases of the virus as of Sunday night, a jump of 109 in a day, but no deaths.

Germany

Germany's southern state of Bavaria on Monday announced a fund worth up to 10 billion euros (US$11.21 billion) to help the region withstand the coronavirus outbreak, its premier said, declaring a state of emergency as the number of new cases continues to rise.

Separately, the southwestern German state of Baden-Wuerttemberg will halt air travel in coming days, a spokesman said on Monday.

On Sunday, Germany announced that it will close its borders with France, Austria, Switzerland, Denmark and Luxembourg from Monday morning due to the coronavirus crisis.

As of Sunday, there were 4,838 cases of coronavirus in Germany, with 12 deaths, the Robert Koch Institute for infectious diseases said. 

Greece

Greece announced on Monday it will shut all shops apart from supermarkets, pharmacies, banks, petrol stations and food delivery services, and put anyone arriving from abroad into quarantine for two weeks, to fight the coronavirus.

Greece had already canceled mass gatherings and closed bars, restaurants, playgrounds and gyms. So far the country has reported 331 confirmed cases of infections and four fatalities. Health authorities expect the number of infections to rise.

The 14 day quarantine would apply to anyone entering the country, regardless of nationality, government spokeswoman Aristotelia Peloni told reporters. The closure of retail stores will begin from Wednesday.

Athens has also banned passenger ships from Italy and barred cruise ships from docking at Greek ports.

Hungary

Hungary will close its borders for international passengers, close cultural and sports events and establishments and limit the opening hours of restaurants, Prime Minister Viktor Orban told Parliament on Monday.

All shops will be shut except food stores, pharmacies and drug stores, he said, asking those over 70 to stay at home and all events to be cancelled except for family gatherings. Restaurants must close at 3 pm.

Hungary reported its first death on Sunday, as its tally stood at 32. 

Ireland

Ireland saw 40 new cases on Sunday. The government called for the closure of all pubs and bars across Ireland as confirmed cases amounted to 169.

Italy

Italy's government is ready to intervene again, if needed, as measures approved so far are not enough to support businesses and households hit by a coronavirus outbreak, the prime minister said on Monday.

Italy had recorded 24,747 cases and 1,809 deaths by Sunday

"The approved measures are not sufficient. Damage (from the coronavirus) will be serious and widespread. A true 'reconstruction plan' will be needed," Giuseppe Conte told daily Corriere della Sera in an interview.

Modolva

The Moldovan government said on Sunday that all air and ground connection with foreign countries will be closed from Tuesday. The country has reported 12 cases.

Netherlands

The number of confirmed coronavirus infections in the Netherlands rose by 278 to 1,413, the National Institute for Public Health (RIVM) said on Monday.

The death toll rose by four to 24 from Sunday, the RIVM said.

Portugal

Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa announced on Sunday that Portugal and Spain will restrict movement of both goods and people between their borders. 

Portugal has reported 245 confirmed coronavirus cases by Sunday, while the numbers of new cases in Spain recorded 1,407, bringing the total to 7,798. 

Poland

A British soldier infected with coronavirus is in hospital in Ostroda, northern Poland, Polish state-run news agency PAP said on Monday, citing a military spokesman.

Poland has so far reported 150 cases of coronavirus and three deaths.

Russia

Russia will create a 300-billion rouble (US$4 billion) anti-crisis fund to try to shield its economy from the coronavirus shock, Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin said on Monday.

Serbia

Serbia introduced a state of emergency to halt the spread of coronavirus, its President Aleksandar Vucic said on Sunday.

The country, which has so far reported 46 cases of infection, said foreigners won't be allowed to enter Serbia except Chinese doctors who were asked to come and help treat patients, while all returnees will be quarantined no matter where they are from. 

Slovenia

Slovenia has announced new measures which will take effect on Sunday midnight, as the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases rose to 219 in the country and one person died. 

According to the government decree, commercial accomodation, bars and restaurants, cultural institutions, as well as places of public entertainment will be temporarily closed from Sunday night. 

The government also decided to suspend public transport from Sunday midnight and indefinitely extend the previous decree on the closure of all educational institutions.

Spain

The regional leader of Spain’s Catalonia, Quim Torra, said on Monday that he had tested positive for the coronavirus and that he was going into self-isolation in a government building.

Spain's Transport Minister Jose Luis Abalos said that it was "obvious" that measures imposed to restrict the spread of coronavirus in Spain would have to be extended beyond the planned 15 day period.

Abalos said it remained to be seen which measures would be prolonged.

Separately, Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska said that losing Spain's borders was among the options under consideration to help stem the coronavirus outbreak, adding that he would discuss the potential border closure alongside other measures with fellow EU ministers.

Spain’s Basque Country has decided to postpone regional elections originally scheduled for April 5 because of the coronavirus emergency, a spokesman for the Basque region government said on Monday.

The main political parties in the region agreed with the regional leader to reschedule the polls after the current state of emergency has been lifted, according to Spanish newspaper ABC.

Spain’s police have requisitioned 150,000 surgical masks from a factory in the southern city of Jaen to supply health services, the Civil Guards police force said in a statement on Monday.

Some 86,000 of the masks were transferred to Madrid’s Infanta Sofia hospital on Sunday night with the remainder set to be delivered on Monday morning, the Civil Guard said.

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases rose to 7,753 in Spain by 14:00 on Sunday, an increase of more than 1,500 cases in 24 hours. The death toll jumped to 291, while 517 have recovered.

Sweden

The Swedish government on Monday presented a package of measures worth more than 300 billion Swedish crowns (US$30.94 billion) to support the economy in the face of the coronavirus pandemic.

The package included measures such as the central government assuming the full cost for sick leave from companies through the months of April and May, as well as the brunt of the cost for temporary redundancies due to the crisis.

Switzerland

Switzerland canceled a session of its national parliament, the government held crisis talks and the Swiss stock market plunged on Monday as new coronavirus cases accelerated.

A reported rise of some 840 new infections on Sunday brought total cases in Switzerland and neighboring Liechtenstein to 2,200, a jump of more than 50 percent in a single day. Of the total cases, 1,563 are confirmed.

Ukraine

Ukrainian cities announced shutdowns on Monday to contain the spread of the coronavirus and the government said it had cracked down on attempts to smuggle face masks abroad after 50,000 of them alone were seized from a car on the Polish border

The capital Kiev announced the closure of bars, restaurants, cafes and shopping malls and said people’s movement to other towns should be restricted as much as possible. Other towns and cities including Lviv and Odessa passed similar measures.

Offices in Kiev remained open but the government has encouraged companies to allow their employees to work from home and said it might soon ban gatherings of more than 10 people.

“We understand that this is a nuisance for city dwellers and a loss for business. But it is necessary and temporary. Profits and money are important. But people’s health and lives are paramount!” Kiev mayor Vitali Klitschko said in a statement.

Ukraine has recorded five cases of the coronavirus, including one death. It earlier shut schools, announced a ban on the entry of foreign nationals and will ban passenger flights and trains to and from the country from Tuesday.

Other parts of Europe

Belgium recorded 197 new COVID-19 infections, total now at 886. Finland saw 30 new ones, total now at 241. Malta has 21 new cases.

“Many children think it is scary,” Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg told a news conference, at her office, dedicated to answering children’s questions about the pandemic.

“It is okay to be scared when so many things happen at the same time.”

Japanese tourists wear face masks as they sit and chat in Times Square in New York, March 15, 2020. (WONG MAYE-E / AP)

US

A staff member in US House Representative David Schweikert's Washington D.C. office has tested positive for COVID-19, US political news website The Hill reported Sunday.

Separately, a US sailor aboard a warship ship tested positive for the coronavirus for the first time, the US Navy said on Sunday, as it disclosed the case of a sailor assigned to an amphibious assault ship.

Bars, restaurants, theatres and movie houses in New York and Los Angeles were ordered to shut down.

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio also said the city's public schools will close starting on Monday. 

US officials have recorded nearly 3,000 cases and 65 deaths, up from 58 on Saturday.

READ MORE: US declares national emergency, freeing US$50b in funds

Canada

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Sunday would not rule out closing borders to combat a coronavirus outbreak, while the chief medical officer said time was running out to prevent a spike in cases.

At least 313 Canadians have tested positive and one person has died. Ontario, the most populous province, saw its largest daily increase so far of 38 new cases, which now total 142.

The Liberal government will soon announce a major stimulus package to help those hit by the outbreak. 

South, Central American nations tighten borders

Guatemala logged its first fatality from coronavirus on Sunday as nations in South and Central America ramped up measures to contain the infection, with Panama banning entry of non-resident foreigners and Honduras closing its borders to passenger traffic for a week.

Argentina will close its borders for 15 days to non-residents, President Alberto Fernandez said in a televised press conference, adding that public and private school classes would also be suspended until March 31. National parks would be closed.

Peruvian President Martin Vizcarra said later on Sunday that Peru would also close its borders, suspending air and sea transport. He called on citizens to self-quarantine for 15 days to help slow the infection.

Panama's Health Minister Rosario Turner said the number of confirmed cases in the nation rose to 55 from 43 on Saturday.

From 11.59 pm on Monday night, only Panamanians and foreign residents would be allowed to enter Panama, security minister Juan Pino said alongside Turner at a news conference.

Panama has ordered communal areas in hotels, discos, bars, and casinos and elsewhere closed, as well as shops in the country to be shut except supermarkets, pharmacies and medical centers. In addition, Panama has suspended elective surgical procedures and limited hospital visits by outpatients, Turner said.

On Sunday, Honduran police moved people off beaches and out of shops and cafes to enforce an order issued by the government on Saturday to prohibit gatherings of more than 50 people.

President Juan Orlando Hernandez said in a televised address that from one minute before midnight on Sunday, the country's borders would be closed for a week to all traffic, aside from the movement of goods.

All businesses in Honduras with a few exceptions including supermarkets, pharmacies, medical centers, hotels, gas stations and banks would be closed for the time being, Hernandez added.

Costa Rica's government has ordered the closure of all bars and discos as the tally of coronavirus infections in the country rose to 35, the health ministry said on Sunday.

The Dominican Republic will from Monday morning suspend all flights from Europe and the arrival of all cruise ships for a month, the government said late on Saturday.

The government said people who had visited countries including Europe, South Korea and Iran during the past two weeks will be isolated in quarantine upon arrival in the Dominican Republic, which has reported 11 cases.

The authorities also banned foreign travel by government officials, and ordered military doctors to take charge of epidemiological surveillance in ports and airports.

Colombia will block entry to travellers who are not residents or citizens, and classes at public schools and universities will be canceled from Monday, President Ivan Duque said on Sunday.

Colombian citizens and foreign residents who arrive from March 16 will be required to perform an obligatory 14-day period of self isolation, Duque said on Twitter, while educators will start planning for students to study at home.

The Andean country’s tally had risen to 34 cases by Sunday.