Medical staff work at one of the emergency structures that were set up to ease procedures at the Brescia hospital, northern Italy, March 16, 2020. (LUCA BRUNO / AP)BRUSSELS / PARIS / LIMA / ASUNCION / SAN SALVADOR / LONDON / WASHINGTON / ATHENS / DUBLIN / VALLETTA / KIEV / JUBA / ROME / ZURICH / BUDAPEST / BERLIN / LAUSANNE / TBILISI -  A World Health Organization official said on Tuesday that two staff members have been confirmed to be infected with the coronavirus.

"The staff had left the office and then at home showed symptoms and were confirmed with COVID-19," WHO spokesman Christian Lindmeier told journalists, referring to the official name of the disease caused by the virus. "We do therefore have two confirmed cases."

Hospitals in Italy, Switzerland under strain as virus spreads

A top health official in Switzerland and doctors in Italy have flagged that hospitals in the two countries are under strain as the new coronavirus keeps spreading.

“The virus is among us, now we have do our utmost that it does not spread further. Too many are infected and if this goes on hospitals will collapse,” Daniel Koch, head of infectious diseases at the federal health agency, told SRF radio.

The virus is among us, now we have do our utmost that it does not spread further. Too many are infected and if this goes on hospitals will collapse.

Daniel Koch, Head of infectious diseases at the federal health agency, Switzerland

Switzerland mobilized up to 8,000 members of the military on Monday and banned all public and private events after declaring the coronavirus outbreak an “exceptional” emergency that demanded more radical measures.

The country was also expanding border checks with Germany, France and Austria. Only Swiss citizens and residents and people travelling to Switzerland for business can enter the country.

More than 2,330 people have tested positive for coronavirus so far in Switzerland, and at least 14 people have died.

Bottlenecks in processing test results were an issue, he said. Authorities were already running more than 2,000 tests a day.

“We will do more testing in Switzerland as soon as we can but the virus doesn’t wait for it to be tested. Hospitals are seeing a leap in sick people and that is an alarm signal.”

READ MORE: 'Test, test, test': WHO chief's coronavirus message to world

In Italy, doctors have warned that northern Italy – where the universal healthcare system is ranked among the world's most efficient – is a forerunner of crises that the disease is bringing around the world.

The outbreak, which hit the northern regions of Lombardy and Veneto first, has crippled the local network of hospitals, putting their intensive care units under colossal strain.

Over three weeks, 1,135 people have needed intensive care in Lombardy, but the region has only 800 intensive care beds, according to Giacomo Grasselli, head of the intensive care unit at Milan's Policlinico hospital, which is separate from San Donato. Grasselli coordinates all the state-run intensive care units across Lombardy.

The death toll from the coronavirus in Italy has risen in the last 24 hours by 349 to 2,158, an increase of 19.3 percent, the Civil Protection Agency said on Monday.

The total number of cases in Italy, the European country hardest hit by the virus, rose to 27,980 from a previous 24,747, up 13 percent, the slowest rate of increase since the contagion first came to light on Feb 21.

The Italian government has approved a 25-billion-euro (almost US$28 billion) decree to shore up the national health care system as well as workers, businesses and families grappling with hardship due to the coronavirus epidemic, Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte announced Monday.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen addresses the media after a video-conference with G7 leaders at the European Council building in Brussels, March 16, 2020. (OLIVIER MATTHYS / AP)

EU proposes travel restrictions

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Monday that she had proposed a temporary restriction on non-essential travel to the European Union (EU), as escalations have been seen in both COVID-19 cases and containment measures.

"The restriction should be in place for an initial period of 30 days, which can be prolonged as necessary," said von der Leyen.

The proposal is expected to be discussed by leaders of EU member states during a video conference on Tuesday.

Austria

The number of confirmed cases of the coronavirus infection in Austria climbed to 1,018 on Monday, with three deaths reported, according to local health authorities.

Most cases of infection were reported in the western state of Tyrol bordering Italy, with the number rising to 294 from 254 on the previous day.

Belgium

France's neighbor Belgium has seen its coronavirus infection cases topping 1,000, with five deaths but only one recovery.

"Our country is facing an unprecedented and crucial health crisis," said King Philippe of Belgium in a speech Monday evening.

Bulgaria

Bulgaria banned entry on its territory of citizens from 15 countries with large coronavirus outbreaks, including Germany, France, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and Switzerland as of March 18, the health ministry said on Monday.

Citizens from countries including Iran, Bangladesh, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Sri Lanka and South Korea will not be allowed within the European Union member state.

Exceptions will be made for citizens with permanent or long-term permits to stay in Bulgaria and the members of their families.

Travelers wait in line at Orly airport, in the south of Paris, March 17, 2020. (CHRISTOPHE ENA / AP)

France

Parisians thronged the city's rail stations and took to the highway early on Tuesday to escape the French capital before a lockdown imposed to slow the rate of coronavirus contagion kicked in at midday.

The Paris exodus drew dismay from provincial France, where many fear that city-dwellers will bring the virus with them and accelerate its spread.

Health Minister Olivier Veran said the government had no intention of preventing people travelling to secondary residences but said the stringent restrictions on public life would apply on the coast as they would in the city.

We're not up against another army or another nation. But the enemy is right there: invisible, elusive, but it is making progress.

Emmanuel Macron, French president

President Emmanuel Macron late on Monday said the country "was at war" with coronavirus and announced restrictions unprecedented in post-war France.

He ordered people to stay at home from Tuesday lunchtime. He said they should leave only to buy groceries, travel to work if essential, exercise or for medical care. The army will be mobilized to help move the sick to hospitals, he said.

"We're not up against another army or another nation. But the enemy is right there: invisible, elusive, but it is making progress," Macron said.

France has confirmed 6,633 coronavirus infection cases and 148 deaths by Monday evening. 

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

Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said on Tuesday France will mobilize 45 billion euros (US$50.22 billion) in crisis measures for its companies with the economy expected to contract 1 percent this year due to the outbreak.

The French government is prepared to use all means to support big companies suffering in financial market turmoil, including nationalization if necessary, Le Maire also said.

Germany

Friedrich Merz, candidate for the chairmanship of German Chancellor Angela Merkel's Christian Democratic Union, has tested positive for novel coronavirus, the German press agency (dpa) reported Tuesday.  

Meanwhile, Germany is making 50 million euros (US$55.66 million) available to repatriate German tourists stranded around the world by the coronavirus-induced collapse in air transport, Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said at Tuesday.

Repatriation flights were planned for tourists now stranded in Morocco, the Dominican Republic, the Philippines and the Maldives, he said, adding that the government expected worldwide air passenger volumes to stay at a very low level for the foreseeable future.

On Monday, drastic steps were announced to slow the spread of the coronavirus, including shop closures, and the temporary reintroduction of border controls at the weekend with Austria, Switzerland, France, Luxembourg and Denmark. The federal government also advised citizens against non-essential trips abroad.

Lothar Wieler, president of the Robert Koch Institute, said on Tuesday that without the strict social distancing measures announced on Monday by Chancellor Angela Merkel, Germany could end up facing millions of coronovirus cases.

The coronavirus pandemic was likely to take about two years to run its course, Wieler warned, adding that much rode on the speed with which a vaccine against the virus was developed.

The Robert Koch Institute for disease control on Monday reported a daily jump in coronavirus cases in Germany by over 1,100 to 6,012, and a total of 13 deaths.

Separately, the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) said on Tuesday that there are 10 confirmed cases of coronavirus among refugees and asylum seekers in Germany's Munich, Berlin and Heidelberg.

UNHCR spokesman Andrej Mahecic urged all national authorities to treat refugees and asylum seekers who fall sick with the virus the same way as other nationals.

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. Retail stores will begin closing from Wednesday.

So far Greece has reported 352 confirmed cases of infections and four fatalities, a rise of 21 people in 24 hours. 

Customers stand in front of empty grocery shelves in a big supermarket in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, March 16, 2020. (MARTIN MEISSNER / AP)

Georgia

Georgia banned minibuses and restricted services of gyms and swimming pools in an effort to prevent the spread of coronavirus, the country's prime minister said on Tuesday, adding that the measure would come into force from March 18.

Georgia has reported 34 confirmed cases of coronavirus.

Hungary

Budapest Airport will allow Hungarian citizens only to enter the country as of Tuesday after sweeping restrictions imposed by Prime Minister Viktor Orban's government on Monday to contain the spread of the coronavirus.

As the restrictions took effect, Hungary reported a jump in confirmed coronavirus infections to 50 on Tuesday from 39 a day earlier as the central European country transitions from isolated cases to cluster infections.

Ireland

Ireland expects its number of coronavirus cases to increase to around 15,000 by the end of the month from 223 currently, Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said on Monday, as the government advised against all non-essential travel overseas until then.

Malta

Malta is closing all bars, restaurants, gyms and clubs indefinitely from Tuesday night at midnight, Prime Minister Robert Abela said on Monday, after the country reported its first three cases of locally transmitted coronavirus.

The Mediterranean island has confirmed 30 cases of the virus so far. All previous cases had come from people who had been abroad.

Portugal

Portugal's Interior Minister Eduardo Cabrita said on Monday that all passenger air and rail traffic with neighboring Spain will be suspended until April 15 from 2300 GMT on Monday due to the coronavirus outbreak after an agreement between the two countries.

Also on Monday, the country's Health Minister Marta Temido said an 80-year-old man died of the coronavirus on Monday - the country's first fatality since the epidemic began.

Portugal has so far reported 331 cases of the coronavirus.

Poland

Polish ministers who attended the most recent cabinet meeting have been tested for coronavirus after Environment Minister Michal Wos said on Monday he had tested positive, the Prime Minister's Chief of Staff Michal Dworczyk said on Tuesday.

Dworczyk said nine of 24 ministers were absent from the meeting, including Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki and Health Minister Lukasz Szumowski.

"The results should be known today. All these persons remain in quarantine," Dworczyk told public radio on Tuesday morning.

Poland has so far recorded 156 confirmed coronavirus cases and 3 deaths.

Moscow metro depot employees disinfect a metro train in Moscow, Russia, March 16, 2020. (PAVEL GOLOVKIN / AP)

Russia

Russia will ban the entry of foreign nationals and stateless people from March 18 to May 1, except diplomatic representatives, airplane crew members and some other categories of people, the government said on Monday. 

Russia has reported 93 cases of the virus so far.

Serbia

Serbia's state Election Commission postponed on Monday the April 26 general elections because of the coronavirus outbreak and until a state of emergency is lifted.    

Health authorities have so far reported 57 cases of infection and tested 316 people. There have been no fatalities so far.

UK

London's public transport will begin operating a reduced service over the next few days because of the spread of coronavirus, the city's mayor Sadiq Khan said on Tuesday.

The move comes a day after Prime Minister Boris Johnson shut down social life in Britain and ordered those over 70 with underlying health problems to isolate for 12 weeks.

People should avoid pubs, clubs, restaurants, cinemas and theatres, the government said, though Johnson stopped short of ordering them to close. People should also avoid unnecessary travel and work from home where possible, he said.

Johnson also said anyone with symptoms of the coronavirus should isolate along with their entire household for 14 days.

Finance minister Rishi Sunak was due to announce further support for businesses on Tuesday, a finance ministry source said.

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the United Kingdom has risen to 1,543, up from 1,372 the day before, the health ministry said on Monday. The UK death toll rose to 55.

The Houses of Parliament were closed to visitors and tourists on Monday. A limited shutdown will continue until further notice.

READ MORE: Anger mounts over UK govt's decision to keep schools open

Staff from The Sondheim Theatre in London inform theatergoers that all performances are cancelled due to the coronavirus. On March 16, 2020. (AARON CHOWN / PA VIA AP)

Ukraine

The first two cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed in Kiev, the capital of Ukraine, the National News Agency of Ukraine (Ukrinform) reported on Monday.

The two fresh cases bring the total confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Ukraine to seven, plus one death from the northern Zhytomyr province, according to Ukrinform.

The First Deputy Head of the State Border Service of Ukraine Volodymyr Nikiforenko said the country will tighten transportation and close all border crossing points for air, rail and bus services for two weeks from March 17, while Ukrainian citizens will be able to enter the country by car or on foot, Interfax Ukraine reported on Monday.

Bosnia declares nationwide state of emergency

Bosnia declared a nationwide state of emergency over coronavirus on Tuesday to enable coordination of emergency activities between its two autonomous regions, Prime Minister Zoran Tegeltija said.

The Bosniak-Croat Federation and the Serb Republic separately declared emergency situations on Monday and introduced measures to halt the spread of the disease. Bosnia has reported 26 cases of the new virus so far, with no fatalities.

US

The White House issued new US coronavirus guidelines on Monday warning Americans to limit social gatherings to 10 or fewer people and urging restaurants, bars and other public venues to close in states where community transmission of the virus exists.

But President Donald Trump said he was refraining from ordering sweeping public quarantines or lockdowns for the time-being. Trump also said a nationwide curfew was not under consideration at this point, and he disagreed with the notion of postponing primary elections.

He said that the United States could be coping with COVID-19 by July or August, and the country's economy "may be" heading toward a recession.

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

The number of COVID-19 cases in United States has topped 4,600 as of Monday night, an increase of more than 1,000 in the past 24 hours, according to the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University, and 85 deaths have been reported.

Meanwhile, a clinical trial to evaluate a vaccine, called mRNA-1273, designed against the coronavirus started on Monday, a US health official confirmed.

Canada

Canada closed its borders to all foreign nationals, except US citizens, on Monday, and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau urged people to stay at home to help stem the spread of the new coronavirus.

"We will be denying entry into Canada to people who are not Canadian citizens or permanent residents," Trudeau told reporters at a news conference outside his home, where he is under quarantine.

A soldier directs traffic in Lima, Peru, March 16, 2020. (RODRIGO ABD / AP)

Latin America

Countries around Latin America tightened restrictions on Monday to slow the spread of the new coronavirus, with Peru deploying military personnel on the streets, Costa Rica closing borders and Paraguay imposing a curfew.

In Peru, President Martin Vizcarra said leaders from Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, Paraguay, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador and Brazil spoke via conference call on Monday to analyze the situation and coordinate actions against the pandemic.

"We have agreed that together we are going to join forces," he told reporters at the governmental palace, adding countries would look to coordinate demand for medical supplies and to calculate the economic impact on the region.

Peru has suspended constitutional rights such as free movement and assembly, though the government has assured it will guarantee the operation of supermarkets, pharmacies, banks, basic services and the transport of merchandise.

In Brazil, Foreign Trade Secretary Marcos Troyjo, who was part of the Brazilian delegation that met with Trump nine days ago, has tested positive for the coronavirus, his office said in a statement on Monday

In nearby Paraguay, which has eight cases of the respiratory disease so far, the government said it would enforce a curfew from 8 pm daily to restrict crowds.

Meanwhile Panama's government said it had now reported 69 cases of coronavirus infection, up from 55 on Sunday.

The Dominican Republic has reported its first death from coronavirus, a 47-year-old woman who recently returned from Spain, the health ministry said on Monday.

Health Minister Rafael Sanchez said that the Caribbean country had also detected 10 further infections on top of the 11 already identified. 

Venezuela entered the first day of a quarantine on Monday, imposed by President Nicolas Maduro to stop the virus. Maduro said the country detected 16 new cases on Monday, adding that the country’s tally has risen to 33.

Chilean President Sebastian Pinera said his country, which has 155 confirmed coronavirus cases, would close its borders to foreigners starting on Wednesday.

Costa Rican President Carlos Alvarado declared a state of emergency that included shutting borders, and ordered educational authorities to close study centers for a month.

Guatemala suspended all flights and banned foreigners from entering the country for two weeks, while El Salvador and Honduras were in a state of near lockdown.

Honduras suspended various constitutional rights for a week, including freedoms of movement, speech and assembly, and imposed a nationwide curfew for the seven-day period.

Colombia, with 53 confirmed cases, will close its borders from Tuesday to prevent the spread of coronavirus and will keep them shut until May 30, President Ivan Duque said on Monday.

In Brazil, Foreign Trade Secretary Marcos Troyjo, who was part of the Brazilian delegation that met with Trump nine days ago, has tested positive for the coronavirus, his office said in a statement on Monday. The country's health authorities have reported a total of 234 confirmed cases

Mexico rejected an accusation by Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele on Monday that it had allowed a dozen people with coronavirus to board a flightto San Salvador, saying medical staff had found no evidence of the virus on the travelers.

Earlier, Bukele abruptly suspended all passenger flights to El Salvador after making his coronavirus assertion on Twitter, describing Mexican authorities as "irresponsible."

African nations ramp up measures

Tunisia will suspend international flights and close its land border in an effort to prevent the outbreak of coronavirus, Prime Minister Elyes Fakhfakh said on Monday, adding that all gatherings and markets will be banned and work hours for state employees will be reduced.

In Sudan, the ruling sovereign council closed all airports, ports and land crossings and declared a public health emergency on Monday over fears about the spread of coronavirus.

Only humanitarian, commercial and technical support shipments would be excluded from the restrictions, according to a spokesman for the ruling council.

Separately in South Sudan, President Salva Kiir on Monday announced the suspension of all social gatherings like sporting, religious and socio-cultural activities such as weddings and political events due to the looming threat of COVID-19.

Botswana, in southern Africa, on Monday said it would bar entry to travellers from 18 high-risk countries, including Britain, the United States, Iran, France and Italy. 

Senegal announced it would suspend flights to and from France, Italy, Spain, Belgium and Portugal, as well as Tunisia and Algeria, for a period of 30 days.

Burundi's health minister said Monday the country has extended quarantine to travelers from the United States, Britain and Australia to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus. Quarantine measures started to apply to travelers from European countries on Thursday.

Egypt reported on Monday two more deaths because of coronavirus, bringing the total of coronavirus related deaths in the country to four, the health ministry said in a statement.