Blogroll

Spain and Norway became the latest countries to impose stringent measures to combat the coronavirus, while the United States extended a travel ban.

Canada's most populous province of Ontario, which has reported more than 100 new coronavirus cases, on Saturday said it would limit testing for the respiratory illness until it can guarantee a more steady supply of swabs.

The United Arab Emirates said on Saturday it was shutting major tourism and cultural venues to contain the spread of coronavirus and announced a $27-billion plan to counter the outbreak's economic impact.

President Hassan Rouhani said Iran's fight against the coronavirus was being "severely hampered" by U.S. sanctions, as state television reported that the death toll from the illness rose on Saturday to 611, up nearly 100 from a day earlier.

Greece said on Saturday it banned all flights that were still operating to and from Italy, after reporting two more fatalities from the coronavirus, raising the total number of deaths in the country to three.

The Seychelles confirmed two coronavirus cases on Saturday, the health ministry said in a statement.

Dubai said on Saturday it was temporarily suspending operations at four major theme parks and tourist attractions until the end of March amid coronavirus concerns.

The Swedish government is advising its citizens against all non-necessary trips abroad, it said in a statement on Saturday.

Major sports events around the world that have been hit by the coronavirus outbreak:

President Donald Trump declared a U.S. national emergency over the quickly spreading coronavirus on Friday, opening the door to more government aid to combat a pathogen that has infected more than 138,000 people worldwide and left over 5,000 dead.

Slovenia has recorded its first death due to coronavirus, national channel TV Slovenia said on Saturday, citing unofficial sources.

France's Public Health Authority on Saturday reported 12 new deaths from coronavirus taking the total to 91.

Yemen's Saudi-backed government said on Saturday it was suspending all flights to and from airports under its control for two weeks starting on March 18, amid fears over the coronavirus outbreak.

Senegal's President Macky Sall on Saturday ordered all schools and universities closed for the next three weeks and religious festivals canceled in response to a coronavirus outbreak that has infected 24 people in the past two weeks.

U.S. hospitals, gearing up for a large surge in patients as the new coronavirus spreads throughout the country, are reaching out to temporary staff agencies and exploring other ways to maintain workforce levels as school closures add to pressure on doctors and nurses.

A second patient has died of the COVID-19 virus in Ireland and the total number of confirmed cases in the country has increased to 129 from 90, the country's Chief Medical Officer Tony Holohan told journalists on Saturday.

Syria has delayed parliamentary elections, shut schools and canceled most public events to prevent any spread of the coronavirus, as officials said the war-ravaged country was still free of the virus despite reports it was hiding cases.

Syria will postpone parliamentary elections to May 20 from April 13 as a precautionary step against the spread of coronavirus, a statement from the president's office said on Saturday.

President Hassan Rouhani said Iran's fight against the coronavirus was being "severely hampered" by U.S. sanctions, as state television reported that the death toll from the illness rose on Saturday to 611, up nearly 100 from a day earlier.

Greece said on Saturday it would suspend all flights that were still operating to and from Italy, after reporting two more fatalities from the coronavirus, raising the total number of deaths in the country to three.