Cases have emerged for the first time in countries such as Austria following the Italian outbreak
ROME, Feb 27 (NNN-AGENCIES) —Several European countries have announced their first coronavirus cases, with all appearing to be linked to the growing outbreak in Italy.
Austria, Croatia and Switzerland said the cases involved people who had been to Italy, as did Algeria in Africa.
The first positive virus test has been recorded in Latin America – a Brazilian resident just returned from Italy.
Italy has in recent days become Europe’s worst-affected country, with more than 300 cases and 11 deaths.
But its neighbours have decided closing borders would be “disproportionate”.
Health ministers from France, Germany, Italy and the EU Commission committed to keeping frontiers open at a meeting on Tuesday as new cases of the virus emerged throughout Europe and in central and southern Italy.
“We’re talking about a virus that doesn’t respect borders,” said Italian Health Minister Roberto Speranza.
His German counterpart Jens Spahn said the neighbours were taking the situation “very, very seriously” but acknowledged “it could get worse before it gets better”.
In the UK, schoolchildren returning from holidays in northern Italy have been sent home, with the government issuing new guidance to travellers.
But Health Secretary Matt Hancock said there were no plans to stop flights from Italy, which attracts about three million British visitors each year.
“If you look at Italy, they stopped all flights from China and they’re now the worst-affected country in Europe,” he said.
In Austria, a young Italian couple who live in Innsbruck in the Tyrol were confirmed to have the virus. One of the pair worked at a hotel, which has been closed.
Switzerland said a man in his seventies living in Ticino, bordering Italy, had been infected in the city of Milan on Feb 15 and was now in isolation.
A man in Croatia who recently returned from Italy became the first confirmed patient in the Balkans.
In Tenerife, up to 1,000 guests were locked down in a hotel after an Italian doctor and his wife tested positive for the virus.
Spain reported its first case on the mainland, involving a woman in Barcelona who had been to northern Italy.
North Macedonia has confirmed its first case of coronavirus.
Health Minister Venko Filipce confirmed the patient had recently arrived from Italy.
The woman sought medical help early on Wednesday. She had driven from Italy to North Macedonia by van. Other people who were with her in the van at the time are undergoing tests.
Romania’s Health Minister Victor Costache confirmed that a 20-year-old Romanian had been tested positive for the novel coronavirus.
He had contact Tuesday with a visiting 71-year-old Italian who was
infected with the virus after returning home.
The other seven family members of the young man were uninfected for the
time being and are currently in home quarantine in Gorj County, some 300 km northwest of Bucharest, capital of Romania.
According to a release of the foreign ministry, the Italian citizen had
been in southern Romania, visiting the relatives of his Romanian wife. He
also had several business meetings before returning home.
France and Germany also reported new cases involving people who had recently been to northern Italy. — NNN-AGENCIES
