Greece and Czech Republic each confirm three new cases of coronavirus, Portugal confirms first case
8872 Mins Read
Greece has confirmed three new cases of coronavirus, the Health Ministry said over the weekend, bringing the total number of coronavirus infections in the country to seven.
The latest cases involve a woman and a man, who are related to previously confirmed cases in Greece, and a man who had recently traveled to Italy, Europe’s worst-hit country by the virus, the ministry said.
All patients were being treated in hospitals in Athens, the Greek capital, and the northern Greek city of Thessaloniki. Greece confirmed its first case of the virus on Feb.
Portugal has reported its first two cases of coronavirus, which means the illness has now spread to every country in western Europe.
The latest cases include a man who travelled to the country from Italy and another man who travelled from Spain.
Coronavirus infections in Italy rose 50% Sunday and the U.S. government issued its strongest travel warning yet, advising Americans against any travel to two regions in northern Italy — Lombardy and Veneto. Authorities said the total number of people infected in Italy had risen to 1,694, a 50% jump from just 24 hours earlier and the highest figure by far in Europe. Five more people infected with the virus have died, bringing the deaths in Italy to 34, while 83 people have fully recovered.
Elsewhere in Europe, France raised its number of reported cases to 130 on Sunday, including one in the French Caribbean island of Guadeloupe, the first in France’s overseas territories.
The spreading virus epidemic shut down France’s Louvre Museum on Sunday, with workers who guard its famous trove of artworks fearful of being contaminated by the museum’s flow of tourists from around the world. Almost three-quarters of the Louvre’s 9.6 million visitors last year came from abroad.
Czech Health Minister Adam Vojtech said Sunday that two COVID-19 patients were hospitalized in Prague and another in northern city of Usti nad Labem. All three had travel ties to northern Italy.
Spain said it now has 71 virus cases, many of them linked to Italy.
The Dutch health minister announced three new virus cases, bringing the country’s overall tally to 10, while new cases elsewhere brought national totals to Norway 19, Sweden 14 and Finland six.
Adviser to Iran’s Supreme Leader dies from the new coronavirus
Meanwhile an adviser to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has died from the new coronavirus, as other top officials in the country are confirmed to be infected, according to multiple reports on Monday.
The Iranian Health Ministry recorded 523 new cases in the past 24 hours, bringing the country’s known total to 1,501. Its first case was reported less than two weeks ago.
Mohammad Mirmohammadi, 71, was an Expediency Council member who advised Khamenei and settled disputes between him and parliament. COVID-19 has already infected Iran’s vice president and deputy health minister.
