In Europe, an outbreak of the disease with a new coronavirus has been recorded over the past few days. The number of cases in Italy exceeded 300; 10 people became victims of the virus. On Tuesday, February 25, the first case of infection was recorded in the south of the country, in Palermo, Ansa news agency reported. The northern region of Lombardy remains the focus of the outbreak of infection, nine people died there. At the moment, quarantine has been introduced in the north of the country, all kindergartens, schools and universities have been closed. Due to the danger of the spread of infection, the carnival in Venice was completed ahead of time.

Restrictions were imposed on sports events. Italian Sports Minister Vincenzo Spadafora said that six matches of the 26th round of the national football championship will be held without spectators.

Despite the introduction of emergency measures in Italy, the virus from this country began to spread throughout Europe. On the Spanish island of Tenerife, a tourist from Italian Lapurdia has confirmed the COVID-19 virus. According to the Spanish publication El Pais, the infected person was hospitalized and the entire hotel was cordoned off. There are about a thousand tourists in the building; they pass sanitary control.

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  • © Yara Nardi

The first two cases of infection have been confirmed in Austria. This was told by the Governor of Tyrol, Gunther Platter. The first sick person in the country was also reported by the Prime Minister of Croatia Andrei Plenkovich. In addition, it became known about the appearance of the infected in Switzerland. About him reported RTS channel with reference to the Ministry of Health of the country.

Finally, the first case of a new type of coronavirus infection was recorded in Romania. This was reported with reference to local television by Reuters. According to him, the infected returned to Romania three weeks ago after visiting Italy.

In the Middle East, the most cases were recorded in Iran. According to the Ministry of Health of the country, the number of cases of infection approached 95, 15 people died. The coronavirus was found even in the deputy head of the Iranian Ministry of Health, Iraj Harirchi.

As explained by the adviser to the Minister of Health Ali Reza Vahabzade, his colleague "was at the forefront of the fight against coronavirus in recent days." Iranian parliamentarian Mahmoud Sadeki also said he had contracted the virus.

On the eve of the first case of the disease was also found in Bahrain, two cases in Oman and another in Algeria.

In China itself, where the spread of the infection began, the death toll exceeded 2,600. A total of 77 658 cases of infection were recorded in the country.

However, the World Health Organization (WHO) has not yet recognized the outbreak of coronavirus as a pandemic. The organization’s general director, Tedros Adan Gebreyesus, said it was an “epidemic in various parts of the world” with “pandemic potential”.

  • Staff members work at a novel coronavirus detection lab in Wuhan, central China's Hubei Province, Feb. 22, 2020.
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  • © Cheng Min / Xinhua

Meanwhile, the US administration asked Congress to allocate $ 2.5 billion to combat coronavirus. This was reported by Reuters with reference to a statement from the administrative and budgetary administration of the White House.

“The administration sent an additional $ 2.5 billion financing plan to Congress to accelerate vaccine development and to procure the necessary equipment and supplies,” a spokeswoman said.

Part of the requested funds is proposed to be taken from funds allocated earlier to fight the Ebola virus.

At the same time, US President Donald Trump said that the situation with COVID-19 infection in the country is "highly controlled."

Russia has taken special control measures against citizens arriving from China. According to Rospotrebnadzor, their number has already exceeded 12 thousand people. The only airport that accepts flights from China is Sheremetyevo. A separate terminal was specially prepared for this. All arriving from China undergo a laboratory examination, then their data is recorded and medical supervision is prescribed at the place of residence.

Seven Russian citizens who were evacuated from the Diamond Princess cruise ship were also placed in quarantine in Primorye for two weeks. It is noted that these Russians were already quarantined on a ship in the Japanese port, and on February 23 arrived in Vladivostok. There they were brought to the infectious diseases hospital, where they took tests for coronavirus. Recall that another eight Russian citizens evacuated from the ship are quarantined in Kazan.

The virus still poses a high degree of danger because there is no vaccine against COVID-19. But scientists managed to achieve some success in its development. In China, a team from Tianjin University said it has developed a vaccine that can be taken like regular tablets, writes the Chinese newspaper Penpai. The basis for its manufacture was baker's yeast. It is assumed that the drug will be able to take as sick people to treat the virus, as well as healthy as a prophylaxis.

The development manager, Professor Jinhai Huang, tested the vaccine on himself; no side effects have been identified so far. Nevertheless, he said, the production of the drug and its delivery to the market are still far away. It is necessary to finalize the drug and conduct clinical trials.