news--2020-05-18--Coronavirus: Ryanair describes 14-day flight quarantine plan as 'nonsense'

The boss of Ryanair says it 's `` nonsense '' that the UK government plans to introduce 14-day quarantines for international flight passengers .
Michael O'Leary told Sky News he believed ministers were `` making stuff up as they go along '' - saying such a precaution was unworkable and unenforceable .
He said on Ian King Live that face masks were the `` most effective '' public health measure , as the no-frills carrier maintained its plans to resume 40 % of its flight schedule from July .
Mr O'Leary added that bookings were `` building nicely '' though @ @ @ @ @ @ @ passenger numbers tipped to halve in its current financial year as the industry endures unprecedented international travel disruption .
Ryanair used its annual results for the year to March to reiterate that is has enough cash to endure the turbulence from COVID-19 which , it said , had forced it to ground more than 99 % of its scheduled flights since the start of April .
The no-frills carrier guided that it expected tough competition from flag carrier rivals when services do begin again as it stepped up its legal row with European @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` The competitive landscape in Europe will be distorted by unprecedented quantums of state aid ( in breach of EU rules ) under which over €30bn has been gifted to the Lufthansa Group , Air France-KLM , Alitalia , SAS and Norwegian among others .
`` We therefore expect that traffic on reduced flight schedules will be subject to significant price discounting , and below cost selling , from these flag carriers with huge state aid war chests . ''
In an interview with Sky 's sister channel CNBC , Mr O'Leary hinted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for weaker demand ahead , and to cut costs , through 3,000 job losses was built on the assumption that pilots and crew agreed pay cuts of 20 % .
The airline said it was engaging with unions .
But the UK pilots ' union BALPA said on Friday that it believed it was being blackmailed by the company .
Its general secretary , Brian Strutton , said then : `` Ryanair pilots recognise that the airline has to restructure to meet the immediate short term and the post COVID long term which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to 3,000 potential job losses .
`` However they have asked our members to accept 20 % pay cuts and detrimental changes to terms and conditions for five years or threatened 320 UK pilot jobs .
`` This kind of ultimatum is not the way to do business so we have insisted Ryanair conduct a formal consultation with us . ''
Ryanair reported a 13 % increase in profit after tax to €1bn ( £890m ) for the year to the end of March .
Passenger numbers rose 4 % to 149 million @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the end of the period .
It admitted the current year would be difficult but said a lack of clarity meant it could not provide any profit guidance .

The boss of Ryanair says it's "nonsense" that the UK government plans to introduce 14-day quarantines for international flight passengers.
Michael O'Leary told Sky News he believed ministers were "making stuff up as they go along" - saying such a precaution was unworkable and unenforceable.
He said on Ian King Live that face masks were the "most effective" public health measure, as the no-frills carrier maintained its plans to resume 40% of its flight schedule from July.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 7:12 Heathrow boss gives verdict on quarantine plan
Mr O'Leary added that bookings were "building nicely" though it remained cautious on the future with passenger numbers tipped to halve in its current financial year as the industry endures unprecedented international travel disruption.
Ryanair used its annual results for the year to March to reiterate that is has enough cash to endure the turbulence from COVID-19 which, it said, had forced it to ground more than 99% of its scheduled flights since the start of April.
The no-frills carrier guided that it expected tough competition from flag carrier rivals when services do begin again as it stepped up its legal row with European regulators.
Ryanair's statement said: "The competitive landscape in Europe will be distorted by unprecedented quantums of state aid (in breach of EU rules) under which over €30bn has been gifted to the Lufthansa Group, Air France-KLM, Alitalia, SAS and Norwegian among others.
"We therefore expect that traffic on reduced flight schedules will be subject to significant price discounting, and below cost selling, from these flag carriers with huge state aid war chests."
Image: BA and Virgin Atlantic are among airlines to have also announced job cuts
In an interview with Sky's sister channel CNBC, Mr O'Leary hinted that Ryanair's bid to re-shape itself for weaker demand ahead, and to cut costs, through 3,000 job losses was built on the assumption that pilots and crew agreed pay cuts of 20%.
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The airline said it was engaging with unions.
But the UK pilots' union BALPA said on Friday that it believed it was being blackmailed by the company.
Its general secretary, Brian Strutton, said then: "Ryanair pilots recognise that the airline has to restructure to meet the immediate short term and the post COVID long term which led to their recent announcement of up to 3,000 potential job losses.
"However they have asked our members to accept 20% pay cuts and detrimental changes to terms and conditions for five years or threatened 320 UK pilot jobs.
"This kind of ultimatum is not the way to do business so we have insisted Ryanair conduct a formal consultation with us."
Ryanair reported a 13% increase in profit after tax to €1bn (£890m) for the year to the end of March.
That figure excluded a €353m fuel hedging charge.
Passenger numbers rose 4% to 149 million despite the start of flight disruption towards the end of the period.
It admitted the current year would be difficult but said a lack of clarity meant it could not provide any profit guidance.


news--2020-05-18--Coronavirus: Wearing surgical masks can reduce COVID-19 spread by 75%, study claims

Wearing surgical masks can significantly reduce the chances of those with COVID-19 infecting others , researchers have claimed .
According to a study by a team in Hong Kong , the rate at which the virus was transmitted through airborne particles or respiratory droplets was lowered by as much as 75 % when masks were used .
`` The findings implied to the world and the public is that the effectiveness of mask-wearing against the coronavirus pandemic is huge , '' leading microbiologist Dr Yuen Kwok-yung , from Hong Kong University , said on Sunday .
Dr Yuen , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , said the study was the first of its kind .
He said that his team conducted the study because - while he has long supported wearing masks - world leaders , including the World Health Organisation ( WHO ) , had questioned their effectiveness .
The study saw his team use two cages of hamsters in three different scenarios .
One group was infected with COVID-19 and the other was healthy , with a fan used to push air towards the infected animals - some which did not show symptoms .
Researchers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ between the cages , two-thirds of the healthy hamsters were infected within a week .
But when they placed masks on the cage with infected animals , the infection rate dropped to just over 15 % .
The infection rate dropped by about 35 % when masks were placed on the healthy hamsters ' cage .
Those hamsters that did become infected were also found to have less of the virus in their bodies than those who were infected without a mask , the research found .
Dr Yuen told a press conference @ @ @ @ @ @ @ experiment , it shows very clearly that if infected hamsters or humans - especially asymptomatic or symptomatic ones - put on masks , they actually protect other people .
`` That 's the strongest result we showed here .
Transmission can be reduced by 50 % when surgical masks are used , especially when masks are worn by infected individuals .
`` Up to this stage , we do not have a safe and effective vaccine .
`` What remains practical is still either social-distancing measures or wearing masks . ''
: : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Apple Podcasts , Google Podcasts , Spotify , Spreaker The UK government initially said face masks could not protect people , but it has revised its advice and is now recommending people wear face coverings where they can not remain two metres apart in settings such as small shops and on public transport .
European countries including Italy and Germany have said people should wear masks in such settings .
At the start of the pandemic , which started in China , there was a rush to buy face masks in Hong Kong @ @ @ @ @ @ @ SARS .
Hong Kong suffered 298 deaths from SARS , second only to mainland China , but the territory has only reported four fatalities from COVID-19 .
Walking around without a face mask in Hong Kong , Japan or South Korea is seen as irresponsible , and several US states are also now advising people to wear them when out .

Wearing surgical masks can significantly reduce the chances of those with COVID-19 infecting others, researchers have claimed.
According to a study by a team in Hong Kong, the rate at which the virus was transmitted through airborne particles or respiratory droplets was lowered by as much as 75% when masks were used.
"The findings implied to the world and the public is that the effectiveness of mask-wearing against the coronavirus pandemic is huge," leading microbiologist Dr Yuen Kwok-yung, from Hong Kong University, said on Sunday.
Image: The UK government is now advising people to wear masks where they cannot practise social distancing
Dr Yuen, who helped discover the SARS virus in 2003, said the study was the first of its kind.
He said that his team conducted the study because - while he has long supported wearing masks - world leaders, including the World Health Organisation (WHO), had questioned their effectiveness.
The study saw his team use two cages of hamsters in three different scenarios.
One group was infected with COVID-19 and the other was healthy, with a fan used to push air towards the infected animals - some which did not show symptoms.
Researchers said they found that without any masks between the cages, two-thirds of the healthy hamsters were infected within a week.
But when they placed masks on the cage with infected animals, the infection rate dropped to just over 15%.
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The infection rate dropped by about 35% when masks were placed on the healthy hamsters' cage.
Those hamsters that did become infected were also found to have less of the virus in their bodies than those who were infected without a mask, the research found.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 0:32 'Wear a facemask if you can't social distance'
Dr Yuen told a press conference on Sunday: "In our hamster experiment, it shows very clearly that if infected hamsters or humans - especially asymptomatic or symptomatic ones - put on masks, they actually protect other people.
"That's the strongest result we showed here. Transmission can be reduced by 50% when surgical masks are used, especially when masks are worn by infected individuals.
"Up to this stage, we do not have a safe and effective vaccine.
"What remains practical is still either social-distancing measures or wearing masks."
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The UK government initially said face masks could not protect people, but it has revised its advice and is now recommending people wear face coverings where they cannot remain two metres apart in settings such as small shops and on public transport.
European countries including Italy and Germany have said people should wear masks in such settings.
At the start of the pandemic, which started in China, there was a rush to buy face masks in Hong Kong, where people remember the impact of SARS.
Hong Kong suffered 298 deaths from SARS, second only to mainland China, but the territory has only reported four fatalities from COVID-19.
Walking around without a face mask in Hong Kong, Japan or South Korea is seen as irresponsible, and several US states are also now advising people to wear them when out.


news--2020-05-13--US secretary of state's Jerusalem trip is meant to be noticed by the world

US secretary of state 's Jerusalem trip is meant to be noticed by the world US secretary of state 's Jerusalem trip is meant to be noticed by the world Sporting a patriotic red , white and blue face mask , the US secretary of state arrived in Jerusalem on Wednesday morning for key meetings as Israel prepares to swear in a new government - ending 16 months of political deadlock .
The visit of Mike Pompeo and his entourage represents the first diplomatic trip of this seniority by any government globally since the peak of coronavirus outbreak .
Mr @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and outgoing speaker of the Knesset Benny Gantz , who - under an unusual arrangement made to form the new government - will become prime minister in a rotation deal in 18 months ' time .
The fact that the trip took place during a period when , globally , the advice is not to travel suggests it is designed to be noticed ; a demonstration of the weight the two sides put on their bilateral relationship .
On the face of it , Iran was a key focus with America and Israel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ influencer and a threat to regional and global peace .
`` Even during this pandemic the Iranians using the ayatollahs , the regime 's resources to foment terror across the world even when the people of Iran are struggling so mightily , it tells you a lot about the soul of those people who lead that country , '' Mr Pompeo said in a joint statement alongside Mr Netanyahu .
The challenge of coronavirus was also discussed .
Israel 's impressive record at keeping the disease at bay with a comparatively low death @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with some lessons .
`` We 'll certainly talk about the challenges the globe faces with COVID , Israeli technology , Israeli medical expertise , all the things that you and I , and our teams can work on together ... You 're a great partner , you share information , unlike some other countries that try and obfuscate and hide that information , and we 'll talk about that country too , '' Mr Pompeo said with a pointed dig at China .
Israeli media are reporting that Mr Netanyahu told Mr @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of a Chinese-controlled company in a $ 1.5bn ( £1.2bn ) bid for building a desalination plant in Israel .
The structure of the new Israeli government is like no other before it and the American administration wants to understand what this `` two-headed '' government - with Mr Netanyahu as leader now and Mr Gantz taking over in 18 months - looks like and how it will function .
A critical point of discussion behind the scenes was the upcoming , highly controversial decision on Israeli unilateral annexation of parts of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for many months now , said he will soon apply Israeli sovereignty to parts of the West Bank , amounting to what , in most interpretations of international law , is an illegal annexation .
`` We 're about to form a national unity government tomorrow , I think that this is an opportunity to promote peace and security based on the understandings that I 've reached with President Trump in my last visit in Washington in January , '' Mr Netanyahu said .
US President Donald Trump 's so-called `` deal of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the end of January , gave support for the annexation plan .
Mr Trump upended four decades of US foreign policy by declaring that his administration no longer viewed Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank as `` inconsistent with international law '' .
Mr Netanyahu 's rhetoric would suggest that he plans to plough ahead with the annexation in the next few months .
Donald Trump 's endorsement of the plan has prompted some to encourage Mr Netanyahu to push ahead now in case Mr Trump loses the November US election @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , there is nervousness over the security implications the political decision to annex parts of the West Bank would have .
Low intensity but often tragic violence is part of life in the West Bank and Gaza .
On Wednesday morning , a 14-year-old Palestinian was killed after he was shot by IDF soldiers in the al Fawwar refugee camp south of Hebron .
The Israeli military said they were aware of the report and confirmed that their soldiers responded to rocks , Molotov cocktails and explosive devices and the sound of gunshots @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fire . ''
On Tuesday , an Israeli soldier was killed when he was hit in the head with a rock thrown by a Palestinian in an Arab village near the West Bank town of Jenin .
On Tuesday night , the Palestinian prime minister Dr Mohammad Shtayyeh urged the European Union to put economic weight behind its political position against annexation .
`` The political coalition formed in Israel is an annexation coalition , not a peace coalition , and the dialogue among the parties within it is about annexing settlements or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Shtayyeh said .
`` The world should not allow Israel to continue breaking international law without accountability .
`` It 's time to move from positions to actions and translate the support for the two-state solution into recognition of the State of Palestine , and to put an end to the violations committed by Israel , the occupying power , and to impose punitive measures on it . ''
The Palestinian Authority in the West Bank cut all ties with the US administration after it moved its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel .
Israel accuses the Palestinians of burying their head in the sand by refusing to negotiate , but the Palestinian Authority says any negotiations must have the 1967 dividing lines as a starting point .
Last month , the Arab League said that Israeli annexation would amount to a `` new war crime '' .
On Tuesday , at a news conference in Brussels , the EU 's foreign policy chief toned down suggestions that the EU was preparing to impose some form of sanctions on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` So we are , by the time being , far away from discussing about sanctioning , '' Josep Borrell said .
`` But it 's important for me and for the EU foreign policy to know which is the position of the member states with respect to the respect of international law and how can we judge this . ''
There is a spectrum of views among EU member states but all have agreed that any annexation will `` not pass unnoticed '' and `` will have consequences '' .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ warned against any annexation .
`` Any such unilateral moves would be damaging to renewed efforts to re-start peace negotiations , and contrary to international law , '' he said .
`` Any changes to the status quo can not be taken forward without an agreement negotiated by the parties themselves . ''

The fact Mike Pompeo's trip is taking place during the global coronavirus pandemic suggests it is designed to be noticed.
US secretary of state's Jerusalem trip is meant to be noticed by the world
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Sporting a patriotic red, white and blue face mask, the US secretary of state arrived in Jerusalem on Wednesday morning for key meetings as Israel prepares to swear in a new government - ending 16 months of political deadlock.
The visit of Mike Pompeo and his entourage represents the first diplomatic trip of this seniority by any government globally since the peak of coronavirus outbreak.
Mr Pompeo met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and outgoing speaker of the Knesset Benny Gantz, who - under an unusual arrangement made to form the new government - will become prime minister in a rotation deal in 18 months' time.
Image: US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo with face mask getting off plane and being greeted by officials in Israel
The fact that the trip took place during a period when, globally, the advice is not to travel suggests it is designed to be noticed; a demonstration of the weight the two sides put on their bilateral relationship.
On the face of it, Iran was a key focus with America and Israel continuing to see it as a malign influencer and a threat to regional and global peace.
"Even during this pandemic the Iranians using the ayatollahs, the regime's resources to foment terror across the world even when the people of Iran are struggling so mightily, it tells you a lot about the soul of those people who lead that country," Mr Pompeo said in a joint statement alongside Mr Netanyahu.
The challenge of coronavirus was also discussed. Israel's impressive record at keeping the disease at bay with a comparatively low death toll of 260 may provide the US with some lessons.
"We'll certainly talk about the challenges the globe faces with COVID, Israeli technology, Israeli medical expertise, all the things that you and I, and our teams can work on together... You're a great partner, you share information, unlike some other countries that try and obfuscate and hide that information, and we'll talk about that country too," Mr Pompeo said with a pointed dig at China.
Image: Palestinians against Donald Trump's peace plan
Israeli media are reporting that Mr Netanyahu told Mr Pompeo that Israel would review the participation of a Chinese-controlled company in a $1.5bn (£1.2bn) bid for building a desalination plant in Israel.
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The structure of the new Israeli government is like no other before it and the American administration wants to understand what this "two-headed" government - with Mr Netanyahu as leader now and Mr Gantz taking over in 18 months - looks like and how it will function.
Mr Pompeo held separate talks with Mr Gantz.
A critical point of discussion behind the scenes was the upcoming, highly controversial decision on Israeli unilateral annexation of parts of the West Bank.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 1:38 Mr Trump presents 'win-win' peace plan
Mr Netanyahu has, for many months now, said he will soon apply Israeli sovereignty to parts of the West Bank, amounting to what, in most interpretations of international law, is an illegal annexation.
"We're about to form a national unity government tomorrow, I think that this is an opportunity to promote peace and security based on the understandings that I've reached with President Trump in my last visit in Washington in January," Mr Netanyahu said.
US President Donald Trump's so-called "deal of the century" peace proposal, unveiled at the end of January, gave support for the annexation plan.
Mr Trump upended four decades of US foreign policy by declaring that his administration no longer viewed Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank as "inconsistent with international law".
Mr Netanyahu's rhetoric would suggest that he plans to plough ahead with the annexation in the next few months.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 2:37 Palestinian official: Trump's peace plan has 'elements of apartheid'
Donald Trump's endorsement of the plan has prompted some to encourage Mr Netanyahu to push ahead now in case Mr Trump loses the November US election.
Within Israeli security and defence circles, there is nervousness over the security implications the political decision to annex parts of the West Bank would have.
Low intensity but often tragic violence is part of life in the West Bank and Gaza.
On Wednesday morning, a 14-year-old Palestinian was killed after he was shot by IDF soldiers in the al Fawwar refugee camp south of Hebron.
The Israeli military said they were aware of the report and confirmed that their soldiers responded to rocks, Molotov cocktails and explosive devices and the sound of gunshots with "riot dispersal means and live fire."
Image: A funeral for a 14-year-old Palestinian boy takes place in Hebron
On Tuesday, an Israeli soldier was killed when he was hit in the head with a rock thrown by a Palestinian in an Arab village near the West Bank town of Jenin.
On Tuesday night, the Palestinian prime minister Dr Mohammad Shtayyeh urged the European Union to put economic weight behind its political position against annexation.
"The political coalition formed in Israel is an annexation coalition, not a peace coalition, and the dialogue among the parties within it is about annexing settlements or annexing the Jordan Valley," Dr Shtayyeh said.
"The world should not allow Israel to continue breaking international law without accountability.
"It's time to move from positions to actions and translate the support for the two-state solution into recognition of the State of Palestine, and to put an end to the violations committed by Israel, the occupying power, and to impose punitive measures on it."
The Palestinian Authority in the West Bank cut all ties with the US administration after it moved its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, a move which signalled an endorsement of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.
Israel accuses the Palestinians of burying their head in the sand by refusing to negotiate, but the Palestinian Authority says any negotiations must have the 1967 dividing lines as a starting point.
Last month, the Arab League said that Israeli annexation would amount to a "new war crime".
On Tuesday, at a news conference in Brussels, the EU's foreign policy chief toned down suggestions that the EU was preparing to impose some form of sanctions on Israel if it went ahead with annexation.
"So we are, by the time being, far away from discussing about sanctioning," Josep Borrell said.
"But it's important for me and for the EU foreign policy to know which is the position of the member states with respect to the respect of international law and how can we judge this."
There is a spectrum of views among EU member states but all have agreed that any annexation will "not pass unnoticed" and "will have consequences".
In January, UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab warned against any annexation.
"Any such unilateral moves would be damaging to renewed efforts to re-start peace negotiations, and contrary to international law," he said.
"Any changes to the status quo cannot be taken forward without an agreement negotiated by the parties themselves."


news--2020-04-02--Coronavirus: Social distancing may have already reduced infection rate

Social distancing measures may have already reduced the transmission rate of coronavirus , an expert has said .
Professor Stephen Powis , medical director of NHS England , said on Thursday that early evidence showed people were no longer passing the virus on to multiple people .
He said that without the measures an infected person would , on average , pass the virus on to three other people - but that rate may have now dropped below one .
Speaking at the daily Downing Street press conference , he said : `` We know from evidence around the world @ @ @ @ @ @ @ distancing measures in place , one person probably infects on average nearly three people .
`` And so if you just work through the maths of that ... you very rapidly get into very , very high numbers . ''
By cutting this rate , he added , the curve could begin to flatten and eventually start `` going in the opposite direction .
It starts to drop . ''
: : Listen to All Out Politics on Apple Podcasts , Google Podcasts , Spotify , Spreaker '' So that is why we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ transmission and avoiding contact , that is the whole purpose of stay-at-home and social distancing , so that that number of people an individual infects on average falls . ''
Echoing this sentiment , health secretary Matt Hancock said the evidence suggested the rate of transmission was becoming more linear , instead of exponential .
He added : `` If people want to see the lockdown ended , they know what to do . ''

Social distancing measures may have already reduced the transmission rate of coronavirus, an expert has said.
Professor Stephen Powis, medical director of NHS England, said on Thursday that early evidence showed people were no longer passing the virus on to multiple people.
He said that without the measures an infected person would, on average, pass the virus on to three other people - but that rate may have now dropped below one.
Speaking at the daily Downing Street press conference, he said: "We know from evidence around the world, that if there are no social distancing measures in place, one person probably infects on average nearly three people.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 1:02 Lockdown: The dos and don'ts
"And so if you just work through the maths of that ... you very rapidly get into very, very high numbers."
By cutting this rate, he added, the curve could begin to flatten and eventually start "going in the opposite direction. It starts to drop."
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"So that is why we spend a lot of time talking about transmission and avoiding contact, that is the whole purpose of stay-at-home and social distancing, so that that number of people an individual infects on average falls."
Echoing this sentiment, health secretary Matt Hancock said the evidence suggested the rate of transmission was becoming more linear, instead of exponential.
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He added: "If people want to see the lockdown ended, they know what to do."


news--2020-04-02--Pets at Home sees 'exceptional demand' amid coronavirus outbreak

Animal lovers rushed to stock up on products for their pets as the coronavirus pandemic took hold , a leading retailer has said .
Pets at Home said it had seen `` exceptional demand '' in online and store sales .
The company has been classed by the government as an essential retailer due to its stock of pet food , medicine and hygiene products .
It said existing customers have bought more products per visit while new customers have accessed its pet products and healthcare services .
But chief executive Peter Pritchard warned the retailer will `` not be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the disease cause by coronavirus .
It said initial disruption in the Far East stabilised `` relatively quickly '' and product availability has `` held up well '' so far .
Pets at Home said current uncertainty means it is unable to provide specific guidance over its trading outlook for the new financial year .
The company said it expects lower customer revenues across its veterinary practices as a result of the pandemic .
It said that this , combined with the potential for lower store revenues due to social distancing and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a `` negative impact '' on group turnover for the year .
Mr Pritchard said : `` I am extremely grateful that our colleagues and operations have shown such resilience and flexibility to meet the recent exceptional level of demand from both existing and new customers .
`` As ever , in difficult times consumers turn to trusted brands and advice , and that is why we are working tirelessly to ensure that we continue to provide essential products and healthcare services for the UK 's pets .
`` We continue to take @ @ @ @ @ @ @ advice and remain vigilant to the potential impact of COVID-19 as we start the new financial year . ''

Animal lovers rushed to stock up on products for their pets as the coronavirus pandemic took hold, a leading retailer has said.
Pets at Home said it had seen "exceptional demand" in online and store sales.
The company has been classed by the government as an essential retailer due to its stock of pet food, medicine and hygiene products.
It said existing customers have bought more products per visit while new customers have accessed its pet products and healthcare services.
Image: Like many retailers, Pets at Home is implementing online queues
But chief executive Peter Pritchard warned the retailer will "not be immune" to challenges caused by COVID-19, the disease cause by coronavirus.
It said initial disruption in the Far East stabilised "relatively quickly" and product availability has "held up well" so far.
Pets at Home said current uncertainty means it is unable to provide specific guidance over its trading outlook for the new financial year.
The company said it expects lower customer revenues across its veterinary practices as a result of the pandemic.
It said that this, combined with the potential for lower store revenues due to social distancing and other measures, is expected to have a "negative impact" on group turnover for the year.
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Mr Pritchard said: "I am extremely grateful that our colleagues and operations have shown such resilience and flexibility to meet the recent exceptional level of demand from both existing and new customers.
"As ever, in difficult times consumers turn to trusted brands and advice, and that is why we are working tirelessly to ensure that we continue to provide essential products and healthcare services for the UK's pets.
"We continue to take all appropriate action in line with government advice and remain vigilant to the potential impact of COVID-19 as we start the new financial year."


news--2020-04-01--Coronavirus: How singers are providing a lifeline to care home residents in lockdown

Tapping her feet and swaying , care home resident Freda Colbourne is transported to another world by the singing she 's listening to outside her window .
Family and friends are n't allowed to visit the Cedar Lawn care home in Stratford Upon Avon due to lockdown restrictions , as coronavirus continues to spread across the UK .
Contact with the outside world is now minimal , but Hannah Ciotkowski , from the healthcare charity Kissing It Better , is making sure people do n't feel too lonely , standing outside and singing a collection of golden oldies for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seems particularly touched by the music , telling us how lovely it is to hear the singing , especially Over The Rainbow , which reminds her of her late husband and was played at his funeral .
Kissing It Better was set up in 2009 by Jill Fraser to `` try and do what we can to help the isolated and lonely '' .
Young people are invited to use their skills , be it singing or juggling , reading or rapping , `` to bring the generations together '' .
During the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is now more important than ever .
`` We should n't underestimate the trauma of going into a care home for some people , '' she says .
`` And then you 're not seeing your relatives ... and also wondering if you 're particularly old , will you see them again - is this it . ''
Told they could n't carry out their usual work and go into hospitals , care homes and the community as social distancing restrictions tightened , Jill and her team remained undeterred .
`` We thought @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outside the windows , '' she says .
`` It 's so important for the elderly but also for the staff and for the loved ones who ca n't visit to make sure they know their loved ones have not been forgotten . ''
The charity stresses it follows all the correct government guidelines and takes advice from the highest level .
`` Wherever we sing , all sessions are meticulously organised with the care homes and hospitals , '' says Jill , so this is not something amateurs should be attempting during @ @ @ @ @ @ @ says one resident was laughing and crying , singing and dancing when the team visited last week , thanks to a track that brought back memories of `` meeting her husband in secret while off duty during the war all those years ago '' .
Linda says that although times are `` very difficult at the moment '' as families are n't allowed in , there are lots of things happening to try and keep everyone in contact .
`` The singing really lifts everyone 's spirits , '' she says .
Residents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also in Stratford Upon Avon , have benefited from the singers ' skills .
The health benefits of music to dementia sufferers are well documented .
Music is often used as a form of therapy , known to increase communication with others because a song can often trigger memories .
`` It accesses the other side of your brain and accesses the memory centre , so actually you 'll hear a melody and it will bring back different memories , '' says Victoria Wilson , a professional singer and teacher who sings for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , joyous occasions ... it helps remember things and connects people together . ''
Jill and her team also get out into the community when they can .
David and Glynis , a couple in their 70s , have been treated to a personal concert on their doorstep ( adhering to the two metre distancing ) to mark Glynis 's birthday and the couple 's golden wedding anniversary , celebrations for which had to be cancelled over the weekend .
`` It just brightens the whole day up , everyone is so down @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' Glynis tells Sky News .
Jill says she is passionate about continuing with their support for as long as possible , and advises anyone who has relatives in isolation or residential care to get creative .
If technology is a problem , relatives can send photographs or letters - `` anything to ensure they do not feel forgotten '' , she says .
The current restrictions are clearly tough for everyone but for the elderly and vulnerable they are going to be particularly hard .
Judging by the response from Freda @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kissing It Better does will play an important role in combating loneliness and depression in the months to come .

Tapping her feet and swaying, care home resident Freda Colbourne is transported to another world by the singing she's listening to outside her window.
Family and friends aren't allowed to visit the Cedar Lawn care home in Stratford Upon Avon due to lockdown restrictions, as coronavirus continues to spread across the UK.
Contact with the outside world is now minimal, but Hannah Ciotkowski, from the healthcare charity Kissing It Better, is making sure people don't feel too lonely, standing outside and singing a collection of golden oldies for the residents inside.
Image: Freda says Somewhere Over The Rainbow was played at her husband's funeral
Freda, 97, seems particularly touched by the music, telling us how lovely it is to hear the singing, especially Over The Rainbow, which reminds her of her late husband and was played at his funeral.
Kissing It Better was set up in 2009 by Jill Fraser to "try and do what we can to help the isolated and lonely".
Young people are invited to use their skills, be it singing or juggling, reading or rapping, "to bring the generations together".
During the COVID-19 outbreak, Jill says their work is now more important than ever.
"We shouldn't underestimate the trauma of going into a care home for some people," she says.
"And then you're not seeing your relatives... and also wondering if you're particularly old, will you see them again - is this it."
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Told they couldn't carry out their usual work and go into hospitals, care homes and the community as social distancing restrictions tightened, Jill and her team remained undeterred.
"We thought outside the box and decided to sing outside the windows," she says.
"It's so important for the elderly but also for the staff and for the loved ones who can't visit to make sure they know their loved ones have not been forgotten."
The charity stresses it follows all the correct government guidelines and takes advice from the highest level.
"Wherever we sing, all sessions are meticulously organised with the care homes and hospitals," says Jill, so this is not something amateurs should be attempting during lockdown.
Cedar Lawn manager Linda Traynier says one resident was laughing and crying, singing and dancing when the team visited last week, thanks to a track that brought back memories of "meeting her husband in secret while off duty during the war all those years ago".
Linda says that although times are "very difficult at the moment" as families aren't allowed in, there are lots of things happening to try and keep everyone in contact.
"The singing really lifts everyone's spirits," she says.
Image: The work of the Kissing It Better singers has never been more important
Residents of Hylands House for dementia sufferers, also in Stratford Upon Avon, have benefited from the singers' skills.
The health benefits of music to dementia sufferers are well documented. Music is often used as a form of therapy, known to increase communication with others because a song can often trigger memories.
"It accesses the other side of your brain and accesses the memory centre, so actually you'll hear a melody and it will bring back different memories," says Victoria Wilson, a professional singer and teacher who sings for the charity.
"Memories of childhood, joyous occasions... it helps remember things and connects people together."
Podcast Podcast , which may be using cookies and other technologies. To show you this content, we need your permission to use cookies. You can use the buttons below to amend your preferences to enable Podcast cookies or to allow those cookies just once. You can change your settings at any time via the This content is provided by, which may be using cookies and other technologies. To show you this content, we need your permission to use cookies. You can use the buttons below to amend your preferences to enablecookies or to allow those cookies just once. You can change your settings at any time via the Privacy Options Unfortunately we have been unable to verify if you have consented to Podcast cookies. To view this content you can use the button below to allow Podcast cookies for this session only. Enable Cookies Allow Cookies Once
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Jill and her team also get out into the community when they can.
David and Glynis, a couple in their 70s, have been treated to a personal concert on their doorstep (adhering to the two metre distancing) to mark Glynis's birthday and the couple's golden wedding anniversary, celebrations for which had to be cancelled over the weekend.
"It just brightens the whole day up, everyone is so down and it just lifts everyone's spirits," Glynis tells Sky News.
Jill says she is passionate about continuing with their support for as long as possible, and advises anyone who has relatives in isolation or residential care to get creative.
If technology is a problem, relatives can send photographs or letters - "anything to ensure they do not feel forgotten", she says.
The current restrictions are clearly tough for everyone but for the elderly and vulnerable they are going to be particularly hard.
Judging by the response from Freda and the other residents, the work Kissing It Better does will play an important role in combating loneliness and depression in the months to come.


news--2020-04-02--Clap for our Carers: Waller-Bridge, Beckham and Bond join key worker tributes

A host of celebrities including Phoebe Waller-Bridge , Daniel Craig and Elton John have joined the Clap for our Carers as the show of support swept the country for the second Thursday in a row .
At 8pm thousands took to their doorsteps , gardens and balconies to show their appreciation for NHS workers on the frontline of the battle against the coronavirus .
And more than 70 stars of the stage , screen and sports field shared videos on social media .
Sir Paul McCartney , Stormzy and Ricky Gervais were among those showing solidarity with frontline staff .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the stars filmed themselves saying thank you to healthcare workers .
Around the country there were rounds of applause , cheering and a general racket using whatever people could get their hands on including pots , pans , and drums .
Participants included Prime Minister Boris Johnson , who was seen clapping in the doorway of Number 10 .
He is currently self-isolating after testing positive for COVID-19 last week .
The PM told those gathered outside : `` I am not allowed out really , I am just standing here . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , joining in the applause on his street in north London .
Buildings across the country also got in on the action , with the tip of the Shard in London illuminated blue .
Windsor Castle , the Queen 's second residence , was also lit blue in a sign of support .
In Scotland , bagpipers performed a tune to show their appreciation .
They were urged by the National Piping Centre to play Scotland the Brave in their own neighbourhoods .
Dorset Police officers and staff gathered at Poole Hospital to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on social distancing .
Many emergency services personnel sounded their sirens to show their appreciation .
The first Clap For Carers took place last Thursday ( 26 March ) and is expected to continue on a weekly basis .
The second show of appreciation for health workers comes as the UK-wide lockdown to combat the spread of COVID-19 continues .
Earlier on Thursday it was confirmed that another 569 people have died in the UK after contracting the coronavirus - bringing the total number of deaths to 2,921 .
Health Secretary Matt Hancock @ @ @ @ @ @ @ action plan in a bid to achieve 100,000 tests per day by the end of April .

A host of celebrities including Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Daniel Craig and Elton John have joined the Clap for our Carers as the show of support swept the country for the second Thursday in a row.
At 8pm thousands took to their doorsteps, gardens and balconies to show their appreciation for NHS workers on the frontline of the battle against the coronavirus.
And more than 70 stars of the stage, screen and sports field shared videos on social media.
Sir Paul McCartney, Stormzy and Ricky Gervais were among those showing solidarity with frontline staff.
From David Beckham to Kylie Minogue, the stars filmed themselves saying thank you to healthcare workers.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 1:30 Britons salute NHS heroes
Around the country there were rounds of applause, cheering and a general racket using whatever people could get their hands on including pots, pans, and drums.
Participants included Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who was seen clapping in the doorway of Number 10.
He is currently self-isolating after testing positive for COVID-19 last week.
The PM told those gathered outside: "I am not allowed out really, I am just standing here."
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Image: The prime minister - in self-isolation - came to the doorstep on Downing Street to applaud
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn also took part, joining in the applause on his street in north London.
Buildings across the country also got in on the action, with the tip of the Shard in London illuminated blue.
Windsor Castle, the Queen's second residence, was also lit blue in a sign of support.
In Scotland, bagpipers performed a tune to show their appreciation.
Image: Clapping for carers in south London
They were urged by the National Piping Centre to play Scotland the Brave in their own neighbourhoods.
Dorset Police officers and staff gathered at Poole Hospital to pay tribute, while observing the rules on social distancing.
Many emergency services personnel sounded their sirens to show their appreciation.
Image: This is how one father in Glasgow paid tribute
The first Clap For Carers took place last Thursday (26 March) and is expected to continue on a weekly basis.
Image: NHS workers outside the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital
The second show of appreciation for health workers comes as the UK-wide lockdown to combat the spread of COVID-19 continues.
Earlier on Thursday it was confirmed that another 569 people have died in the UK after contracting the coronavirus - bringing the total number of deaths to 2,921.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock, meanwhile, has unveiled a five-point action plan in a bid to achieve 100,000 tests per day by the end of April.


news--2020-04-02--Clap for our Carers: 'Give your kids pans, let's make a bigger racket than last week'

Britain will once again unite to clap the NHS workers on the frontline of the battle against coronavirus - same time , same place .
Clap for our Carers will start at 8pm tonight from the nation 's doorsteps , windows , gardens and balconies .
`` Let 's see if we can make more of a racket than last week , '' tweeted @ 94inchandy , who will definitely be joining in .
`` Give the kids your pots and pans , let granny use our vuvuzelas - you 'll never walk alone . ''
The general public , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Family and other famous faces , came out in support of the NHS last Thursday by clapping and cheering from their homes while social distancing .
Prince Charles , 71 , who had coronavirus at the time , was pictured clapping at Birkhall , his private home on the Balmoral estate in Scotland .
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge , William and Kate , posted a video of their three children - George , Charlotte and Louis - clapping , while Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Chancellor Rishi Sunak also joined in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : `` It was very moving to join in the national clap for the NHS but it 's not just the NHS its police , social care workers , teachers and everybody who works in schools , DWP staff ... an amazing national effort by the public services , but also by every member of the British public who is volunteering . ''
Many households across the UK joined in , with some holding signs , cheering and letting off fireworks .
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn also took part , appearing to cheer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was revealed that a further 569 people have died in the UK after contracting coronavirus - bringing the total number of deaths to 2,921 .
The number is slightly higher than the 563 people who died with COVID-19 on Wednesday .
Mr Johnson , who is self-isolating in Downing Street after being diagnosed with COVID-19 , admitted the UK needs to `` massively ramp up '' testing for the virus .
He said testing was `` how we would unlock the coronavirus puzzle '' and `` defeat it in the end '' .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ are being forced to self-isolate just as they are needed most , because tests are not available to show whether they are clear of the disease .
Watch Sky News at 8pm to watch live coverage of Clap for our Carers

Britain will once again unite to clap the NHS workers on the frontline of the battle against coronavirus - same time, same place.
Clap for our Carers will start at 8pm tonight from the nation's doorsteps, windows, gardens and balconies.
"Let's see if we can make more of a racket than last week," tweeted @94inchandy, who will definitely be joining in.
"Give the kids your pots and pans, let granny use our vuvuzelas - you'll never walk alone."
The general public, as well as members of the Royal Family and other famous faces, came out in support of the NHS last Thursday by clapping and cheering from their homes while social distancing.
Prince Charles, 71, who had coronavirus at the time, was pictured clapping at Birkhall, his private home on the Balmoral estate in Scotland.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, William and Kate, posted a video of their three children - George, Charlotte and Louis - clapping, while Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Chancellor Rishi Sunak also joined in from Downing Street.
Image: The London Eye was lit up blue to show appreciation and support for NHS staff last week
Mr Johnson said: "It was very moving to join in the national clap for the NHS but it's not just the NHS its police, social care workers, teachers and everybody who works in schools, DWP staff... an amazing national effort by the public services, but also by every member of the British public who is volunteering."
Many households across the UK joined in, with some holding signs, cheering and letting off fireworks.
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Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn also took part, appearing to cheer in a video.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 0:13 George, Charlotte and Louis joined the nation in clapping for NHS workers
On Thursday it was revealed that a further 569 people have died in the UK after contracting coronavirus - bringing the total number of deaths to 2,921.
The number is slightly higher than the 563 people who died with COVID-19 on Wednesday.
Mr Johnson, who is self-isolating in Downing Street after being diagnosed with COVID-19, admitted the UK needs to "massively ramp up" testing for the virus.
He said testing was "how we would unlock the coronavirus puzzle" and "defeat it in the end".
NHS staff have expressed frustration that they are being forced to self-isolate just as they are needed most, because tests are not available to show whether they are clear of the disease.
Watch Sky News at 8pm to watch live coverage of Clap for our Carers


news--2020-04-01--Coronavirus: COVID-19 cases worldwide top one million

The coronavirus pandemic has reached a grim landmark , with more than one million cases confirmed worldwide .
Almost a quarter of that number ( 236,000 ) are people diagnosed with COVID-19 in the US , according to figures compiled by Johns Hopkins University .
Italy and Spain make up nearly another quarter between them ( 225,000 ) , with China , Germany and the UK also having a high number of cases .
On Thursday , Spain 's death toll rose above 10,000 after a record 950 people died overnight - but health officials are encouraged by a slowdown @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Spain has the world 's second-highest number of deaths after Italy at 10,003 - but today 's one-day toll is the highest for any country since the start of the pandemic .
Italy recorded 760 more deaths , and now has a total of almost 14,000 - the worst of any nation - but new infections continued to level off .
More than 10,000 medical personnel in the country have been infected , and 69 doctors have died .
COVID-19 - the respiratory illness that is caused by the coronavirus - originated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over the past four months , has spread to almost every country in the world .
In the UK , another 569 people have died after being diagnosed - meaning the total number is 2,921 .
The number of deaths , tallied in the 24 hours up to 5pm on Wednesday , is Britain 's largest daily increase so far .
The Department of Health said as of 9am on Thursday , 33,718 people had tested positive across the UK .
Meanwhile , in the US , President Donald Trump has warned Americans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' as coronavirus deaths in the US peak - before suggesting people wear scarves as face masks in the fight against the virus .
The White House has projected between 100,000 and 240,000 people will die in the US from the pandemic , if social distancing guidelines are maintained .
Canada faces `` a critical week '' - Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland said on Thursday , after the country saw the number of deaths rise to 161 , from 105 yesterday , while it is reported the number of confirmed cases jumped @ @ @ @ @ @ @ public health agency is particularly concerned by the spread of the coronavirus in seniors ' residences , which are turning into hotspots in Ontario , Quebec and British Columbia - the three biggest provinces by population .
The Mayor of Toronto , John Tory , has said anyone caught walking within two meters ( 6ft ) of another person in a public park in the city , or square , will be fined up to $ 5,000 ( around £2,850 ) , claiming the public has been warned many times .
: : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Podcasts , Google Podcasts , Spotify , Spreaker He also said he does not want Toronto to become New York , which has been the epicentre of the outbreak in the US .
There is no proven vaccine for COVID-19 , but pharmaceutical companies in various countries have joined the race for a vaccine .
The World Health Organisation said on Wednesday evening that 74 countries had also volunteered to take part in trials to find a cure for the virus .

The coronavirus pandemic has reached a grim landmark, with more than one million cases confirmed worldwide.
Almost a quarter of that number (236,000) are people diagnosed with COVID-19 in the US, according to figures compiled by Johns Hopkins University.
Italy and Spain make up nearly another quarter between them (225,000), with China, Germany and the UK also having a high number of cases.
Image: A woman is taken into a hospital in northern Spain
On Thursday, Spain's death toll rose above 10,000 after a record 950 people died overnight - but health officials are encouraged by a slowdown in daily increases in infections and deaths.
Spain has the world's second-highest number of deaths after Italy at 10,003 - but today's one-day toll is the highest for any country since the start of the pandemic.
Image: A COVID-19 patient in the ICU at Casalmaggiore Hospital in Italy
Italy recorded 760 more deaths, and now has a total of almost 14,000 - the worst of any nation - but new infections continued to level off.
More than 10,000 medical personnel in the country have been infected, and 69 doctors have died.
COVID-19 - the respiratory illness that is caused by the coronavirus - originated in China late last year and, over the past four months, has spread to almost every country in the world.
In the UK, another 569 people have died after being diagnosed - meaning the total number is 2,921.
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The number of deaths, tallied in the 24 hours up to 5pm on Wednesday, is Britain's largest daily increase so far.
The Department of Health said as of 9am on Thursday, 33,718 people had tested positive across the UK.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 1:22 Hancock: Aim is 100,000 daily COVID-19 tests
Meanwhile, in the US, President Donald Trump has warned Americans to expect a "painful two weeks" as coronavirus deaths in the US peak - before suggesting people wear scarves as face masks in the fight against the virus.
The White House has projected between 100,000 and 240,000 people will die in the US from the pandemic, if social distancing guidelines are maintained.
Canada faces "a critical week" - Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland said on Thursday, after the country saw the number of deaths rise to 161, from 105 yesterday, while it is reported the number of confirmed cases jumped to 11,131 from 9,017.
Canada's public health agency is particularly concerned by the spread of the coronavirus in seniors' residences, which are turning into hotspots in Ontario, Quebec and British Columbia - the three biggest provinces by population.
The Mayor of Toronto, John Tory, has said anyone caught walking within two meters (6ft) of another person in a public park in the city, or square, will be fined up to $5,000 (around £2,850), claiming the public has been warned many times.
Podcast Podcast , which may be using cookies and other technologies. To show you this content, we need your permission to use cookies. You can use the buttons below to amend your preferences to enable Podcast cookies or to allow those cookies just once. You can change your settings at any time via the This content is provided by, which may be using cookies and other technologies. To show you this content, we need your permission to use cookies. You can use the buttons below to amend your preferences to enablecookies or to allow those cookies just once. You can change your settings at any time via the Privacy Options Unfortunately we have been unable to verify if you have consented to Podcast cookies. To view this content you can use the button below to allow Podcast cookies for this session only. Enable Cookies Allow Cookies Once
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He also said he does not want Toronto to become New York, which has been the epicentre of the outbreak in the US.
There is no proven vaccine for COVID-19, but pharmaceutical companies in various countries have joined the race for a vaccine.
The World Health Organisation said on Wednesday evening that 74 countries had also volunteered to take part in trials to find a cure for the virus.


news--2020-02-25--Coronavirus: Inside the ghost towns hit by Italy's outbreak

The streets are empty , the schools are closed , shutters of restaurants and shops are down .
Codogno , the so-called `` Wuhan of Italy '' , is a ghost town .
`` It 's the new normal .
Nobody can leave , nobody can enter , '' said Antonio Bernocchi , a resident of Codogno , where the coronavirus outbreak in Italy originated days ago .
`` It 's an entirely different situation : everything is closed , there are very few people out and about , and those who are out look at you in a strange @ @ @ @ @ @ @ small town of 15,000 people , Codogno is where the virus first surfaced in the country when an Italian man in his late 30s became critically ill with COVID-19 , the disease caused by the coronavirus .
Along with another 10 towns in northern Italy , it has been in lockdown since the outbreak began , with police manning checkpoints and residents stocking up on food .
Italian newspapers call Codogno the `` Wuhan of Italy '' - referring to the Chinese city where the outbreak began last December .
Others call the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But the 50,000 residents in this cluster of towns and villages in Italy 's affluent north are trying to adjust and go about their lives .
`` It happened suddenly , and the situation escalated quickly .
In the space of 48 hours we found ourselves isolated and quarantined , '' said Mr Bernocchi .
`` First it was one town , then two , four , 10 - then we became a 'red zone ' . ''
Mr Bernocchi spends time at home with his wife and two teenage children whose schools @ @ @ @ @ @ @ calm .
`` I do n't want to panic , it 's not easy but that 's the situation we 're in - we ca n't change it so we might as well manage it , '' he said .
Theatres and cinemas are closed .
Even the most cherished Italian traditions , such as Sunday mass or football games , have been called off .
`` I have decided to suspend all masses .
We have become a ghost town , '' Iginio Passerini , parish priest in Codogno , told the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outbreak .
Italy now has the biggest number of COVID-19 cases outside of Asia .
So far , more than 320 cases have been confirmed and at least 11 people have died - all of them elderly people suffering from other conditions .
The British government updated its travel advice to say anyone returning to the UK from northern Italy 's quarantined towns must self-isolate , even if they do n't show symptoms .
Many residents are barricaded inside their houses , just trying to get enough food and keeping distance from one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some are serving customers by passing items through windows , others are only allowing two people at a time to limit the risk of contagion .
Codogno 's market , which is held twice a week in the town 's biggest piazza , has been called off .
Supermarkets are now allowed to open a few hours a day , and any espresso bar that wants to stay open must observe a curfew of 6pm , said Mr Bernocchi - though none have opened yet .
Mr Bernocchi said at supermarkets he had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as though we were in a war '' , adding : `` Let 's say they got a bit carried away .
A bit of panic is understandable at first . ''
Italy has imposed draconian measures , but critics say it 's too late .
The country is now struggling to contain the outbreak as it extends beyond the north - with two cases confirmed in Tuscany and one in Palermo , Sicily .
In another of the quarantined towns , Casalpusterlengo , just a few kilometres away from Codogno , residents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : : Listen to the Daily podcast on Apple Podcasts , Google Podcasts , Spotify , Spreaker Leyla Bicer , a pharmacist in the town , has kept up her job by wearing a mask and rubber gloves - and serving customers who stay just outside a door left ajar .
`` People ask for the medication they 're on , then they ask for masks , antibacterial gel , which has run out , and gloves , which are starting to run low , '' she said .
Her husband , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to stay at home , and the nursery of the couple 's twin daughters - aged two-and-a-half - is closed .
`` That 's the hardest part , the kids whose schools are closed , '' she told Sky News .
`` We are lucky because the grandparents are also inside the 'red zone ' , so we take turns . ''
Ms Bicer says her routine has changed .
`` If I go out , I 'll pull a scarf over my face .
When I buy groceries , I do n't @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I stock up , and I never go with my daughters .
Plus I avoid any crowded areas . ''
She says the worst thing is not being able to leave the village .
`` We are used to going out , this is a small town , plus everything is closed , '' she says .
`` But on the upside , we have all been forced to slow down - spend time with our children , talk , enjoy what 's good in life . ''

The streets are empty, the schools are closed, shutters of restaurants and shops are down. Codogno, the so-called "Wuhan of Italy", is a ghost town.
"It's the new normal. Nobody can leave, nobody can enter," said Antonio Bernocchi, a resident of Codogno, where the coronavirus outbreak in Italy originated days ago.
"It's an entirely different situation: everything is closed, there are very few people out and about, and those who are out look at you in a strange, almost dazed way."
Image: Antonio Bernocchi, a resident of coronavirus-hit Codogno in northern Italy, has been quarantined
A small town of 15,000 people, Codogno is where the virus first surfaced in the country when an Italian man in his late 30s became critically ill with COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus.
Along with another 10 towns in northern Italy, it has been in lockdown since the outbreak began, with police manning checkpoints and residents stocking up on food.
Italian newspapers call Codogno the "Wuhan of Italy" - referring to the Chinese city where the outbreak began last December. Others call the area a "red zone".
But the 50,000 residents in this cluster of towns and villages in Italy's affluent north are trying to adjust and go about their lives.
"It happened suddenly, and the situation escalated quickly. In the space of 48 hours we found ourselves isolated and quarantined," said Mr Bernocchi.
"First it was one town, then two, four, 10 - then we became a 'red zone'."
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Mr Bernocchi spends time at home with his wife and two teenage children whose schools are closed, and tries to keep calm.
"I don't want to panic, it's not easy but that's the situation we're in - we can't change it so we might as well manage it," he said.
Theatres and cinemas are closed. Even the most cherished Italian traditions, such as Sunday mass or football games, have been called off.
"I have decided to suspend all masses. We have become a ghost town," Iginio Passerini, parish priest in Codogno, told the Italian press in the aftermath of the outbreak.
Italy now has the biggest number of COVID-19 cases outside of Asia. So far, more than 320 cases have been confirmed and at least 11 people have died - all of them elderly people suffering from other conditions.
The British government updated its travel advice to say anyone returning to the UK from northern Italy's quarantined towns must self-isolate, even if they don't show symptoms.
Many residents are barricaded inside their houses, just trying to get enough food and keeping distance from one another.
Image: Streets of Codogno deserted of people on Saturday morning
Image: Codogno has been put in quarantine for two weeks
Shops are closed - though some are serving customers by passing items through windows, others are only allowing two people at a time to limit the risk of contagion.
Codogno's market, which is held twice a week in the town's biggest piazza, has been called off.
Supermarkets are now allowed to open a few hours a day, and any espresso bar that wants to stay open must observe a curfew of 6pm, said Mr Bernocchi - though none have opened yet.
Mr Bernocchi said at supermarkets he had seen people filling up their trolleys "as though we were in a war", adding: "Let's say they got a bit carried away. A bit of panic is understandable at first."
Italy has imposed draconian measures, but critics say it's too late. The country is now struggling to contain the outbreak as it extends beyond the north - with two cases confirmed in Tuscany and one in Palermo, Sicily.
In another of the quarantined towns, Casalpusterlengo, just a few kilometres away from Codogno, residents are finding new ways to cope.
:: Listen to the Daily podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Spreaker
Leyla Bicer, a pharmacist in the town, has kept up her job by wearing a mask and rubber gloves - and serving customers who stay just outside a door left ajar.
"People ask for the medication they're on, then they ask for masks, antibacterial gel, which has run out, and gloves, which are starting to run low," she said.
Her husband, who works at a construction company, had to stay at home, and the nursery of the couple's twin daughters - aged two-and-a-half - is closed.
"That's the hardest part, the kids whose schools are closed," she told Sky News. "We are lucky because the grandparents are also inside the 'red zone', so we take turns."
Ms Bicer says her routine has changed.
"If I go out, I'll pull a scarf over my face. When I buy groceries, I don't buy fresh produce as much, but I stock up, and I never go with my daughters. Plus I avoid any crowded areas."
She says the worst thing is not being able to leave the village.
"We are used to going out, this is a small town, plus everything is closed," she says.
"But on the upside, we have all been forced to slow down - spend time with our children, talk, enjoy what's good in life."


news--2020-02-25--Mission: Impossible 7 filming hit by coronavirus fears

Filming on the latest Mission : Impossible movie has been suspended due to coronavirus fears in Italy .
Paramount Pictures had scheduled three weeks of filming in Venice but said it was cancelling the shoot out of `` an abundance of caution for the safety and well-being of our cast and crew '' .
The studio added : `` During this hiatus we want to be mindful of the concerns of the crew and are allowing them to return home until production starts .
We will continue to monitor this situation , and work alongside health and government officials as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people in Italy have been infected with COVID-19 , the respiratory disease caused by coronavirus , the largest number outside Asia .
Seven people have died .
Most of the cases are in the neighbouring Lombardy region but three of them are in Venice and the Venetian government has halted public gatherings in an effort to stop the spread .
The film was due for release in July next year but it is not known whether the pause in filming will alter that date .
It is understood Hollywood star Tom Cruise , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ filming .
: : Listen to the Daily podcast on Apple Podcasts , Google Podcasts , Spotify , Spreaker The action film is not the only movie affected by the virus , which has seen travel restrictions and business closures in affected regions .
Paramount postponed the release in China of Sonic The Hedgehog , which had been scheduled for Friday .
Cinemas in China , the world 's second-largest box office , have been closed due to the outbreak .
Last week , the latest James Bond film No Time To Die @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Disney 's remake of Mulan could be forced to go the same way , with restrictions in China unlikely to have eased before its release date next month .
More than 80,000 people worldwide have been infected with COVID-19 , with around 2,700 dying .

Filming on the latest Mission: Impossible movie has been suspended due to coronavirus fears in Italy.
Paramount Pictures had scheduled three weeks of filming in Venice but said it was cancelling the shoot out of "an abundance of caution for the safety and well-being of our cast and crew".
The studio added: "During this hiatus we want to be mindful of the concerns of the crew and are allowing them to return home until production starts. We will continue to monitor this situation, and work alongside health and government officials as it evolves."
More than 200 people in Italy have been infected with COVID-19, the respiratory disease caused by coronavirus, the largest number outside Asia. Seven people have died.
Most of the cases are in the neighbouring Lombardy region but three of them are in Venice and the Venetian government has halted public gatherings in an effort to stop the spread.
The film was due for release in July next year but it is not known whether the pause in filming will alter that date.
It is understood Hollywood star Tom Cruise, 57, was not in Italy for filming.
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The action film is not the only movie affected by the virus, which has seen travel restrictions and business closures in affected regions.
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Paramount postponed the release in China of Sonic The Hedgehog, which had been scheduled for Friday. Cinemas in China, the world's second-largest box office, have been closed due to the outbreak.
Last week, the latest James Bond film No Time To Die cancelled its Beijing premiere and promotional tour.
Disney's remake of Mulan could be forced to go the same way, with restrictions in China unlikely to have eased before its release date next month.
More than 80,000 people worldwide have been infected with COVID-19, with around 2,700 dying.


news--2020-02-25--Coronavirus: global stock markets plunge for a second day

Global stock markets have endured a second day of carnage as concerns mount over the speed of the coronavirus outbreak 's spread .
The FTSE 100 slumped by more than 100 points to hit its lowest level in four and a half months , meaning nearly £100bn has been wiped off the value of its constituent companies in the past 48 hours .
New York 's Dow Jones , which dropped 1,000 points during a global rout on Monday , lost another 879 points , or 3.15 % on Tuesday .
It came after cases of COVID-19 , the disease @ @ @ @ @ @ @ across Italy and was now also found to be in Spain , Austria and Croatia .
Meanwhile , US public health officials alerted Americans to begin preparing for the spread of the coronavirus - a change in tone after efforts previously largely focused on preventing it from entering the country .
On Monday , the FTSE 100 had suffered its deepest one-day losses since 2016 - with £62bn erased from its firms ' total value - led by airlines and miners .
It was a similar story in Europe and on Wall Street @ @ @ @ @ @ @ performance for two years .
After that huge sell-off , markets had started Tuesday in a positive mood .
However , sentiment soon turned sour with the FTSE 100 closing 139 points , or 1.9 % , down - wiping a further £35bn of the combined value of its constituent companies .
There were similar falls across Europe .
In London , easyJet - which had been the biggest faller on Monday with a 17 % decline - lost a further 3.5 % .
The biggest loser on Tuesday was cruise ship operator @ @ @ @ @ @ @ - followed by engineering firm Meggitt , which fell 5 % after it said the coronavirus crisis would hit sales this year .
Experts put the latest declines down to the new reported cases on the continent - key markets for airlines and holiday firms - reinforcing expectations that the global economy is on course for damage in the short term .
The Italian MIB , which lost 5.4 % of its value on Monday , saw early gains on Tuesday as investors continued to digest the implications of the country 's efforts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of movement .
But it later turned negative , off by 1.4 % by the close , while Spain 's IBEX was more than 2 % lower .
The latest Wall Street slump saw the Dow Jones hit its lowest levels since October .
Randy Frederick , vice president of trading and derivatives at Charles Schwab stockbrokers , said : `` For the first time in a while we 're finally waking up to the fact that this issue could go on for a while and have a significant impact on Chinese and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ States .
`` When people react to it because they do n't travel or go to restaurants or go shopping , that 'll have an immediate impact on the economy . ''

Global stock markets have endured a second day of carnage as concerns mount over the speed of the coronavirus outbreak's spread.
The FTSE 100 slumped by more than 100 points to hit its lowest level in four and a half months, meaning nearly £100bn has been wiped off the value of its constituent companies in the past 48 hours.
New York's Dow Jones, which dropped 1,000 points during a global rout on Monday, lost another 879 points, or 3.15% on Tuesday.
It came after cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, were identified across Italy and was now also found to be in Spain, Austria and Croatia.
Meanwhile, US public health officials alerted Americans to begin preparing for the spread of the coronavirus - a change in tone after efforts previously largely focused on preventing it from entering the country.
On Monday, the FTSE 100 had suffered its deepest one-day losses since 2016 - with £62bn erased from its firms' total value - led by airlines and miners.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 1:06 Coronavirus: market sell-off 'just the first stage'
It was a similar story in Europe and on Wall Street, which saw its worst day's performance for two years.
After that huge sell-off, markets had started Tuesday in a positive mood.
However, sentiment soon turned sour with the FTSE 100 closing 139 points, or 1.9%, down - wiping a further £35bn of the combined value of its constituent companies.
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There were similar falls across Europe.
In London, easyJet - which had been the biggest faller on Monday with a 17% decline - lost a further 3.5%.
Travel operator TUI was nearly 5% lower.
The biggest loser on Tuesday was cruise ship operator Carnival - off by nearly 6% - followed by engineering firm Meggitt, which fell 5% after it said the coronavirus crisis would hit sales this year.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 2:33 British business not immune to COVID-19
Experts put the latest declines down to the new reported cases on the continent - key markets for airlines and holiday firms - reinforcing expectations that the global economy is on course for damage in the short term.
The Italian MIB, which lost 5.4% of its value on Monday, saw early gains on Tuesday as investors continued to digest the implications of the country's efforts to limit the COVID-19 spread through restrictions of movement.
But it later turned negative, off by 1.4% by the close, while Spain's IBEX was more than 2% lower.
The latest Wall Street slump saw the Dow Jones hit its lowest levels since October.
Randy Frederick, vice president of trading and derivatives at Charles Schwab stockbrokers, said: "For the first time in a while we're finally waking up to the fact that this issue could go on for a while and have a significant impact on Chinese and global economic growth and potentially the United States.
"When people react to it because they don't travel or go to restaurants or go shopping, that'll have an immediate impact on the economy."


news--2020-02-25--Coronavirus: Four more dead in Italy as disease spreads across Europe

Four more people have been confirmed dead in Italy as the coronavirus continues to spread across Europe .
Angelo Borrelli , the chief of Italy 's Civil Protection agency , said the number of virus cases in the country increased 45 % in the last day and there have now been 11 deaths .
The four latest deaths to be reported in Italy were all elderly people _ three over the age of 80 from Lombardy , the worst impacted region , and a 76-year-old woman in Veneto , another region in the north hit by the virus .
Mr @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Italy had risen to 322 , the vast majority of them in the north of the country .
It came after Switzerland , Austria and Croatia confirmed their first cases of the virus in their countries on Tuesday .
The cases of COVID-19 , the disease caused by the coronavirus , involved people who had recently travelled from virus-hit parts of neighbouring Italy .
A top official at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC ) , said it was no longer a question of if the virus would become @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said : `` It 's a question of when and how many people will be infected . ''
The Six Nations rugby match between Ireland and Italy in Dublin this weekend is in doubt over coronavirus fears .
Ireland 's Health Minister Simon Harris told Sky News : `` Nobody wants to see mass events cancelled but at the end of the day we have to prioritise public health .
`` We 're in a containment stage .
It 's impossible to stop every single case of COVID-19 , we 've seen that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do need to take all reasonable measures in Ireland and abroad to try and minimise the impact and minimise the spread .
`` The national public health emergency team today was very strongly of the view that the Ireland Italy rugby match would be a very high risk event . ''
The Ireland national side has said it is seeking an urgent meeting with Mr Harris as to the specific reasoning behind calling for the cancellation of the match .
• Austria - a local authority health spokeswoman said there were two cases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ healthy ministry confirmed a woman in Barcelona who went to northern Italy recently has tested positive • Italy - governor of Sicily announced a woman on the island was diagnosed with the illness A 70-year-old man from Switzerland 's southern state of Ticino , which borders Italy , tested positive after returning from a trip to Milan , the head of the Swiss Federal Office for Public Health said .
Pascal Strupler said the man is being isolated at a clinic in Lugano while authorities try to trace anyone he had contact with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there will be more cases in Switzerland .
Authorities in the western Austrian state of Tyrol said a woman and a man , both 24-years-old and from the Bergamo area in Lombardy , drove into the country in their private car on Friday .
Guenter Weiss , a senior doctor at Innsbruck 's university hospital , said the woman fell ill Saturday and developed a fever Sunday .
The woman 's boyfriend had a fever and a sore throat the same day .
The couple reported themselves to authorities late Monday .
Mr @ @ @ @ @ @ @ condition with only mild symptoms but will be kept in isolation until the weekend .
He added : `` We have to work on the assumption that due to the proximity to Italy , one or the other case may still come . ''
Franz Katzgraber , the head of the Tyrol state health department , said authorities are currently tracing possible contacts the patients may have had in Austria .
Croatia also confirmed its first case Tuesday , a man who had travelled to the Italian city of Milan .
Prime Minister @ @ @ @ @ @ @ younger man , with a mild form of the disease '' and that he has `` been isolated and his condition is good '' .
The German Red Cross said people who have recently travelled to areas with local transmission of the virus , such as parts of northern Italy , will be prevented from giving blood for four weeks .
Iran 's deputy health minister and head of the country 's anti-coronavirus taskforce , Iraj Harirchi , also tested positive for the virus after being seen sweating and appearing uncomfortable at a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ MP for Tehran has also been infected and citizens there are being advised to stay at home , according to state media .
And a plane load of people - 132 passengers and crew - on board an evacuation flight of Turkish citizens out of Iran have landed and been put into quarantine at a hospital in Ankara .
So far 13 people in the UK have tested positive for COVID-19 ; the latest four were travellers rescued from the Diamond Princess cruise ship in Japan .
Globally there are 80,350 suspected and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , according to the Johns Hopkins hospital - one of the biggest medical researchers in the world which is collating the figures .
Health Secretary Matt Hancock said he did n't think any Britons were trapped in the areas being quarantined by the Italian government but the `` significant outbreak '' of cases there was `` worrying '' .
`` I 'm pretty worried , '' he told Sky News ' Kay Burley @ Breakfast .
`` We 've got the plans in place .
At the moment the containment here is going @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be worried .
`` That 's what you 'd expect of a health secretary in the middle of what is a global outbreak .
`` There is a good chance that we contain this at this sort of level where the number of cases - although we expect more cases in the UK - the number of cases is relatively low as now . ''
He added anyone who has also returned from Iran , special care zones in South Korea and Hubei province in China should also self-isolate immediately .
• @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tenerife are reportedly being tested after a confirmed case • Middle East countries close borders with Iran after deputy health minister gets virus , said state media • Two schools in Cheshire shut after students return from Italy ski trips with `` flu-like symptoms '' • A Korean Air flight attendant has tested positive for the virus • South Korean officials are investigating a possible link between a Christian sect and a spike of infections • Bahrain cancelled all flights to and from Dubai airport - one of the busiest in the world @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after the biggest one-day falls for several years COVID-19 has been fatal in 2 % of reported cases , with the elderly and ill the most vulnerable , according to the World Health Organisation ( WHO ) .
A spokesman has warned countries to up their preparedness , saying the virus is `` literally knocking at the door '' .
At least 283 people have had the disease and five have died , with a further two fatalities reported , in Italy so far .
Among the worst-affected regions is Lombardy , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Milan where major football games have been called off and cinemas and theatres were closed .
Supermarkets were also pictured with empty shelves .
Authorities there are scrambling to contain the biggest outbreak of coronavirus in Europe , which has prompted Austria to assemble a special taskforce to consider border controls .
: : Listen to the Daily podcast with Dermot Murnaghan on Apple Podcasts , Google Podcasts , Spotify , Spreaker There are thought to be 11 towns on lockdown at the moment containing at least 50,000 inhabitants , with 500 police @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Castiglione d'Adda , Casalpusterlengo , Fombio , Maleo , Somaglia , Bertonico , Terranova dei Passerini , Castelgerundo and San Fiorano in Lombardy ; as well as Vo ' Euganeo in the Veneto region .
Those who refuse to stay put inside the zones could be jailed for up to three months .
Oladimeji Mudele , who is studying for a PhD in Pavia - which is on lockdown - told Sky News on Tuesday morning most of his fellow students from southern Italy had returned home .
The streets are near-empty with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ university suspended , he added .
Antonio Bernocchi , a store manager from Milan quarantined in Cogodno , said he was being kept in the `` red zone '' and adjusting to a `` new normality '' .
He urged people to `` stay calm '' and `` just follow the rules that the politicians have given to us '' .
Questions have also been raised over whether the upcoming Six Nations rugby match between Italy and England due to take place in Stadio Olimpico in Rome could have to go ahead in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ grows .
A spokesperson for the company told Sky News they were monitoring the situation and in regular contact with the Italian authorities .
Earlier on Tuesday , Mr Hancock reassured travellers it was still `` reasonable '' to travel to southern Italy and official advice to those heading there has not been changed .
But the governor of Sicily , which is in the south , later said a woman on holiday from the north had been diagnosed with the illness .
The tourist has been taken to hospital in the island @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1,000 holidaymakers visiting Tenerife in the Canary Islands have also been left trapped in their hotel rooms after an Italian doctor tested positive for the virus , who has now been quarantined in a local clinic .
COVID-19 originated in Wuhan , China , and was identified on 16 January .

Four more people have been confirmed dead in Italy as the coronavirus continues to spread across Europe.
Angelo Borrelli, the chief of Italy's Civil Protection agency, said the number of virus cases in the country increased 45% in the last day and there have now been 11 deaths.
The four latest deaths to be reported in Italy were all elderly people _ three over the age of 80 from Lombardy, the worst impacted region, and a 76-year-old woman in Veneto, another region in the north hit by the virus.
Mr Borrelli said number of confirmed cases in Italy had risen to 322, the vast majority of them in the north of the country.
It came after Switzerland, Austria and Croatia confirmed their first cases of the virus in their countries on Tuesday.
The cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, involved people who had recently travelled from virus-hit parts of neighbouring Italy.
A top official at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), said it was no longer a question of if the virus would become a global pandemic.
Dr Anne Schuchat said: "It's a question of when and how many people will be infected."
The Six Nations rugby match between Ireland and Italy in Dublin this weekend is in doubt over coronavirus fears.
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Ireland's Health Minister Simon Harris told Sky News: "Nobody wants to see mass events cancelled but at the end of the day we have to prioritise public health.
"We're in a containment stage. It's impossible to stop every single case of COVID-19, we've seen that in recent days.
"But we do need to take all reasonable measures in Ireland and abroad to try and minimise the impact and minimise the spread.
"The national public health emergency team today was very strongly of the view that the Ireland Italy rugby match would be a very high risk event."
The Ireland national side has said it is seeking an urgent meeting with Mr Harris as to the specific reasoning behind calling for the cancellation of the match.
Austria - a local authority health spokeswoman said there were two cases in the Tyrol region
Spain - healthy ministry confirmed a woman in Barcelona who went to northern Italy recently has tested positive
Switzerland - government confirmed the country's first case
Croatia - prime minister confirmed the country's first case
Italy - governor of Sicily announced a woman on the island was diagnosed with the illness
A 70-year-old man from Switzerland's southern state of Ticino, which borders Italy, tested positive after returning from a trip to Milan, the head of the Swiss Federal Office for Public Health said.
Pascal Strupler said the man is being isolated at a clinic in Lugano while authorities try to trace anyone he had contact with.
Mr Strupler said it was likely there will be more cases in Switzerland.
Authorities in the western Austrian state of Tyrol said a woman and a man, both 24-years-old and from the Bergamo area in Lombardy, drove into the country in their private car on Friday.
Guenter Weiss, a senior doctor at Innsbruck's university hospital, said the woman fell ill Saturday and developed a fever Sunday.
The woman's boyfriend had a fever and a sore throat the same day.
The couple reported themselves to authorities late Monday.
Mr Weiss said both are in a stable condition with only mild symptoms but will be kept in isolation until the weekend.
He added: "We have to work on the assumption that due to the proximity to Italy, one or the other case may still come."
Franz Katzgraber, the head of the Tyrol state health department, said authorities are currently tracing possible contacts the patients may have had in Austria.
Croatia also confirmed its first case Tuesday, a man who had travelled to the Italian city of Milan.
Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic said it's a "younger man, with a mild form of the disease" and that he has "been isolated and his condition is good".
The German Red Cross said people who have recently travelled to areas with local transmission of the virus, such as parts of northern Italy, will be prevented from giving blood for four weeks.
Iran's deputy health minister and head of the country's anti-coronavirus taskforce, Iraj Harirchi, also tested positive for the virus after being seen sweating and appearing uncomfortable at a news conference on Monday.
Image: Iranian deputy health minister Iraj Harirchi was seen sweating at a news conference
A separate MP for Tehran has also been infected and citizens there are being advised to stay at home, according to state media.
And a plane load of people - 132 passengers and crew - on board an evacuation flight of Turkish citizens out of Iran have landed and been put into quarantine at a hospital in Ankara.
Image: New cases of the virus have been reported spreading across Europe
So far 13 people in the UK have tested positive for COVID-19; the latest four were travellers rescued from the Diamond Princess cruise ship in Japan.
Globally there are 80,350 suspected and confirmed cases and 2,705 people have died, according to the Johns Hopkins hospital - one of the biggest medical researchers in the world which is collating the figures.
Image: The virus originated in Wuhan, China
Health Secretary Matt Hancock said he didn't think any Britons were trapped in the areas being quarantined by the Italian government but the "significant outbreak" of cases there was "worrying".
"I'm pretty worried," he told Sky News' Kay Burley@Breakfast. "We've got the plans in place. At the moment the containment here is going well, but it's my job to be worried.
"That's what you'd expect of a health secretary in the middle of what is a global outbreak.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 0:33 Health sec 'pretty worried' about COVID-19
"There is a good chance that we contain this at this sort of level where the number of cases - although we expect more cases in the UK - the number of cases is relatively low as now."
He added anyone who has also returned from Iran, special care zones in South Korea and Hubei province in China should also self-isolate immediately.
In other developments:
Hundreds of tourists at a hotel in Tenerife are reportedly being tested after a confirmed case
Middle East countries close borders with Iran after deputy health minister gets virus, said state media
Two schools in Cheshire shut after students return from Italy ski trips with "flu-like symptoms"
A Korean Air flight attendant has tested positive for the virus
South Korean officials are investigating a possible link between a Christian sect and a spike of infections
Bahrain cancelled all flights to and from Dubai airport - one of the busiest in the world
A health adviser suggested coronavirus could be feared "Disease X"
Global stock markets are sliding further after the biggest one-day falls for several years
Image: People who defy the lockdown face jail for up to three months
COVID-19 has been fatal in 2% of reported cases, with the elderly and ill the most vulnerable, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).
A spokesman has warned countries to up their preparedness, saying the virus is "literally knocking at the door".
At least 283 people have had the disease and five have died, with a further two fatalities reported, in Italy so far.
Image: More cases have been reported in Italy, as the disease grows in Europe
Among the worst-affected regions is Lombardy, which includes the country's financial capital of Milan where major football games have been called off and cinemas and theatres were closed. Supermarkets were also pictured with empty shelves.
Authorities there are scrambling to contain the biggest outbreak of coronavirus in Europe, which has prompted Austria to assemble a special taskforce to consider border controls.
:: Listen to the Daily podcast with Dermot Murnaghan on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Spreaker
There are thought to be 11 towns on lockdown at the moment containing at least 50,000 inhabitants, with 500 police controlling 43 access points - Codogno, Castiglione d'Adda, Casalpusterlengo, Fombio, Maleo, Somaglia, Bertonico, Terranova dei Passerini, Castelgerundo and San Fiorano in Lombardy; as well as Vo' Euganeo in the Veneto region.
Those who refuse to stay put inside the zones could be jailed for up to three months.
Image: Masks have sold out in some shops in Rome
Oladimeji Mudele, who is studying for a PhD in Pavia - which is on lockdown - told Sky News on Tuesday morning most of his fellow students from southern Italy had returned home.
The streets are near-empty with shops closed and public gatherings at the university suspended, he added.
Antonio Bernocchi, a store manager from Milan quarantined in Cogodno, said he was being kept in the "red zone" and adjusting to a "new normality".
He urged people to "stay calm" and "just follow the rules that the politicians have given to us".
Image: Empty shelves in supermarkets were pictured near Milan
Questions have also been raised over whether the upcoming Six Nations rugby match between Italy and England due to take place in Stadio Olimpico in Rome could have to go ahead in Twickenham instead, if the coronavirus threat grows.
A spokesperson for the company told Sky News they were monitoring the situation and in regular contact with the Italian authorities.
Earlier on Tuesday, Mr Hancock reassured travellers it was still "reasonable" to travel to southern Italy and official advice to those heading there has not been changed.
But the governor of Sicily, which is in the south, later said a woman on holiday from the north had been diagnosed with the illness.
The tourist has been taken to hospital in the island's capital of Palermo.
Up to 1,000 holidaymakers visiting Tenerife in the Canary Islands have also been left trapped in their hotel rooms after an Italian doctor tested positive for the virus, who has now been quarantined in a local clinic.
COVID-19 originated in Wuhan, China, and was identified on 16 January.