Europe races to strengthen virus response

Fresh measures brought in as health crisis declared the worst faced by UN

European nations have unleashed more measures to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus after a surge in the epicenter's COVID-19 cases and deaths, with Italy announcing an extension to its nationwide lockdown.

More than 100,000 people across Europe had tested positive for the virus as of Thursday evening. Globally, the pandemic had caused more than 200,000 cases of infection and more than 9,000 deaths as of Friday, according to the World Health Organization.

During a live virtual briefing on Thursday, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said: "We are facing a global health crisis unlike any in the 75-year history of the United Nations－one that is spreading human suffering, infecting the global economy and upending people's lives."

He called on world leaders to come together and to offer an urgent and coordinated response. "If we let the virus spread like wildfire－especially in the most vulnerable regions of the world－it would kill millions of people," he said.

The nationwide lockdown in Italy, the most affected country in Europe, will be extended beyond its initial April 3 deadline to stem the spreading virus, Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said on Thursday.

"We have avoided a total collapse of our system," Conte said in broadcast comments. "But the rigid measures taken by the government to counter the coronavirus emergency ... will be extended beyond the deadline."

Italy, with 60 million citizens, has recorded 3,405 deaths, or roughly 150 more than in China, a country with a population over 20 times larger. China is seeing signs of hope. Wuhan, the city where the new virus emerged three months ago, had no new infections for a second day on Friday, a sign its draconian lockdowns had worked.

The number of COVID-19 infections in Spain, the second worst-hit country in Europe after Italy, rose to 17,147 on Thursday, a 25-percent increase on Wednesday's figure of 13,716, with 767 deaths from the virus, according to health authorities.

The Spanish government on Thursday decreed all hotels and other tourist accommodation be shut within seven days to "guarantee the containment of the pandemic". It had earlier closed its land borders to all but its nationals and residents.

Data from Germany's disease control agency showed the number of confirmed cases had risen to 10,999 on Thursday, with 20 new deaths, bringing the death toll to over 40.

The German government also plans to support freelancers and small businesses with a maximum of 10 employees with financial funds of up to $53.5 billion to dampen the economic effects of the coronavirus.

French Director-General of Health Jerome Salomon announced on Thursday that France has detected 10,995 cases of coronavirus infection.

Masks from China

Belgium has received an order of 5 million protective masks from China amid fears of shortages in hospitals.

The shipment was delivered early on Friday at the Liege airport and placed under military surveillance.

A total of 1,795 confirmed cases of COVID-19 have been recorded by Belgian authorities, including 21 deaths, by Friday morning.

Prince Albert II, the head of state of Monaco, has tested positive for the virus, but there is no concern for his health, the prince's Palace of Monaco said on Thursday.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Thursday vowed to turn the tide within the next 12 weeks in the country's battle against the novel coronavirus. The government unveiled a draft on Thursday of the emergency powers it says it needs to deal with the coronavirus outbreak.

The United Kingdom had reported 3,269 infections and 144 deaths as of Thursday.

Julian Shea in London, Hong Xiao in New York, Xinhua and agencies contributed to the story.