Coronavirus

The United States needs funding to fight the coronavirus, a White House spokesman said, without confirming reports that the administration was preparing to ask Congress to approve emergency funding, Reuters reported.

"We need some funding here to make sure that we … protect all Americans, that we keep us safe," White House spokesman Hogan Gidley told Fox News Channel.

A 40-year-old man is being treated at a hospital in the western port town of Patras on suspicion of being a coronavirus carrier, local media reported on Monday evening.

The man, who was admitted to the University Hospital with flu-like symptoms,  returned on Sunday by ferry from a trip to Italy, accoridng to the reports.

Oman's health ministry has announced the first two cases of people infected with the Chinese coronavirus in the country, Omani television quoted Reuters as saying. The infected are two Omani women who have returned from a visit to Iran. Both are in stable condition.

Oman has stopped all flights to Iran because of the coronavirus epidemic, Omani television added.

Chinese authorities are confident that the epidemic of the new coronavirus will be defeated, and normal life in most parts of the country will be restored by the end of February. "There is confidence in China that soon we will finally defeat this outbreak," Chinese Ambassador to Russia Zhang Hanhui said.

President Klaus Iohannis has announced his decision to hold a meeting of Romania's Supreme Council for National Defence (CSAT) on Wednesday on the coronavirus topic. "We have no registered case of coronavirus so far, but we must be prepared, in case of a negative development.

As Italy confirmed the six death and at least 200 cases in the country's coronavirus outbreak, Greece's National Public Health Organization (EODY) announced Monday it has sent a unit to the western port town of Patras to inform crews of passenger and merchant ships arriving from Italy on measures to protect from the virus.

A passenger being checked at Tirana airport amid fears of the spread of the coronavirus, on February 24 2020. Photo: LSA

Prosecutors said they suspected fearful messages were being spread mainly through WhattsApp.

The prosecutor's announcement on Monday followed an eruption of coronavirus cases in nearby Italy, a country with which Albania has multiple links.

At all border crossings, surveillance was ordered with the aim of taking adequate measures regarding the new situation with the spread of the coronavirus in Italy.

Greek shares dropped 6 percent on Monday after a sharp rise in coronavirus cases in neighbouring Italy, analysts said.

"The country's proximity to Italy has clearly triggered some concern," Manos Hatzidakis, analyst at Athens-based Beta Securities, told Reuters.

Head of the Romanian Microbiology Society Alexandru Rafila has underscored on Monday that there are no confirmed cases of coronavirus (COVID-19) in Romania. According to medical sources, in the special quarantine centres there are currently six persons, who came from the Diamond Princess cruise ship.