AFP, CODOGNO, Italy, and SHANGHAISouth Korea yesterday went on high alert following a sharp jump in coronavirus cases, and Italy and Iran took their own drastic containment steps as an outbreak that has killed nearly 2,500 people in China continued a relentless global expansion. “The government will raise the alert level to the highest level according to experts’ recommendations.”South Korea yesterday reported 169 new cases and three deaths, taking the countrywide fatality toll to five. Italy and Iran began introducing the sort of containment measures previously seen only in China. Iran ordered the closure of schools, universities and cultural centres across 14 provinces from yesterday following eight deaths in the Islamic Republic — the most outside East Asia. China reported another 97 deaths in its daily update, taking its total to 2,442, plus 648 new infections.

Source: Taipei Times February 23, 2020 15:56 UTC