^{Natalie Carney reports for CGTN on the sporting impact of COVID-19 in Europe}

European governments are scrambling to contain a slew of new coronavirus cases across the continent, with some large gatherings such as sporting events and the Geneva International Motor show cancelled. Japanese authorities are reported to have said a British man infected on the quarantined cruise ship has died, which would be the first British death from COVID-19.  

First Briton dies from COVID-19

Japan's health ministry said a British national has brought deaths from the virus in the country to 11, including six who were on board the Diamond Princess cruise ship, which has had more than 700 cases of the virus.

The name of the victim has not yet been released and the UK's foreign ministry declined comment.

Earlier, health authorities in the UK said the country now had 19 confirmed cases of COVID-19 after Wales identified its first case – in someone who had traveled from Italy – and two new cases in England, in people who had been in Iran.

 

First cases reported in the Netherlands and Lithuania

By Friday 12:00 GMT, there had been two cases of the novel coronavirus in the Netherlands – the first was detected on Thursday, in a patient who had traveled to northern Italy. Individuals who have been in "close contact" with the man have been tested and the patient placed in isolation in a hospital in the southern town of Tilburg.

Lithuania confirmed its first case on Friday in a woman who had also returned from Italy. The 39-year-old has been isolated in hospital in the Baltic state's northern city of Siauliai and has mild symptoms. The government also deployed troops at airports to help take down the contact information of people arriving from infected regions.

 

Overview of COVID-19 cases around Europe (Figures correct as at 11:00 GMT on 28 February 2020)

ITALY – 650 infections

GERMANY – 53 

FRANCE – 38

UK – 19 

SPAIN – 17

SWITZERLAND – 15

AUSTRIA – 3

CROATIA – 3

GREECE – 3

FINLAND – 2 

SWEDEN – 2

BELGIUM – 1 

DENMARK – 1

NORWAY – 1 

ROMANIA – 1

BELARUS – 1

LITHUANIA – 1

NORTH MACEDONIA – 1

 

EU economy takes a hit

Stock markets plunged further on Friday, with equities on course for the largest weekly drop since the 2008 global financial crisis. This is over fears the coronavirus could devastate the world economy, which have also sent oil prices down.

Frankfurt headed the losses in Europe, diving more than five percent at one point in morning deals, with leading European stock markets tumbling around 12 percent in just one week. Meanwhile, London's blue-chip FTSE 100 has dropped to levels last seen in late 2018.

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However, the European Union's commissioner for the internal market said it was still too early to estimate the magnitude of the impact.

Tourism is already feeling the pinch because "our Chinese friends haven't been coming to Europe for two months," Thierry Breton told a news conference, adding that supply chains reliant on China, including for the auto, medical, electronic, wood and toy industries, were also being affected.

If the disruption continues, the EU stands ready to deploy economic support measures for virus-hit sectors after another ministerial meeting next month.

 

No to border closures

Closing Europe's borders – either its external borders or its internal, passport-free Schengen borders – was not seen as advisable or effective, EU officials have said, taking their lead from advice given by the World Health Organization (WHO).

"We follow scientific advice and believe any measures should be proportionate and coordinated with other member states and this is what we're trying to facilitate," said European Commission spokesman Adalbert Jahnz. "That's one of the reasons at the moment why we're not recommending any border controls."

However, far-right parties across Europe are using fears of COVID-19 to push for increased restrictions on borders. Marine Le Pen from France's National Rally and Alice Weidel, the head of Alternative for Germany in the Bundestag, are among several high-profile anti-immigration politicians to have used the virus to criticize Schengen.

 

Event cancellations

There is a possibility that EU authorities might soon look at cancelling all "mass gathering events," such as sporting fixtures, concerts and other opportunities for transmission of the virus if it was deemed a good way to slow its spread.

The Geneva International Motor Show was the latest major event to be cancelled in Europe after Switzerland banned gatherings of more than 1,000 people on Friday. The measure follows the cancellation of other large international conventions, such as Europe's top mobile phone trade show in Barcelona.

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Italy's prime minister, Giuseppe Conte, announced last Sunday that all sporting events in the country's two northern regions – the areas worst affected in Europe by the COVID-19 outbreak – would be suspended.

Upcoming soccer matches in Italy's Serie A and the Europa League, including Juventus and AC Milan's clash on Sunday, will be played behind closed doors to combat the virus's spread, with next month's alpine skiing World Cup Finals in Italy also to take place without any fans.