As of Friday morning, Europe has recorded 5,544 COVID-19 cases, according to the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control. Countries across the continent are reporting new cases and developments are moving fast. Here is a round-up of the latest:

Germany: Cases continue to increase

Confirmed cases: 534 Active cases: 528 Death toll: 0

The Robert Koch Institute, a German public health institution, said Friday that 134 new COVID-19 cases have been confirmed over the past 24 hours in Germany.

This brings the total number of cases to 534, up from Thursday's number of 400. The most-populous state of North Rhine-Westphalia has the highest number of cases at 281. The southern states of Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria have 91 and 79 cases, respectively. There are scattered cases in other regions.

On Friday, Germany's Foreign Ministry issued an advisory against all but essential travel to Italy's alpine South Tyrol region, a popular winter sports destination.

Health Minister Jens Spahn said Friday that Germany does not yet consider it necessary to limit free movement across borders.

Germany has banned the export of medical gear and adjusted a national travel advisory to warn of an "elevated quarantine risk" associated with cruise ship travel.

The virus is also causing economic woes in Germany . The Federation of German industries said the virus had increased the risk of the country falling into recession.

Lufthansa Group and its subsidiaries are canceling all flights to Israel and reducing domestic flight services as Israel barred entry to non-resident arrivals from Germany, France, Spain, Austria and Switzerland.

Germany has not announced a blanket closure of schools and kindergartens.

Germany has not ruled out widespread closures of kindergartens in the future

Italy: Europe's hardest-hit country

Confirmed cases: 3,858 Active cases: 3,296 Death toll: 148

Deaths from the virus rose by 41 from Wednesday to Thursday.

The country has been the worst hit in Europe after COVID-19 began spreading in towns across the country's northern regions of Lombardy and Veneto.

All schools and universities have been closed across the country and all major sporting events will be held behind closed doors until April.

The Vatican confirmed its first COVID-19 case on Friday in a patient at the small city-state's outpatient health clinic.

Italy's bishops ordered churches in affected areas not to hold mass during the week. The Vatican said it was considering changes to Pope Francis' schedule "to avoid the dissemination" of the virus, but it did not say whether the pope would stop shaking hands.

Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte postponed a constitutional referendum scheduled for March 29. Italy's foreign minister criticized US broadcaster CNN, accusing it of suggesting that the world was catching the virus from Italy.

The country has set aside €7.5 billion ($8.4 billion) to help the economy with losses due to coronavirus — just days ago the minister had promised a €3.6 billion package but it provoked outcry in Italy's media.

The Netherlands: First death reported

Confirmed cases: 82 Active cases: 81 Death toll: 1

On Friday, health officials in the Netherlands reported the first death related to COVID-19 in the country. An 86-year-old man died at a hospital in the port city of Rotterdam. Health officials said the source of his contamination was unknown. The Netherlands confirmed its first COVID-19 case on February 24, and as of Thursday, there were 82 confirmed cases in total.

The famous Paris Le Louvre museum re-oppened despite coronacase infection numbers rising in France.

France: Price cap on hand sanitizer

Confirmed cases:423 Active cases: 359 Death toll: 7

On Friday, French President Emmanuel Macron urged French citizens to avoid visiting their relatives in retirement homes "as much as possible" to avoid spreading the coronavirus.

Confirmed cases in the France rose by 138 in 24 hours on Thursday and included a member of the country's National Assembly.

Paris' Louvre Museum — the home to the famous Mona Lisa painting — has re-opened. Employees had been worried about catching the virus from tourists.

France announced measures to stop profiteering from the coronavirus, and put a price cap on the cost of hand sanitizer. From Friday, no one in France will have to pay more than €3 for 100 milliliters or more than €2 for 40 milliliters.

Watch video 01:22 Share Mask makers set to profit from virus outbreak Send Facebook google+ Whatsapp Tumblr linkedin stumble Digg reddit Newsvine Permalink https://p.dw.com/p/3Ywbr Mask makers set to profit from virus outbreak

Spain and Portugal: Madrid bears the brunt in Spain

Spain: Confirmed cases: 259 Active cases: 253 Death toll: 3

Portugal: Confirmed cases: 9 Active cases: 9 Death toll: 0

Madrid has emerged as the epicenter of the virus in Spain. The country's health authorities reported 10 new cases of the virus on Thursday, linked to a Madrid nursing home.

There are plans to roll out preventative measures across all of the capital city's care homes, including setting up isolation zones and barring people with symptoms from communal areas.

Some guests in quarantine at the hotel on the Spanish island of Tenerife were allowed to leave after testing negative for the virus but about 400 others are still unable to go home.

Portugal has reported far fewer infections than its neighbor, even after authorities confirmed its first two cases on Monday.

Read more: Coronavirus, cold, or flu symptoms? When you should be worried

Watch video 04:21 Share Coronavirus spreads in Italy and elsewhere Send Facebook google+ Whatsapp Tumblr linkedin stumble Digg reddit Newsvine Permalink https://p.dw.com/p/3Yl4X Coronavirus spreads in Italy and elsewhere

UK and Switzerland: First deaths from the virus

UK: Confirmed cases: 116 Active cases: 106 Death toll: 1

Switzerland: Confirmed cases: 118 Active cases: 114 Death toll: 1

On Thursday, the UK reported its first death from the virus. The patient is understood to be a woman in her 70s with underlying health conditions. People diagnosed with the virus rose by more than 30 in since Wednesday.

The spokesperson for the country's government said that it was "highly likely the virus is going to spread in a significant way."

Switzerland also recorded its first death on Thursday too — the patient was another woman in her 70s. The country has banned all large public events of more than 1,000 people until mid-March in a bid to halt the spread of the virus.

Central and eastern Europe: Escaping the worst, so far

Countries in central and eastern Europe have reportedly relatively few cases of COVID-19. Poland, Ukraine, Latvia, Lithuania and North Macedonia have only reported one case each. Slovakia and Serbia confirmed their first cases on Friday.

Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis said Friday that the country's citizens should avoid travel to anywhere in Italy and recommended anyone returning from Italy should self quarantine for 14 days. The country has so far confirmed 12 COVID-19 cases.

Economic impacts in Europe

Stock markets in several European countries dropped Friday due to fear from investors of a projected global economic downturn due to the coronavirus. In morning trading, Paris dropped 3.9%, Frankfurt and Milan dropped 3.7% each, Madrid lost 3.4% and London shed 3.3%.

Handshakes and kisses in a time of coronavirus Handshake It's one of the most widespread greetings in the business world. But will the traditional handshake go out of style? Health experts recommend avoiding it to reduce the risk of contracting the coronarvirus. Germany's interior minister took that advice seriously and refused to shake Chancellor Angela Merkel's hand. They both laughed and Merkel threw her hand up in the air before taking a seat.

Handshakes and kisses in a time of coronavirus Double-cheek kiss France's government has advised its citizens to cut back on the traditional "bise" — greeting by kissing others on both cheeks. But French President Emmanuel Macron nevertheless gave the double-kiss greeting to Italian Premier Giuseppe Conte during a summit in Naples this week, symbolically demonstrating that he didn't fear contact with the neighboring country affected by a coronavirus surge.

Handshakes and kisses in a time of coronavirus High five It's a gesture that was first popularized by baseball and basketball players in the US. About 50% fewer bacteria are transferred by high-fiving than by shaking hands — meaning that it's still not completely risk-free.

Handshakes and kisses in a time of coronavirus Fist bump Commonly used in sports, the greeting was also popularized by former US President Obama, shown here with Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg. Beyond the coolness factor, the fist bump transmits significantly fewer germs than shaking hands — about 90% less according to one study.

Handshakes and kisses in a time of coronavirus Hugs Hugging is another way to spread germs, but research has also shown that the warm embrace of a loved one may strengthen the immune system — and in some cases, it can boost diplomatic ties. This hug between South Korean President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in 2018 triggered various reactions on both sides of the border. They had previously opted for the more formal handshake.

Handshakes and kisses in a time of coronavirus Shoulder pat Australia's New South Wales Health Minister Brad Hazzard recommends this gesture: "It's time that Aussies actually gave each other a pat on the back for the time being — no handshaking," he said. While it transmits less bacteria than the previously mentioned forms of greetings, the pat on the back can be perceived as condescending by some people.

Handshakes and kisses in a time of coronavirus Wave Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip wave here from the balcony of Buckingham Palace. The original gesture derived from a 18th-century tradition of knights saluting each other after removing the guard of their helmets to reveal their identity and show that they were coming in peace. Waving can, however, be seen as offensive in some countries.

Handshakes and kisses in a time of coronavirus Fist and palm salute In China, where the COVID-19 outbreak began, one greeting recommendation is the traditional gong shou gesture, or the fist and palm salute, as demonstrated above by actress Miya Muqi at the Cannes screening of "Ash Is The Purest White" in 2018.

Handshakes and kisses in a time of coronavirus Thai wai A slight bow with palms pressed together in a prayer-like position: The Thai wai greeting is widespread in various southeast Asian countries — also known as the Indian namaste or the Burmese mingalar par.

Handshakes and kisses in a time of coronavirus Japanese bow Similarly safe, Japan's traditional sign of salutation and reverence still belongs to everyday life. Learning to bow elegantly is an important part of becoming a respectable adult. Here, employees of a department store in Tokyo practice their greeting ahead of the start of a New Year sale.

Handshakes and kisses in a time of coronavirus Footshake A recent viral video from China shows yet another alternative to the handshake: the "footshake," also dubbed the "Wuhan handshake." Rubbing dirty feet is still safer than touching hands...

Handshakes and kisses in a time of coronavirus Smile Probably the easiest way to greet someone without sharing germs and making a faux pas is to look the other person in the eyes, smile and say hello. Author: Elizabeth Grenier



wmr,kmm/rt (Reuters, AP, AFP, dpa)

DW editors send out a selection of the day's hard news and quality feature journalism. You can sign up to receive it directly here.