Italy

By far the worst European outbreak: more than 3,000 confirmed cases so far and 107 deaths. The virus has spread to all but one of Italy’s 20 regions, with the majority of cases in Lombardy, followed by Emilia-Romagna and Veneto. Most Italian regions have under 50 confirmed cases.

Having already placed 11 towns in lockdown and closed schools in Emilia-Romagna, Friuli Venezia Giulia, Lombardy, Veneto and Piedmont, the government will now put more towns in quarantine and close all schools and universities across Italy until mid-March. It is also considering closing cinemas and theatres and banning public events that “entail the concentration of people and do not allow for a safety distance of at least one metre”. People have been told to refrain from greeting each other by kissing on the cheek and hugging, to avoid crowded places. Those over 75, over 65 with a health problem, and anyone with respiratory problems have been advised to stay at home. The new guidelines also warn people not to drink from the same cups or bottles as anyone else.

The Venice carnival was cut short this weekend and many smaller carnivals have been cancelled. Performances at the La Scala opera house in Milan have been halted, and Milan fashion week was closed to the public. Important trade fairs such as the Milan furniture fair and Bologna’s children’s book fair have been postponed, and all sporting fixtures of any description cancelled in the so-called red zone (the northern regions most affected). Several Serie A football matches have been postponed and future fixtures may be played behind closed doors.

France

A total of 257 confirmed cases and four deaths. Thirteen regions affected. Four main clusters so far: Oise in northern France (64 cases), Haute-Savoie (19 cases) and four villages in the Morbihan in Brittany (12 cases); the fourth relates to a group of tourists who took part in an organised visit to Egypt (11 cases), while five members of the same family caught the virus after attending an evangelical church service at Mulhouse in eastern France.

Airport screening is in place for arrivals from affected countries. A dedicated Covid-19 emergency facility is being established in each département. The government has banned all indoor gatherings of more than 5,000 people and is considering outdoor events on a case-by-case basis; in affected areas, all public meetings have been banned and about 100 schools closed. “Every French woman and man” has been asked to help by washing their hands thoroughly every hour if possible and avoiding cheek-kissing. All available and future FFP2 masks from private and public stocks have been requisitioned by decree.

Apart from the cancelled Paris half-marathon and the Paris-Nice bike race, most sporting fixtures are going ahead at present, even international ones involving large numbers of visiting fans (although a Paris Saint Germain-Dortmund Champions League match on 11 March may take place behind closed doors). The Paris book fair has been cancelled and the agriculture fair closed a day early. The Louvre museum, which closed over staff coronavirus concerns, has reopened. Municipal elections on 15 and 22 March are expected to go ahead.

Germany

A total of 240 confirmed infections. Individual cases in 15 of the country’s 16 federal states, but the earliest and heaviest hit region is the Heinsberg district in North-Rhine Westphalia, on the border with the Netherlands, with 104 confirmed infections. The majority had already fully recovered and showed no symptoms, the health ministry said on Wednesday.

German households have had standing advice for several years now to keep enough food for 10 days, but that has not stopped “hamstering”: shelves have been cleared of tinned foods, pasta, rice and toilet roll. The government disease control and prevention agency, RKI, advised people in high-risk groups to shop only once a week to avoid unnecessary exposure to the virus. Whole-town lockdowns are not yet being considered, though some schools, hospitals and workplaces have been temporarily closed. The focus is on keeping track of travellers inside the country and ensuring easy contact. The export of medical protection gear such as masks and gloves has been banned.

A number of large trade fairs have been cancelled including the Leipzig book fair and the ITB tourism fair in Berlin. The Hanover Messe, one of the biggest industry trade fairs in the world, has been postponed until 13-17 July. Football matches in the Bundesliga are set to go ahead, though fans planning to come from Heinsberg for this Saturday’s Borussia Mönchengladbach-Borussia Dortmund game can exchange their ticket for another fixture later in the year.

Spain

210 cases nationwide, including 76 in Madrid; two fatalities. Health authorities are monitoring two infection clusters – one in Torrejón de Ardoz, a satellite town 25km north-east of Madrid, and another in the Basque city of Vitoria-Gasteiz. There are 19 cases in Valencia, 17 in the Basque country; 24 in Catalonia, 13 in Andalucía; 12 in Castille-La Mancha; 11 in Castilla y León; 10 in Cantabria, seven in the Canary islands; six in Extremadura; five in the Balearic islands, four in Asturias; three in Navarra, and three in Rioja.

Government advice remains the standard, to wash hands frequently, avoid touching the face, cough and sneeze into a disposable handkerchief or the crook of an arm, and avoid others if you think you have symptoms. It says the general population need not use face masks and warns against all but essential travel to affected countries. People who have done so are asked to watch out for any symptoms for 14 days after returning to Spain.

The health ministry has ordered football and basketball matches involving teams from affected countries to be played to empty stadiums and advised that large medical conferences and events should be cancelled to free up health professionals. It also wants anyone thinking of attending Spain’s huge annual rallies to mark International Women’s Day this Sunday to use their common sense and stay home if they suspect they might have the virus.

The Netherlands/Sweden

Facebook Twitter Pinterest The OLVG hospital in Amsterdam, where two outpatient clinics have been closed. Photograph: Robin Utrecht/EPA

Sweden has 35 confirmed cases, including 10 new infections in the Stockholm area announced on Wednesday, all linked either to contact with people already infected or recent travel to China, Italy, Iran or Germany. The Netherlands has 38 cases, four of whom are being treated in hospital, and most of whom were recently in, or related to someone who was in, northern Italy.

Advice in both countries is to adopt the standard hygiene practices described above. Both countries are advising against travel to China’s Hubei province and to avoid non-essential travel to elsewhere in China, and all travel to Iran. People who recently travelled to China, South Korea, Iran or affected areas in Italy have been told to stay at home if they start to develop symptoms.

A department of Amsterdam’s OLVG hospital has been closed for deep cleaning after an employee tested positive.