Coronavirus cases have surged with over half a million people confirmed to have contracted the virus across the globe.

In these unprecedented times, how are newspapers across the continent covering the pandemic, and what are the headlines at the end of the week?

ITALY:

Daily Italian newspaper headlines with "poor Europe," with EU leaders at loggerheads over a coherent, pan-European strategy to tackle the economic ramifications of the crisis.

On Thursday, EU leaders met over video call and failed to mend bridges over how to make up for the financial pitfalls.

As leaders grapple with the debate on how to share the burden, the front page of La Repubblica detail's prime minister Conte's response: "Then let's do it ourselves".

La Repubblica

"The virus is rampant, Europe does not decide," reads the headline in Il Messaggero, an Italian daily newspaper.

Spain and Italy are among those who have backed "coronabonds," which would allow for shared debt across the bloc whilst ensuring low interest borrowing. However, Germany and the Netherlands have long been critical of such borrowing practices.

The concerns being felt in Milan also make the front page, with the newspaper reporting that the rise in confirmed cases, with the number tipping over the 80,000 mark across the country at the time of writing.

Il Messaggero

SPAIN:

El País, a Spanish daily newspaper, headlines with the extension of the state of emergency across the nation, but also the disagreements on the European front with regards to sharing the financial burden.

The paper reports that the Spanish health system has had to return faulty tests, citing the results as imprecise.

El País

PORTUGAL:

Diário de Notícias, a Portuguese daily newspaper, reports on the geopolitical tussle between the European Union and China amid the pandemic.

The paper reports that those aged 60 and above with chronic illnesses have had to seek medical leave to protect themselves, while the Bank of Portugal warns that the country is on set for the worst recession on record.

Diário de Notícias

FRANCE:

Le Monde, a daily national paper in France, reports that hospitals in d'Ile-de-France, where the capital is located, are rapidly reaching full capacity.

This comes as France nears 30,000 confirmed cases with 1,698 deaths.

Le Monde

Libération headlines with the economic ramifications of the pandemic, saying that the economy is in unknown territory.

This comes as the G20 injects €4.5 trillion into the global economy to lessen the brunt on national fronts.

Libération

GERMANY:

German daily newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung details the discussion by the German government of cementing an 'exit strategy,' as cases continue to rise within the country.

EU leaders also called on Brussels to detail a strategy for when the quarantine measures are lifted. In a joint letter, leaders called for there to be "a coordinated exit strategy, a comprehensive recovery plan and unprecedented investment".

Süddeutsche Zeitung

Die Welt, a German broadsheet, headlines the German Health Minister Jens Spahn saying that this is still "the calm before the storm".

Spahn expects a surge, with Germany totalling 47,278 confirmed cases and 281 deaths to date, the third highest number of cases in the bloc and fifth globally.

Die Welt

UNITED KINGDOM:

The 'clapping for carers' campaign features on the front page of The Times in the United Kingdom, with people across the nation clapping front line workers every evening in what has become a tradition across the continent.

The paper also details the concern over the use of drones by police to "spy on walkers". This comes after Derbyshire police posted a video on their social media to film dog walkers and others.

Meanwhile, the UK government has urged people not to move houses, suspending the housing market amid the crisis.

The Times, UK

IRELAND:

Health care workers who have travelled across the globe to come back to Ireland and work on the front lines feature on the front page of the Irish Times.

This comes as the Chief Medical Officer warns that the country is only at the start of the curve, with 1,819 confirmed cases and 19 deaths.

The government also passed a €3.7 billion income support package as unemployment soars.

The Irish Times

INTERNATIONAL HEADLINES:

The front page of The Wall Street Journal details how the number of those seeking unemployment benefit is skyrocketing to unprecedented levels, with a record 3.3 million claims on record rising from 282,000 in the previous week.

This comes as the United States overtakes China with the most confirmed cases globally, with over 85,000 cases and 1,300 deaths.

The Wall Street Journal

The Australian headlines with Prime Minister Scott Morrison's plan to 'hibernate' businesses through rent and tax relief so as to unsaddle debt during the crisis.

The daily newspaper reports on the concern over a lack of ICU beds and the travellers taking to airports to leave the country, which has over 3,000 confirmed cases to date.

The Australian

The front page of the New York Times international edition features a scene from the world's largest lockdown, after the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi decreed a 3-week nationwide shutdown to curb the spread of the virus.

Meanwhile, as the US aims to provide a $2 billion relief package, the Times analysis questions whether this will be enough as the world's second largest economy enters effective shutdown.