Coronavirus outbreak batters economies, raises fear of spread

Hokkaido Governor Naomichi Suzuki (R) declares a state of emergency during a meeting on the new COVID-19 coronavirus in Hokkaido prefecture on February 28, 2020. AFP

Amid fears about where the next outbreak of a fast-spreading new virus would appear, infections and deaths continued to rise across the globe Sunday, emptying streets of tourists and workers, shaking economies and rewriting the realities of daily life.

Panic-buying of daily necessities emerged in Japan, tourist sites across Asia, Europe and the Mideast were deserted, and governments closed schools and banned big gatherings. Amusement parks have been shuttered and concerts cancelled. In Paris, priests stopped placing sacramental bread in worshippers' mouths.