Europe has become the epicenter of the COVID-19 outbreak, with the hardest hit nation, Italy reporting hundreds of new deaths on Sunday.

The total number of deaths in the country has now surpassed 5,400.

All nonessential businesses in hard-hit Italy have been ordered to close as the country battles the coronavirus pandemic.

“It is the most difficult crisis in our postwar period,” Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said.

There are 53,578 confirmed cases of the virus in Italy, according to Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center.

Cuba has deployed a group of doctors and nurses to help Italy combat the virus.

The European Union Commission has reassured Italy that the country’s debt will not keep it from borrowing money to deal with the virus. In an interview with Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera newspaper, EU Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen said, “What we all understand is that no member state can face this threat alone. The virus has no borders and the European Union is stronger when we show full solidarity.”

Source : VOA