Health News Roundup: Lebanon records first coronavirus death; Osaka reports new cases and more

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

Lebanon records first death from coronavirus

Lebanon recorded its first death from coronavirus on Tuesday, and local broadcasters said the patient had been in quarantine after returning from Egypt. The government has halted flights for non-residents from epicenters of the virus, shut schools and warned against public gatherings as the total number of cases rose to 41 this week.

Osaka reports 18 new coronavirus cases, including from music venues: NHK

Japan's Osaka prefecture on Tuesday reported 18 new cases of coronavirus infections including multiple cases linked to live music venues that have been identified as hot spots in the prefecture, public broadcaster NHK said. As of Monday, all but six of Osaka's 55 infections have been linked to one or several of four small "live houses" in Osaka city.

Stocks savaged, Italy on lockdown, Trump seeks to reassure as coronavirus spreads

All of Italy under lockdown, reeling financial markets, and rioting prisoners made clear on Monday how the global coronavirus epidemic was extending its reach into all aspects of social and economic life. Major European stock markets dived more than 7%, Japanese indexes fell over 5% and U.S. markets sank over 7% after Saudi Arabia launched an oil price war with Russia that sent investors already spooked by the coronavirus epidemic running for the exits.

EU drugs regulator say no shortages yet, steering group to monitor

The European Union's healthcare regulator said that no drug shortages or supply disruptions have been reported in the region but that an EU steering group had convened to prevent supply bottlenecks due to the coronavirus outbreak. "As the public health emergency develops, shortages or disruptions cannot be excluded," the European Medicines Agency (EMA) said in a statement on Tuesday.

French coronavirus death toll jumps by five to total of 30

The death toll in France from the coronavirus outbreak has risen to 30 from 25 a day earlier, the French public health authority said on Tuesday.

Iran coronavirus deaths reach 291, cases at more than 8,000: health ministry

Iran's death toll from coronavirus infections jumped on Tuesday to 291 and the total number of infections rose to more than 8,000, the health ministry said. Health Ministry spokesman Kianush Jahanpur announced on state television that in the last 24 hours the number of new infections was 881, bringing the total to 8,042 and that another 54 patients had died.

Italy wakes up to deserted streets in unprecedented coronavirus lockdown

Italy woke up on to deserted streets in an unprecedented lockdown on Tuesday after the government extended quarantine measures across the entire country in a bid to slow Europe's worst outbreak of the coronavirus. The measures, announced late on Monday by Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte, widen steps already taken in the rich northern region of Lombardy and parts of neighboring provinces, clamping down on movement and closing public spaces.

Trump vows 'major' steps to aid U.S. economy amid coronavirus rise

President Donald Trump on Monday said he will be taking "major" steps to gird the economy against the impact of the spreading coronavirus outbreak and will discuss a payroll tax cut with congressional Republicans on Tuesday. "We'll be discussing a possible payroll tax cut or relief, substantial relief, very substantial relief, that's a big number," Trump told reporters.

Indonesia confirms eight new coronavirus cases, taking total to 27

Indonesia's health ministry reported eight new cases of coronavirus on Tuesday, taking the total number there to 27. The ages of the new patients ranged from 33 to 73, ministry official Achmad Yurianto told reporters. Two of them were foreigners, he said.

Epidemic response group ups coronavirus vaccine funding to $23.7 million

The CEPI global epidemic response coalition said on Tuesday it will put a further $4.4 million into deals with the biotech firm Novavax and the Britain's University of Oxford to rapidly develop potential vaccines against COVID-19. The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), which was set up to fight emerging epidemics, said the extra funding brought its total investment in the development of new vaccines against the new coronavirus to $23.7 million.