FACTBOX-Latest on coronavirus spreading in China and beyond

Fears grew on Monday that the coronavirus outbreak in China will grow into a pandemic with disruptive and deadly consequences for countries around the world, after sharp rises in infections in South Korea, Italy, and Iran.

* The virus has killed 2,442 and infected 76,936 people in China, and slammed the brakes on the world's second-largest economy.

* Large parts of China relaxed curbs on transport and movement of people on Monday as only 11 new cases were reported outside of Hubei province, the epicenter of the outbreak.

* More than 3,000 medical staff in China have been infected, an official at China's National Health Commission said on Monday.

* However, international worries about the spread of coronavirus outside China grew, with the World Health Organization (WHO) expressing concern about the number of cases with no clear epidemiological link.

* Beijing warned its citizens on Monday against traveling to the United States, saying that Chinese tourists have been treated unfairly due to excessive prevention measures.

* Outside China, the outbreak has spread to about 29 countries and territories, with a death toll of about two dozen, according to a Reuters tally.

* A sixth person infected with the coronavirus has died in Italy, officials said on Monday as the government battled to contain Europe's worst outbreak of the illness.

* An air transport strike planned for Tuesday in Italy has been postponed until further notice.

* France on Monday blocked coach passengers coming from Milan over concerns one Italian on board might be infected, local health authorities said. Ireland cautioned citizens against travelling to virus-hit parts of Italy.

* South Korea reported 231 new cases, taking total infections to 833, health authorities said on Monday.

* Hong Kong's government warned residents on Monday to avoid all non-essential travel to South Korea.

* Hong Kong said it had 74 confirmed cases, up from 69 on Saturday. The death toll is three.

* Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, and Iraq on Monday recorded their first new coronavirus cases, all people who had been in Iran, which raised its toll from the disease to 12 dead and 61 infected.

* Afghanistan confirmed its first case, declaring a state of emergency in a territory bordering Iran.

* Iraq shut a border crossing with Kuwait to travelers and trade at Kuwait's request.

* Qatar will ask passengers from Iran and South Korea to remain in home isolation or a quarantine facility for 14 days, Qatar Airways said on Monday.

* French minister said on Monday he saw no need to shut transport borders between France and Italy despite the spread of coronavirus.

* A third passenger from the Diamond Princess cruise ship in Japan died on Sunday, while confirmed cases have reached 691.

* Greek organizers of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic flame lighting ceremony said on Monday they have taken extra precautions for the torch's months-long relay.

* The Trump administration has backed off plans to quarantine patients from the cruise ship at a federal facility in Alabama.

* Meanwhile, the International Monetary Fund predicted the outbreak would lower China's growth this year to 5.6% and shave 0.1 percentage points from global growth.

* Finance chiefs of the world's top 20 economies vowed to monitor the virus impact on global growth and act if needed.

* China will intensify efforts to help cushion the blow to the economy from the virus that authorities are still trying to control, President Xi Jinping said.

* China's trade council says 3,325 force majeure certificates related to the outbreak have been issued as of Feb. 21, covering contracts worth around 270 billion yuan ($38.43 billion).

* Vietnam's central bank ordered commercial banks on Monday to cut or delay loan payments from virus-hit firms.

* Cambodia's Prime Minister promised on Monday tax breaks to garment factories hit by supply chain disruptions from the virus and higher tariffs after the EU withdrew trade preferences over human rights.

* Argentine beef exports to its top buyer China fell almost a third in January due to a price dispute with importers and the effects of the outbreak.

* European shares suffered their biggest slump since mid-2016 on Monday and oil plunged almost 5% in reaction to a jump in coronavirus cases    in Italy, South Korea, Japan, and Iran

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)