FACTBOX-Latest on coronavirus spreading in China and beyond

Hopes the coronavirus would be contained to China vanished on Friday as infections spread rapidly around the world, countries started stockpiling medical equipment and investors took flight in expectation of a global recession.

* In Europe, the number of people who tested positive for the illness in Italy increased by more than 200 to 650. Germany, which warned of an impending epidemic, has about 27 cases, France around 18 and Spain 15. Greece announced tighter border controls. * South Korea reported its largest daily increase yet as the total number of infections rose by 571 to 2,337 on Friday. The death toll stood at 13, unchanged from a day earlier.

* Iran said on Thursday its death toll from coronavirus had risen to 26, by far the highest number outside China, and the total number of infected people now stood at 245. The outbreak prompted authorities to call off Friday prayers in the capitals of 23 of Iran's 31 provinces * Mainland China - where the virus originated late last year - reported 327 new cases on Friday, the lowest since Jan. 23.

* In eastern Europe, Lithuania reported its first infection in a woman who returned this week from a visit to Italy, and Belarus confirmed its first case, a student from Iran. * New Zealand's health ministry on Friday confirmed the country's first case of coronavirus in a person who recently returned from Iran.

* Nigeria's health ministry said on Friday it has confirmed a coronavirus case in Lagos state. * Japan's confirmed cases topped 200 on Friday, including four deaths, as Prime Minister Shinzo Abe pledged to take policy steps to protect the economy from the coronavirus impact. Japan has told schools to close and said big gatherings should be scrapped or curtailed.

* Tokyo Disneyland and Osaka-based theme park Universal Studios Japan will be closed from Saturday to March 15, while Tokyo Olympics organizers will make a call next week on how they plan to hold the ceremonial torch relay. * Thailand recorded one new case on Friday, bringing the total in the country to 41.

* The virus has caused nearly 80,000 infections and almost 2,800 deaths, according official Chinese figures. It has spread to another 46 countries, where about 3,700 cases and 57 deaths have been reported, according to the World Health Organization. * Recovered patients who were discharged from hospitalization but later tested positive again have been found not to be infectious, an official at China's National Health Commission said on Friday.

* Russia on Friday temporarily barred Iranians from entering the country and said it would also restrict the entry of South Koreans from March 1 as a precaution. * Vietnam plans to suspend visa-free travel for South Koreans starting on Saturday.

* It would be a "fatal mistake" for any country to assume it will not be hit by the coronavirus, and rich countries that might have thought they were safer should expect surprises, the WHO said. * California is monitoring more than 8,400 people who arrived on commercial flights for coronavirus symptoms, but the state lacks test kits and has been held back by federal testing rules.

* U.S. intelligence agencies are monitoring the global spread of coronavirus and the ability of governments to respond, sources familiar with the matter said on Thursday, warning that there were concerns about how India would cope with a widespread outbreak. * The risk to American people from coronavirus is low, but that could change, U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said

* U.S. President Donald Trump's administration was considering invoking special powers to rapidly expand domestic production of protective gear, two officials told Reuters. * Global share markets were headed for the worst week since the depths of the 2008 financial crisis as investors ditched risky assets on fears the coronavirus would become a pandemic and derail economic growth.

* Some investors are betting Chinese stocks, which were among the first hit by fears of the outbreak, may be among the first to recover. (Compiled by Amy Caren Daniel, Sarah Morland and Milla Nissi Editing by Sriraj Kalluvila and Tomasz Janowski)