Reuters World News Summary

Following is a summary of current world news briefs. Turkish town, villages first to be quarantined over coronavirus

One town and four villages in Turkey's Black Sea province of Rize have been quarantined over the coronavirus outbreak, the local mayor said on Friday, in the first case of a lockdown in the country since the beginning of the outbreak two weeks ago. Alaettin Serdar, the mayor of the Kandirli town, said in an interview with state broadcaster TRT Haber the move was a precautionary measure to prevent the further spread of illness after a patient in the town died of the virus on Thursday. Mainland China reports first local coronavirus transmission in three days

Mainland China reported its first locally transmitted coronavirus infection in three days, although cases involving travelers from overseas continued to dominate the total number of new cases. China's National Health Commission said on Friday that 55 new coronavirus cases were reported on the mainland on Thursday, with all but 1 case involving so-called imported cases. There were 67 new cases a day earlier. 'Like wartime' - Philippine doctors overwhelmed by coronavirus deluge

Private hospitals in the Philippines capital Manila have stopped accepting coronavirus patients in the face of surging numbers of sufferers and people seeking tests, the hospitals said. The Philippines has reported relatively fewer infections than many other countries in Southeast Asia, but medical experts say a lack of testing has meant that the scale of the epidemic has gone undetected. Exclusive: Support for Hong Kong protesters' demands rises even as coronavirus halts rallies: poll

Support for the demands of pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong has grown even as rallies have paused due to the coronavirus outbreak, according to a survey conducted for Reuters that also showed a widespread lack of confidence in the government's ability to manage the COVID-19 crisis. Demands for the resignation of Hong Kong's leader, Carrie Lam, were supported by 63% of respondents in the poll, conducted by the Hong Kong Public Opinion Research Institute between March 17-20, versus 57% in a poll it conducted in December. Foreigners face suspicion in China as coronavirus worsens overseas

Francesca Torlai has always got on well with her neighbors when walking her Pekingese mix-breed, Waffles, through the back streets of Beijing, but recently the Italian has started to overhear people referring to her suspiciously. "Some are talking about my schedule and why and when I go out," she said, adding that community volunteers often stop her now to ask for proof of where she has been. Italy has not reached coronavirus contagion peak: national health chief

Coronavirus infections in Italy have not reached their peak, the head of the country's national health institute said on Friday, the day after more than 6,150 people tested positive and 712 died in single 24-hour period. "We haven't reached the peak and we haven't passed it," the chief of the Superior Health Institute Silvio Brusaferro told a news conference. British PM Boris Johnson tests positive for coronavirus

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has tested positive for coronavirus and is self-isolating at his Downing Street residence but said he would still lead the government's response to the accelerating outbreak. Johnson, 55, experienced mild symptoms on Thursday - a day after he answered at the prime minister's weekly question-and-answer session in parliament's House of Commons chamber. Gantz supporters angry as he moves towards deal with Netanyahu on Israeli leadership

Israel appeared headed for a unity government on Friday after opposition leader Benny Gantz moved towards an agreement with Prime Minister Benjmain Netanyahu, disappointing voters who had hoped to bring down the right-wing premier. Gantz was elected parliamentary speaker on Thursday with support from Netanyahu's Likud and allied parties, leaving many of his own partners furious over the possibility he could form an alliance with a leader under criminal indictment. In Iraq, coronavirus terrifies even doctors hardened by conflict

Through decades of conflict, Dr Haidar Hantoush has watched wounded soldiers and civilians flood into Iraq's emergency wards. But he's never been so scared. "Violence we can just about handle. Patients stream into hospitals for hours at a time - but you can see how many there are. You get a lull to prepare for the next round," said Hantoush, public health director for southern province Dhi Qar. Poll finds Russians split over allowing Putin to extend rule

Russia is sharply divided over a constitutional change that would allow President Vladimir Putin to extend his rule until 2036, an opinion poll published on Friday has found. The poll by the Levada Centre found 6% of 1,624 people of different ages polled across Russia from March 19-25 said they were unable to answer the questions posed, while 47% opposed the measure and 48% supported it.