Croatia's 11th case of coronavirus was confirmed on Friday morning, only a day after Slovenia reported its 6th, and Bosnia its first two cases. Also on Friday, Serbia joined the list of more than 80 countries with reported cases as the global infection count is nearing 100,000, including almost 3,400 deaths, with Italy fast becoming the outbreak's epicentre in Europe.

Croatia’s latest case comes from what appears to be a third cluster of cases in the country, in the northern city of Varazdin, after most previous cases were found in Zagreb and in Rijeka, in people who had been in close contact with two separate individuals who had both recently travelled through northern Italy. In all cases discovered so far, the patients are exhibiting only mild symptoms of the disease and are expected to make a full recovery.

Elsewhere in the region, Slovenia confirmed its 6th case on Thursday, and Bosnia reported its first two cases on Thursday, in a father who returned from work in Italy and his small son, in the city of Banja Luka. Local authorities in Banja Luka closed down the son’s elementary school, and screened all pupils and staff who tested negative.

Serbia joined the list of more than 80 countries and territories affected on Friday, confirming its first case in a 43-year-old man from the northern city of Subotica who had reportedly travelled to Hungary recently. Hungary itself had previously confiermed two cases.

Global count nears 100,000 as Italy records deadliest day

Since first being discovered in China in December, the virus has spread across the world in a matter of just a couple of months, with some 98,700 cases recorded as of Friday. Nearly 3,400 people have died from the disease so far, with the vast majority of cases and deaths reported by China.

The worst affected country in Europe is Italy, which reported more than 3,800 cases as of Friday, including 148 deaths. The death toll includes 41 deaths reported on Thursday alone. Italy is now the second country in the world in terms of confirmed deaths from the novel coronavirus, behind China with nearly 2,931. Other countries with more than 100 deaths are Iran and South Korea.

In an attempt to contain the outbreak, Italian authorities made an unprecedented move to temporarily shut down all schools and universities. Cinemas, theatres, and museums are also closed across the country, emptying the normally bustling world-famous sights and bringing the country’s tourist industry to a virtual standstill.

In the United States, 233 cases have been confirmed as of Friday. The US Congress passed a bill earlier this week giving $8 billion in emergency funding to help contain the spread of the disease.

Meanwhile, several international institutions are preparing to fund efforts to contain the outbreak and alleviate fears that the economic fallout might push the global economy closer to a new recession. IMF had announced a $50 billion relief package and the World Bank said it would provide $12 billion in funding to developing countries fighting the outbreak.

This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.

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