A COVID-19 patient is discharged from hospital in Wuhan, China on February 18, 2020. (Photo: Xinhua/ VNA)

Putin put Moscow's Mayor Sergei Sobyanin in charge of the new group, which will also include government officials.

The United States reported more than 3,200 COVID-19 cases as of Sunday afternoon local time with at least 62 deaths. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Sunday recommended that no gatherings with 50 people or more take place for the next eight weeks to slow the spread of the virus.

French Health Minister Olivier Veran said on Sunday that he would consult health experts about whether to hold the second round of voting planned for next week.

Belgium is telling citizens not to travel abroad and warned that the risk of being stranded is “very high.”

Spain and Portugal will agree to place restrictions on tourism between the two countries from Monday.

The Czech Republic’s State Security Council has decided to severely limit free movement in the country from midnight Monday to 6am March 24.