Irish tourists among those confined to Tenerife hotel

A number of Irish tourists are among hundreds who remain confined to their hotel on Tenerife after an Italian doctor and his wife, who were guests at the hotel, tested positive for the virus.

The virus has rapidly spread in parts of Asia, Europe and the Middle East, even as the number of fresh cases and deaths decline at the disease epicentre in China.

A second person infected with the coronavirus has died in France, the country's health authorities said.

The deceased was one of three new cases in France, bringing the total confirmed coronavirus infections in France to 17.

The number of cases in South Korea increased to 1,261 while deaths soared in Iran.

Towns and cities have been sealed off in an attempt to stop the contagion.