BRUSSELS/GENEVA, March 13 -- The chief of World Health Organization (WHO) said Friday in Geneva that Europe has now become the epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic, with more reported cases and deaths than the rest of the world combined, apart from China.

At a daily briefing, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus noted that more cases are being reported every day in Europe than in China at the height of its epidemic.

Calling it "a tragic milestone" that 5,000 people died of COVID-19 worldwide, as more than 132,000 cases have been reported to WHO from 123 countries and regions, he urged all to take a comprehensive approach to contain the spreading virus.

"Any country that looks at the experience of other countries with large epidemics and thinks 'that won't happen to us' is making a deadly mistake," he warned.

MORE DEATHS

On Friday, Italy, the worst hit country in Europe, reported 250 new deaths from the coronavirus, bringing the country's death toll to 1,266.

A total of 14,955 people have tested positive for the coronavirus since the epidemic first emerged in northern Italy on Feb. 21.

France said 18 people diagnosed with the coronavirus died on Friday, bringing its death toll to 79, while the confirmed cases rose to 3,661 on Friday from 2,876 on Thursday.

Prime Minister Edouard Philippe said the government has decided to lower the size limit for gatherings to 100 people from the previous 1,000, in order to "slow down" the spread of the virus and the ban will apply throughout the national territory.

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