The Italian government is locking down a dozen towns after an increase in cases of the new coronavirus, while South Korea is at the highest alert level after more cases were confirmed there.
Covid-19 has led to the deaths of two people in the north of Italy, while more than 130 cases of the virus have now been confirmed in the country.
Three top-flight football matches have been called off as part of the containment measures, while Milan fashion houses are holding catwalk shows behind closed doors.
Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said his government had signed off on 'urgent and extraordinary measures' in a bid to contain the outbreak in the northern regions of Lombardy and Veneto.
The measures for affected areas include the closing of schools, museums and public offices and the suspension of public demonstrations and events.
People will also not be able to enter or leave the impacted regions unless they receive special permission, BBC reports.
South Korea and Iran have also reported an increase in cases of the virus in recent days.
The Yonhap news agency reported that South Korean officials have raised the virus alert to its highest level as the number of confirmed cases in the country passed 600.
World Health Organisation (WHO) chief Doctor Tedros Ghebreyesus said it's a critical time for health officials around the world.
He said: "We still have a chance to contain it - but while doing that we have to prepare for any eventualities.
"This outbreak could go in any direction - it could even be messy."
Quarantine
Yesterday, it was confirmed that two Irish citizens were among the passengers from a coronavirus-hit cruise ship in Japan who arrived in the UK.
Around 30 British and European citizens were on the flight operated by the British government - and all of those evacuated will now spend two weeks in quarantine near Liverpool.
Passengers on the flight had previously been on the Diamond Princess cruise ship, where hundreds of people had tested positive for the virus.
In recent days, Japanese authorities began allowing people who have tested negative to leave the ship.
The coronavirus outbreak originated in the Chinese province of Hubei and the city of Wuhan.
There have now been almost 77,000 cases in mainland China, with 2,400 deaths reported.
