Nations try to slow virus

BERLIN — Mass disruptions shuddered across the globe Tuesday as governments struggled to slow the spread of the coronavirus while also trying to keep their economies afloat.

The chaos stretched from Lithuania, where border traffic jams were nearly 40 miles deep, to Detroit, where bus service came to a sudden stop when drivers didn’t show up for work.

European Union leaders, meanwhile, agreed to shut down the bloc’s external borders for 30 days. In the United States, West Virginia became the last state to report a case of the disease, confirming that it has spread nationwide.

French President Emmanuel Macron tightened internal guidelines, allowing people to leave home only to buy food, go to work or do essential tasks.

In Italy, reported infections jumped to 27,980. With 2,503 deaths, Italy now accounts for a third of the global death toll.

Spain, now the fourthmost infected country, saw the number of people with the virus rise by more than 2,000 in one day to 11,178 and virus-related deaths jump by almost 200 to 491.

Only China, Italy and Iran had more infections.

With the number of cases worldwide topping 190,000, a surge of patients in Madrid’s hospitals has fueled worries in Europe and elsewhere of what lies ahead.

COVID-19 has killed over 7,300 people so far, while more than 80,000 have recovered.

Some bright spots emerged. Wuhan, the central Chinese city where the virus was first detected late last year and which has been under lockdown for weeks, reported just one new case Tuesday.

In the U.S., the death toll surpassed 100, and officials urged older Americans and those with chronic health conditions to stay home. They also recommended all group gatherings be capped at 10 people.

New York City’s mayor warned Tuesday that residents should be prepared for the possibility of a shelter-in-place order within days. Mayor Bill de Blasio said no decision had been made yet, but he wants city and state officials to make a decision within 48 hours, given the fast spread of the virus.

Meanwhile, school closings in 56 countries kept more than 516 million students home, the U.N. said.