EU calls for coordinated member states’ response to coronavirus

European Union countries should coordinate their responses to the outbreak of the coronavirus to avoid diverging approaches, the EU’s Health Commissioner Stella Kyriakides said on Wednesday.

Speaking at a joint news conference in Rome with the health minister of Italy, Kyriakides said countries should not give in to panic and the that the EU would produce a template for informing travelers on the virus.

Italy has seen a sharp increase in the number of infections with the virus causing flu-like symptoms.

“All member states need to inform us of their preparedness plans,” Reuters quoted Kyriakides as saying. “Diverging approaches across the EU should be avoided,” she said. The EU executive is ready to coordinate responses, according to the official.