Croatian minister shakes hands amid virus

Croatia's Minister of Sea, Transport and Infrastructure, Oleg Butkovic, welcomed EU ministers with a handshake - and sometimes a hug and a kiss - at an EU transport meeting in Opatija on Wednesday, in contradiction to virus prevention measures. Croatia heads the six-month rotating presidency of the European Council and various informal meetings are hosted by the country.

For most people, the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia.

The vast majority of people recover from the new virus. According to the World  Health Organization, people with mild illness recover in about two weeks, while those with more severe illness may take three to six weeks to recover.

In mainland China, where the virus first exploded, more than 80,000 people have been diagnosed and more than 58,000 have so far recovered.

(Picture Credit: representative image/pixabay)