Initial missteps by officials in Italy have underscored the importance of early, strict isolation measures. On Saturday, Italy reported 793 additional deaths, the biggest single-day toll of any country so far. The Palestinian authorities reported the first two coronavirus cases in the densely populated Gaza Strip, where aid workers say the virus’s spread could quickly lead to a public health disaster. Video: Three doctors and a nurse in a hard-hit region of Italy describe what they faced as the epidemic escalated. What to know: The Times is providing free access to much of our coronavirus coverage, and our Coronavirus Briefing newsletter — like all of our newsletters — is free.

Source: International New York Times March 23, 2020 04:34 UTC