Geneva: The head of the World Health Organisation called Monday for every suspected coronavirus case to be tested, as countries across Europe tightened their lockdowns and global stock markets tumbled again.

‘You cannot fight a fire while blindfolded,’ said WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.’Test, test, test. Test every suspected case.’The virus is spreading rapidly, forcing governments to impose restrictions rarely seen outside wartime closing borders, ordering home quarantine and scrapping public events including major sporting fixtures.

Tedros said more cases and deaths have now been reported in the rest of the world than in China, where COVID-19 first emerged in December before crisscrossing the globe.’This is the defining global health crisis of our time,’ he told reporters. ‘Crises like this tend to bring out the best and worst of humanity.’ Worldwide, the number of deaths has passed 6,500 with more than 168,000 infections in 142 countries.

However, in China there were continuing signs of improvement, with only four new COVID-19 cases recorded in Wuhan where the virus was first detected in December although imported cases rose.

Governments are scrambling to contain not only the spread of the virus but also the economic fallout, with fears it will catapult the world into recession. The EU will also hold a summit on Tuesday, set to discuss the 27-nation bloc’s response to the virus, including a proposal to close all borders to non-essential travel. Countries across Europe are on full lockdown, while major US cities have shut bars and restaurants and schools are closing nationwide.

In the latest restrictions in Europe, Germany announced border controls, banned gatherings in churches, mosques and synagogues and said playgrounds and non-essential shops would close.