Parts of northern Italy are on lockdown following an outbreak of the coronavirus, or COVID-19, with at least seven deaths in the region. The sudden outbreaks in recent days, from South Korea to Iran to Italy, have raised fears that the virus — which originated in China — will turn into a global pandemic. Meanwhile, a new report warns that southeast Asian and sub-Saharan African economies could be badly hit, even if there are no outbreaks of the disease there. Henry Ridgwell reports from London.