France blocks passengers on board bus from Italy after one falls ill

France on Monday blocked the passengers of a coach that had traveled from the Italian city of Milan to Lyon over concerns one Italian on board might be suffering from the coronavirus, local health authorities said.

Police put up a security cordon around the bus and moved the passengers into an area of the Lyon Perrache bus station where they would not come into contact with other travelers. The passenger showing flu-like symptoms was taken to hospital.

Italy is fighting to contain the biggest outbreak of coronavirus in Europe, which is centered in Lombardy and Veneto, with more than 200 cases confirmed since Friday and five people dying from the illness.

The French government also issued guidelines on Monday telling parents whose children had visited China, Hong Kong, Singapore or Italy's Lombardy region, or who had come into contact with people from there, during the February holidays to keep their children at home.