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PARIS, March 13-- Europe, which has become the epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to World Health Organization (WHO) chief on Friday, is now fully mobilized in hammering out extraordinary measures to curb the spreading of the novel coronavirus. EPICENTER OF PANDEMIC "Europe has now become the epicenter of the pandemic with more reported cases and deaths than the rest of world combined apart from China," WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus noted at a daily briefing in Geneva. As of Friday morning, 28,297 cases have been reported in the European Union/European Economic Area, among whom 1,191 people lost their lives, according to the European Center for Disease Prevention (ECDP). Italy, the hardest-hit country, reported 250 new coronavirus deaths, taking the toll to 1,266, with 17,660 infections overall, a rise of 2,547 since Thursday evening. Three-digit or close to four-digit increase were reported in big countries, bringing tolls up in Spain (4,334 infection, 122 deaths), France (3,661, 79), Germany (3,062, 8) and the United Kingdom (798, 11). Smaller-sized nations suffered no less. In The Netherlands, the number of deaths rose from five to 10 in one day, while the total of positive increased by 190 to 804. Belgium reported 160 new infections, bringing the total to 559. In Luxemburg, a country of half a million people, at least 29 people were infected. EXTRAORDINARY MEASURES | 
