Factbox - Latest on coronavirus spreading in China and beyond

(Reuters) - The coronavirus death toll climbed to seven in Italy on Monday and several Middle East countries were dealing with their first infections, sending markets into a tailspin over fears of a global pandemic even as China eased curbs with no new cases reported in Beijing and other cities.

- The virus has infected nearly 77,000 people and killed more than 2,500 in China, most of them in Hubei.

- More than 3,000 medical staff in China have been infected, an official at China's National Health Commission said on Monday.

- The coronavirus outbreak can still be beaten, the World Health Organization said on Monday, insisting it was premature to declare it a pandemic even though it had the potential to reach that level.

- Beijing warned its citizens on Monday against travelling to the United States, saying that Chinese tourists have been treated unfairly due to excessive prevention measures.

- Outside China, the outbreak has spread to about 29 countries and territories, with a death toll of about two dozen, according to a Reuters tally.

- The coronavirus death toll climbed to seven in Italy with some 220 infections on Monday.

- An air transport strike planned for Tuesday in Italy has been postponed until further notice.

- France on Monday blocked coach passengers coming from Milan over concerns one Italian on board might be infected, local health authorities said. Ireland cautioned citizens against travelling to virus-hit parts of Italy.

- South Korea reported 231 new cases, taking total infections to 833, health authorities said on Monday.

- Hong Kong's government warned residents on Monday to avoid all non-essential travel to South Korea.

- Hong Kong said it had 74 confirmed cases, up from 69 on Saturday. The death toll is three.

- Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman and Iraq on Monday recorded their first new coronavirus cases, all people who had been in Iran, which raised its toll from the disease to 12 dead and 61 infected.

- Afghanistan confirmed its first case, declaring a state of emergency in a territory bordering Iran.

- Iraq shut a border crossing with Kuwait to travellers and trade at Kuwait's request.

- Qatar will ask passengers from Iran and South Korea to remain in home isolation or a quarantine facility for 14 days, Qatar Airways said on Monday.

- French minister said on Monday he saw no need to shut transport borders between France and Italy despite the spread of coronavirus.

- A third passenger from the Diamond Princess cruise ship in Japan died on Sunday, while confirmed cases have reached 691.

- Greek organisers of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic flame lighting ceremony said on Monday they have taken extra precautions for the torch's months-long relay.

- The Trump administration has backed off plans to quarantine patients from the cruise ship at a federal facility in Alabama.

- Meanwhile, the International Monetary Fund predicted the outbreak would lower China's growth this year to 5.6% and shave 0.1 percentage points from global growth.

- Finance chiefs of the world's top 20 economies vowed to monitor the virus impact on global growth and act if needed.

- China will intensify efforts to help cushion the blow to the economy from the virus that authorities are still trying to control, President Xi Jinping said.

- China's trade council says 3,325 force majeure certificates related to the outbreak have been issued as of Feb. 21, covering contracts worth around 270 billion yuan ($38.43 billion).

- Vietnam's central bank ordered commercial banks on Monday to cut or delay loan payments from virus-hit firms.

- Cambodia's Prime Minister promised on Monday tax breaks to garment factories hit by supply chain disruptions from the virus and higher tariffs after the EU withdrew trade preferences over human rights.

- Argentine beef exports to its top buyer China fell almost a third in January due to a price dispute with importers and the effects of the outbreak.

- European shares suffered their biggest slump since mid-2016 on Monday and oil plunged almost 5% in reaction to a jump in coronavirus cases in Italy, South Korea, Japan and Iran.

(Compiled by Amy Caren Daniel, Milla Nissi and Shailesh Kuber)