Borders shut as Europe takes drastic measures

As the new epicentre of the coronavirus pandemic, Europe is taking extraordinary measures to stop its spread, with Spain declaring a state of emergency and countries closing their borders to foreign arrivals.

Spain’s move yesterday, after 70,000 people were placed under quarantine, came as new figures showed that it was the worst-hit European nation after Italy, and the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared the continent to be the new epicentre of the global pandemic.

It came after Spanish authorities shut off four communities in the northeastern region of Catalonia for the next two weeks, after the number of virus-related deaths rose by 36 in 24 hours to 120. Catalan President Quim Torra asked for a complete regional lockdown.

The pandemic’s global death toll has reached 5000, while the global number of cases has surpassed 132,000, according to the WHO.

Leaders of the G7 major industrialised nations are to hold a video conference tomorrow to discuss the coronavirus. ‘‘We will coordinate our efforts on a vaccine and on treatments, and will work on an economic and financial response,’’ French President Emmanuel Macron tweeted.

As the effect of the pandemic grows on economic and social life across Europe, nations announced new travel restrictions, border controls, school closures and the cancellation of large events.

Italy, which has seen the worst outbreak outside China, remained under near-total lockdown, with people banned from leaving their houses without good reason, and all shops except food stores, pharmacies, newspaper stands and tobacconists closed. Italy’s health system is straining under the outbreak, with more than 17,000 infections diagnosed and 1266 deaths by yesterday.

In Germany, many of the country’s 16 states announced school closures, and the overall death toll rose to eight.

Denmark planned to close its borders last night. Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said the country currently had 801 diagnosed cases.

Starting today, Poland will