SPAIN is introducing a state of emergency and Italy is tightening its lockdown, while Denmark and Poland have become the latest countries to shut their borders to most travellers in a bid to slow the spread of the coronavirus.

Coronavirus cases in Spain have risen by 1,500 to more than 5,700, public health officials say.

Jet2 flights to Spain have been forced to turn back in mid-air over fears of the coronavirus.

Five flights from the UK have been suspended over France and turned around to return to their origins.

China — where the virus first emerged late last year — is seeing new cases continue to dwindle, but Covid-19 has in recent weeks spread exponentially in Europe, the Middle East and North America.

More than 145,000 infections and over 5,400 deaths had been confirmed worldwide.

Europe has become the epicentre of the pandemic, with countries imposing a cascade of restrictions in efforts to prevent their health systems collapsing under a load of cases.

Schools, bars and shops not selling essential goods are among the facilities being closed in many places.

Spain’s cabinet met on Saturday to declare a two-week state of emergency and announce more measures to control the outbreak which has spiked sharply in recent days to more than 5,700 infections, with almost 3,000 in the capital Madrid.

Spain had recorded 120 Covid-19 deaths.