BREAKING: Coronavirus: Spain declares state of emergency as death toll rises in one day

Spain has declared a state of emergency in response to the coronavirus disease after authority in health announced 1,063 new cases and 53 new deaths in one day.

The country’s prime minister, Pedro Sánchez made this announcement during a press conference on Friday and pleaded with citizens stating that the fight against the virus depends on each of them as citizens of the country.

The prime minister said: “The government of Spain will protect all its citizens and will guarantee the right life conditions to slow the pandemic with as little inconvenience as possible.”

Sanchez said the state of emergency will be officially be declared by a cabinet meeting on Saturday and it’s expected to last 15 days in other to empower the government to take wide-ranging measures including confining people, ordering mass evacuations, and imposing rationing.

Schools have already shut down across the country, with most cinemas, theatres or playgrounds also closing and trials suspended in several regions as normal life came to a suspension in the country.

The new figures show Spain now has 4,209 confirmed cases and 120 deaths- the second-highest number of cases in Europe, after Italy.