Coronavirus: Spain registers more than 700 deaths overnight - As Thailand bans entry to foreigners

Spain registered 738 fatalities from the coronavirus over the past 24 hours in the steepest increase of the death toll since the epidemic hit the country, the health ministry reported on Wednesday.

The number of reported deaths from the virus rose to 3,434 from 2,696 on Tuesday, the ministry said. The overall number of cases soared to 47,610 from 39,673 on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, the Thai government has banned entry for all non-resident foreigners on Wednesday but held off on restricting people’s movement inside the country as the government prepared to roll out emergency measures to contain the spread of the coronavirus.

A state of emergency will take effect from midnight local time (1700 GMT) until April 30, giving Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha sweeping powers to combat the surge of coronavirus infection.

The Southeast Asian country recorded 107 new coronavirus cases on Wednesday, bringing the known total to 934. Four people have died since the outbreak began, 860 are hospitalised while 70 patients have recovered and gone home.

New restrictions taking effect at midnight include the closing of all border crossings except for Thai nationals, diplomats and their families, and foreigners with work permits or other official documents allowing them to work in Thailand.

“We are not closing the country, we are still allowing Thai people to return but for foreigners the country is closed,” Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam told a news conference. He added that airports will remain open to flights from abroad.