Coronavirus cases in Spain have soared by 1,500 in a single day to more than 5,700, as the Government prepares for a state of emergency over the outbreak.
The new figure of 5,752 cases was up by a third from Friday, with a total of 3,000 cases in the capital Madrid, where health officials have stopped testing people with only mild symptoms.
Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez's government is taking steps to curb the Covid-19 outbreak and are preparing to announce a further package of economic and social measures.
Politicians also met on Saturday to work out the details of a two-week national state of emergency, which was announced on Friday. The plans are due to be announced later on Saturday.
It is only the second to be declared in the country's recent history, with the first being a 2010 air traffic controllers' strike.
Spain, which has seen 136 deaths since the outbreak of the virus, is now the second-hardest hit country in Europe after Italy.
Local measures are already in force. In Madrid, where authorities have urged people to stay home. In Seville, officials announced the cancellation of the hugely popular Holy Week celebrations.
The opposition has criticised the government for letting events such as International Women's Day marches go ahead a week ago.
Meanwhile, Jet2 planes from the UK to Spain turned back in mid-air as the airline announced it was cancelling all flights to the country
