COVID-19 cases in Spain soar past 13,700, deaths cross 550

The number of people infected by the novel coronavirus in Spain soared past 13,700 on Wednesday with the number of deaths rising to 558, the health ministry said.

Moreover, the regional leader of Spain's Catalonia, Quim Torra, said he had tested positive for the coronavirus and that he was going into self-isolation in a government building. Catalan deputy head of government, Pere Aragones, announced on Sunday that he had also tested positive, according to Al Jazeera.

Spain's Basque Country has decided to postpone regional elections originally scheduled for April 5 because of the coronavirus emergency.

The Basque country is the region with the second-highest number of coronavirus cases in Spain.

Elsewhere in Europe, French President Emmanuel Macron has announced strict reductions in movement starting from midday (11:00 GMT) on Tuesday, for at least 15 days, saying "we are at war."

In a televised address to the nation, Macron said people should stay at home and only go out for essential activities. He said that anyone flouting the restrictions would be punished.

Germany reported a jump in coronavirus cases by more than 1,100 to now 6,012 compared to the previous day, according to Robert Koch Institute for disease control said.

The number of confirmed deaths related to the coronavirus rose by one to now 13, with the three most populous states of North Rhine-Westphalia, Bavaria and Baden-Wuerttemberg among the most affected regions, the institute added.