181 coronavirus cases in Catalonia, up 56 since Tuesday

Latest figures from the health department say that 181 cases of coronavirus have been confirmed in Catalonia. 

Of these cases, 20 are in a serious condition, one further patient has passed away due to the virus making it four people who have now died from coronavirus, while three others have recovered. 

The latest numbers means there has been an increase of 56 covid-19 cases compared to the Catalan authorities' last update on Tuesday afternoon. 

Of those who have tested positive for the disease, 22 are healthcare professionals. 

In all of Spain, cases as of March 11 stand at 2,109 - 470 more than the day before - and there have been 47 fatalities.

These figures counting all of Spain were announced by Fernando Simón, Spain's Alert Coordination and Health Emergencies Center's director, who also admitted that "in the best-case scenario," infections in Spain will halt in two months' time. "In the worst-case scenario, it could be four or five," he added.

Simón also claimed that the measures recently announced by Spain, including the closure of schools in the Madrid region and a ban on flights from Italy, will begin to have an effect in nine or ten days.

According to him, authorities do not foresee the closure of any public or private transport links because the closure of schools in the affected areas is already decreasing the number of public transport users.

Earlier on Wednesday, the Catalan government announced that all gatherings of 1,000 people or more would be suspended for the next 15 days, beginning on Thursday, while events in venues with a capacity lower than this number would only be allowed to go ahead if attendance is limited to one third of the total capacity.