190 new coronavirus cases in Catalonia bringing figure to over 500

The number of coronavirus cases in Catalonia continues to grow sharply, with 190 new cases announced on Friday, March 13.

It brings the total cases declared to 509, including 6 people who died of the illness, and 35 patients who are in a serious condition.

58 health professionals are among those diagnosed.

190 new cases is the most seen in a single day, the third day in a row that a new high has been recorded.

It is also more than the combined number of cases that were declared up until Wednesday, just two days ago, when the total stood at 181 cases.

The Spanish president Pedro Sánchez announced that he would be declaring a state of alarm from Saturday for 15 days to "protect everyone's health" given the alarming rise in coronavirus diagnoses across Spain, which has over 4,000 confirmed cases.

In Catalonia on Friday, the government ordered the closure of gyms, ski resorts, nightclubs, and some commercial areas, with museums, libraries, zoo, funfairs, and cinemas also to be shut.