barcelona spain locked down its 46 million citizens and france ordered the closing of just about everything the rest of the world loves about it the eiffel tower the louvre the cafes and restaurants as governments took increasingly desperate measures to put more space between people and contain the coronavirusmore borders snapped shut around the globe on saturday and sunday president donald trump announced that the us which days ago barred travelers from most of europe will extend the ban to britain and ireland in the philippines thousands of police and soldiers started sealing the densely populated capital from most domestic travelers in one of southeast asias most drastic containment movesmeanwhile china where the virus first appeared late last year continued to relax its drastic restrictions illustrating the way the center of gravity in the crisis has shifted westward toward europe the virus has infected more than 150000 people worldwide and killed over 5600in a nationally televised address saturday spanish prime minister pedro sanchez detailed the battery of exceptional measures put in place as part of a twoweek state of emergency to fight the sharp rise in infectionslater saturday spains government said sanchezs wife has tested positive for coronavirus begona gomez and the prime minister are in good health the government saidtwo ministers of sanchezs cabinet the minister of equality and the minister of regional affairs had already tested positive earlier this week the others member of the cabinet have tested negativein a lockdown similar to the one already imposed in italy people will be allowed to leave their homes only to buy food and medicine commute to work go to hospitals and banks or take trips related to the care of the young and the elderly all schools and universities were closed along with restaurants bars hotels and other nonessential retail businessesfrom now we enter into a new phase sanchez said after a cabinet meeting that lasted over seven hours we wont hesitate in doing what we must to beat the virus we are putting health firstspanish authorities said the number of infections climbed past 5700 half of them in the capital madrid that represents a national increase of over 1500 in 24 hours the country had 136 deaths up from 120 spain has the fifthhighest number of cases behind china italy iran and south koreafor most people the coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms such as fever and cough for some especially older adults and people with existing health problems it can cause more severe illness including pneumonia the vast majority of people recover in a matter of weeksdespite please for calm from authorities shoppers packed supermarkets in spain in the morning but overall the normally bustling streets of the countrys two biggest cities were noticeably quieter as the message sank in that social distancing is the only way to stop the pandemicwe had to close and remain shut for 15 days restaurant owner rachel paparardo said in barcelona which was already under regional restrictions