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British holidaymakers stranded in Spain today said “we just want to come home” after the entire country was placed in near lockdown.
Flights were cancelled after the government declared a 15-day state of emergency on Saturday, ordering people to stay at home and closing all bars, restaurants and non-essential shops.
This is likely to be extended for another fortnight because two weeks were “not enough to win the battle”.
It came as the number of confirmed cases rose to more than 7,500 yesterday, with 292 deaths.
Empty Europe during Coronavirus – In pictures
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The Pariser Platz in front of the Brandenburg Gate is almost empty in Berlin
AP
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The Arc de Triomphe in Paris is deserted
Getty Images
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Barcelona’s cathedral, Spain
AP
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Duomo Square in Milan, Italy,
AP
5/34
Colosseum in central Rome
AFP via Getty Images
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The Autobahn 12 is completely empty shortly before the German-Polish border crossing near Frankfurt
AP
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Closed shops following an outbreak of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Brussels, Belgium
Reuters
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The Malagueta beach is cordoned off in Malaga, Spain
AFP via Getty Images
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Vienna, Austria
AP
10/34
Deserted Hotel de Ville in Paris, France
Getty Images
11/34
The highway leading to Barcelona is seen empty of cars
AP
12/34
City of Gdansk in Poland is virtually deserted
Reuters
13/34
Ratusz Arsenal metro station visually deserted, amid coronavirus (COVID-19) concerns, in Warsaw, Poland
via Reuters
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The Royal palace in downtown Madrid, Spain
AP
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St. Peter’s Square, Vatican in Rome, Italy
Reuters
16/34
The usually busy Larios street remains empty in Malaga
AFP via Getty Images
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A view of an empty square in Naples, Italy during a lockdown across all of the country, imposed to slow the outbreak of coronavirus, in Naples, Italy
Reuters
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Galleria Umberto in Naples, Italy
Reuters
19/34
A street is almost empty in downtown Naples
AP
20/34
An empty beach in Barcelona, Spain
AP
21/34
Homes and an empty street are seen under partial lockdown as part of a 15-day state of emergency to combat the coronavirus outbreak in downtown Ronda, southern Spain
Reuters
22/34
Restaurants remain closed on a seaside promenade in Valencia in Spain
AFP via Getty Images
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A deserted Westland shopping center in Brussels
BELGA/AFP via Getty Images
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A view of the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele shopping arcade in Milan, Italy
AP
25/34
An empty street in the Porta Nuova district in Milan, Itlay
Reuters
26/34
An almost empty Roemerberg square, the main tourist spot in Frankfurt, Germany
AP
27/34
An empty Via Condotti street in Rome, Italy
Reuters
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Piazza Trilussa in Rome, Italy
Reuters
29/34
The Louvre Museum
Getty Images
30/34
Musee du Louvre in Paris is closed to the public
AFP via Getty Images
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The Eiffel Tower is seen next to a board that reads: “In the context of the COVID-19 the Eiffel Tower closes
Reuters
32/34
An empty Disneyland Paris
PA
33/34
Old Town area visually deserted, amid coronavirus (COVID-19) concerns, in Warsaw, Poland
via Reuters
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Old Town area is visually deserted, amid coronavirus disease (COVID-19) concerns, in Warsaw, Poland
via Reuters
1/34
The Pariser Platz in front of the Brandenburg Gate is almost empty in Berlin
AP
2/34
The Arc de Triomphe in Paris is deserted
Getty Images
3/34
Barcelona’s cathedral, Spain
AP
4/34
Duomo Square in Milan, Italy,
AP
5/34
Colosseum in central Rome
AFP via Getty Images
6/34
The Autobahn 12 is completely empty shortly before the German-Polish border crossing near Frankfurt
AP
7/34
Closed shops following an outbreak of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Brussels, Belgium
Reuters
8/34
The Malagueta beach is cordoned off in Malaga, Spain
AFP via Getty Images
9/34
Vienna, Austria
AP
10/34
Deserted Hotel de Ville in Paris, France
Getty Images
11/34
The highway leading to Barcelona is seen empty of cars
AP
12/34
City of Gdansk in Poland is virtually deserted
Reuters
13/34
Ratusz Arsenal metro station visually deserted, amid coronavirus (COVID-19) concerns, in Warsaw, Poland
via Reuters
14/34
The Royal palace in downtown Madrid, Spain
AP
15/34
St. Peter’s Square, Vatican in Rome, Italy
Reuters
16/34
The usually busy Larios street remains empty in Malaga
AFP via Getty Images
17/34
A view of an empty square in Naples, Italy during a lockdown across all of the country, imposed to slow the outbreak of coronavirus, in Naples, Italy
Reuters
18/34
Galleria Umberto in Naples, Italy
Reuters
19/34
A street is almost empty in downtown Naples
AP
20/34
An empty beach in Barcelona, Spain
AP
21/34
Homes and an empty street are seen under partial lockdown as part of a 15-day state of emergency to combat the coronavirus outbreak in downtown Ronda, southern Spain
Reuters
22/34
Restaurants remain closed on a seaside promenade in Valencia in Spain
AFP via Getty Images
23/34
A deserted Westland shopping center in Brussels
BELGA/AFP via Getty Images
24/34
A view of the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele shopping arcade in Milan, Italy
AP
25/34
An empty street in the Porta Nuova district in Milan, Itlay
Reuters
26/34
An almost empty Roemerberg square, the main tourist spot in Frankfurt, Germany
AP
27/34
An empty Via Condotti street in Rome, Italy
Reuters
28/34
Piazza Trilussa in Rome, Italy
Reuters
29/34
The Louvre Museum
Getty Images
30/34
Musee du Louvre in Paris is closed to the public
AFP via Getty Images
31/34
The Eiffel Tower is seen next to a board that reads: “In the context of the COVID-19 the Eiffel Tower closes
Reuters
32/34
An empty Disneyland Paris
PA
33/34
Old Town area visually deserted, amid coronavirus (COVID-19) concerns, in Warsaw, Poland
via Reuters
34/34
Old Town area is visually deserted, amid coronavirus disease (COVID-19) concerns, in Warsaw, Poland
via Reuters
A number of politicians, as well as PM Pedro Sanchez’s wife Begoña Gómez, have tested positive.
There was uncertainty for tourists who are effectively stranded inside hotel rooms, as airports were packed with those hoping for a flight home.
Ruth Brooksbank, 55, and her husband John, 60, travelled to Nerja a week ago, when the outbreak was still in its early stages.
They are now waiting to find out when their flight home will be after originally being scheduled to return on March 22. Mrs Brooksbank said: “It’s just a matter of sitting and waiting.”
Stacey, 31, who is in La Palma with her boyfriend, said: “When you’re stuck like this you just want to get home.”
