Europeans come under even tougher controls

European nations have adopted a raft of further measures to peg back the COVID-19 virus, as Italy bans all domestic travel and Spain extends a state of emergency.

Europe, now the epicenter of the novel coronavirus pandemic, reported 141, 858 infections with 7,319 deaths as of Sunday, including the United Kingdom, according to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control.

Italy, which has been hit hardest in Europe, saw no sign that the spread of the virus was easing on Sunday, with the total number of confirmed cases at 59,138 and the number of fatalities at 5,476, according to the country's health ministry.

Meanwhile, Italy's interior and health ministries issued on Sunday a joint ordinance banning all domestic travel.

"Beginning today, throughout the national territory it is forbidden for individuals to travel, whether by public or private transportation, to a municipality that is different from the one in which they find themselves in," said the ordinance.

"The sole exceptions: provable work reasons or reasons of absolute health emergency," it said. The new measure will be in place until a new decree is issued.

In Spain, the government sought to extend until April 11 a state of emergency that it has imposed to try to control Europe's second-worst outbreak.

The nationwide emergency imposed on March 14 and intended to last 15 days, bars people from all but essential outings.

"We are at war," Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez told a news briefing.

Spain reported 33,089 cases of infections and 2,182 deaths as of Monday, according to the health authorities.

In Germany, the country banned the assembly of more than two people, according to the country's latest containment measures on Sunday.

German citizens were advised to reduce contact with people outside their own household to the least, and keep a minimum distance of 1.5 meters from strangers.

Also on Sunday, German Chancellor Angela Merkel decided to immediately quarantine herself at home and take tests over the next few days after she was informed that the doctor who gave her a pneumococcal vaccination was diagnosed with COVID-19.

The number of confirmed cases in Germany has risen to 22,672 and 86 people have died from the disease, a tally by public health agency Robert Koch Institute showed on Monday.

Separately, Greece announced a nationwide lockdown on Sunday as part of measures to curb the spread of the virus. The 14-day lockdown became effective from Monday at 6 am local time.

"It must start on time, so it is not in vain ... We need bold and timely initiatives," said Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.

In Russia, the number of people who have contracted the coronavirus has grown by 71 to 438, while 17 people have recovered, Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin said on Monday.

In a related development, the Russian Federal Agency for Air Transport on Monday imposed restrictions on flights from Russia to all countries.

Ren Qi in Moscow, Xinhua and agencies contributed to this story.