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| - Serbia's president declared a state of emergency Sunday to halt the spread of the new coronavirus, shutting down many public spaces and deploying soldiers to guard hospitals. "From tomorrow, there is no more school, no nurseries, no universities, everything closes, no training, sports... We will close down to save our lives, to save our parents, to save our elderly," said President Aleksandar Vucic. Hailing it a battle to "save our elderly", Vucic said soldiers would be mobilised to guard "important sites" like hospitals where coronavirus patients were being treated. The Balkan state has so far recorded 48 infections. The decree falls short of the draconian lockdown seen in harder-hit countries like Italy and Spain, with Serbia asking only those over the age of 65 to stay at home. Cafes and bars will be asked to restrict hours, the president said, adding that the government will meet soon to specify the new restrictions. Earlier on Sunday Serbia announced it was closing its borders to foreigners coming from the worst-hit countries, as the Balkans tries to protect itself against the pandemic. rus-ssm/har
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