The Department of Foreign Affairs has upgraded its travel advice for Spain after a significant number of new COVID-19 cases were diagnosed.

There are now over 2,300 cases of the virus in Spain – a rise of more than 600 in 24 hours.

There have been 49 recorded deaths in the country.

This evening the Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney said the Government was upgrading its security status for the entire country to “exercise a high degree of caution.”

TRAVEL ADVICE SPAIN 1/2: A significant number of new #COVID19 cases confirmed in Spain, on mainland & Balearic & Canary Islands. If u are in Spain, monitor developments closely & follow advice from Local Authorities.

— Simon Coveney (@simoncoveney) March 11, 2020

TRAVEL ADVICE 2/2: re #COVID19 .This evening we are upgrading our overall security status in respect of Spain to “exercise a high degree of caution” & advising against non-essential travel to the following areas: Madrid, Vitoria & Labastida in the Basque Country and La Rioja.

— Simon Coveney (@simoncoveney) March 11, 2020

He said Irish people who are currently in Spain monitor developments closely and follow the advice of local authorities.

The Department of Foreign Affairs is also advising against non-essential travel to Madrid, Vitoria & Labastida in the Basque Country and also the Rioja region.

Earlier today the World Health Organisation said the COVID-19 outbreak should now be classified as a pandemic.

It said the number of cases of the virus had increased 13-fold outside of China in the past two weeks.

Meanwhile, the number of affected countries had tripled.

A man wearing a sanitary mask during the COVID-19 outbreak in Barcelona, 10-03-2020. Image: SOPA Images/SIPA USA/PA Images

In Ireland, the first death from the virus was reported this afternoon alongside nine new cases.

Italy is now the worst-affected country outside of China with nearly 12,500 cases and 827 deaths.

Nearly 200 people died in the country in the last 24 hours.

There have been 617 deaths in the worst-affected region of Lombardy.

The entire country is now on COVID-19 lockdown and Irish people have been warned not to travel there.

Main image shows visitors walking through El Prado museum in Madrid amid the COVID-19 outbreak, 11-03-2020. Image: Bernat Armangue/AP/Press Association Images