People arriving in Spain from coronavirus risk countries, including Croatia, will have to show a negative PCR test not older than 72 hours as of November 23, the latest measure taken by this country in an effort to contain the spread of the novel virus.

This measure will be added to the health checks currently performed on all passengers arriving in Spain, the Spanish health ministry said on Wednesday.

Currently, before entering Spain, travellers have to fill in a form via the Spain Travel Health application which includes questions such as whether the traveller has been in contact with any infected persons and what countries he or she stayed in before the journey. The form can also be filled in on paper on arrival at Spanish airports, after which passengers pass through a gate where their temperature is taken.

As of November 23, travellers will also have to produce a PCR certificate, which must be original and written in Spanish or English, on paper or in electronic format. Any travellers suspected of being infected with COVID-19 will have to be examined at the airport on arrival in Spain, the ministry said.

According to the latest report by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, all EU and Schengen area member states are risk countries except Norway, Finland and Greece.

Since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic in early March, nearly 1.4 million Spaniards have been infected with the coronavirus and 39,760 have died.