BELGRADE, March 15. /TASS/. Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic has declared a state of emergency in the country over the outbreak of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).

"Starting from today, Serbia is fighting against an invisible enemy — a virus, and our country should win," Vucic told an emergency press conference on Sunday. "On the basis of the Constitution, the defense minister's letter, my letter and the prime minister's letter, we have made a decision to declare a state of emergency," he added.

Serbia's health ministry earlier reported 48 confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus in the country. The only country in Europe that has not registered any cases of the novel coronavirus on its territory is Montenegro.

The Chinese authorities registered an outbreak of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in the city of Wuhan. Cases of novel coronavirus were confirmed in more than 100 countries and territories, including in Russia. On March 11, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the coronavirus outbreak a pandemic. Outside of China, most cases of the new coronavirus were reported in South Korea, Iran and Italy.

According to the latest reports, over 153,000 cases of the novel coronavirus have been confirmed in the world, and the death toll surpassed 5,700.