Spain's Princess Maria Teresa has died after testing positive for coronavirus

She is the first royal to die from the virus as Spain's death toll exceeds 5,800

Police inspector Rajesh Babu wearing coronavirus-themed helmet speaks to a family on a motorbike at a checkpoint during a government-imposed nationwide lockdown as a preventive measure against the COVID-19 coronavirus in Chennai. AFP

Nicky Harley

Mar 29, 2020

Princess Maria Teresa of Spain has died from coronavirus aged 86.

Latest figures show 5,812 people have now died of the outbreak in Spain with 72,000 people testing positive.

Princess Maria Teresa, of the Bourbon-Parma Royal Family, died on Friday her younger brother, Prince Sixtus Henry of Bourbon-Parma, announced.

In this handout picture released by the Palestinian Authority's press office (PPO), Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat talks to Spanish Princess Maria Teresa of Bourbon during their meeting at his office in the West Bank city of Ramallah 25 August 2004. The cousin of Spain's King Juan Carlos is on a private visit to the Palestinian territories. AFP PHOTO/HO/PPO (Photo by HUSSEIN HUSSEIN / PPO / AFP) — A file photo of Spanish Princess Maria Teresa of Bourbon meeting Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat in August 2004. AFP, HO file

She was born in Paris, France on July 28, 1933, to parents, Prince Xavier and Madeleine de Bourbon.

On Saturday, Spain announced tougher measures to tackle the spread of coronavirus as it becomes the second worst-hit place behind Italy, which has now suffered more than 10,000 deaths.

epa08399201 United States President Donald J. Trump (L) speaks during a virtual Town Hall at Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC, USA, 03 May 2020. EPA/Oliver Contreras / POOL

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Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said it will now halt all "non-essential" economic activity for two weeks.

"All workers in non-essential economic activities must stay at home for two weeks," said Mr Sanchez.

This measure in Spain follows a similar move in Italy.

Spain is approaching the end of the second week of stay-at-home rules and the closing of most stores, but workers were allowed to go to offices and factories if they were unable to work from home.