BELGRADE, March 15 (Reuters) - Serbia introduced a state of emergency to halt the spread of coronavirus, its President Aleksandar Vucic said on Sunday.

After meeting top country’s government and health officials in Belgrade, Vucic said he was acted in line with legal provisions that allow him to declare a state of emergency in the absence of a sitting parliament, which was disbanded ahead of April 26 general elections.

“From this very moment we have a state of emergency,” Vucic said in a televised address, adding the government will formulate “harshest measures” soon.

He said that the “fight against an invisible adversary” will be aimed at the protection of the elderly, who are most at risk from the coronavirus outbreak.

Health authorities in the Balkan country have so far reported 46 cases of infection, and tested 283 people. There have been no fatalities, but one patient remains in a serious condition. (Reporting by Aleksandar Vasovic; Editing by Alexander Smith)