Spain, which has more than 20,000 dead due to the new coronavirus pandemic, will extend the strict confinement of its population by two weeks, until May 9 inclusive, said its Prime Minister on Saturday.
“We have done the hardest thanks to social responsibility and discipline (…) we have left behind the most extreme moments” but “these successes are still insufficient and above all fragile”, insisted Pedro Sanchez, calling not to “jeopardize” everything with “hasty” decisions.
The socialist however announced that this confinement was going to be relaxed for the children who were going to be able to go out “a little every day” from April 27 whereas they had not been entitled to it since the beginning of the confinement on March 14.
Until now, only adults could leave their homes alone to go to work, buy food or medicine, get medical treatment or take their dog out quickly.
Calls have become more and more urgent in recent days to allow children to get some fresh air like in other European countries.
This further extension of the state of alert, which will have to be ratified by Parliament, will be followed by other restrictive measures in May before a “prudent and gradual” lifting of containment depending on the evolution of the epidemic and which may vary by region, added Sanchez.
“If necessary, we will further strengthen protective measures,” he warned.
On Monday, some Spaniards had already been able to resume work after two weeks of almost total economic downturn, but telework remains the norm when possible while all non-essential businesses are still closed.
Over 20,000 dead
Spain exceeded 20,000 dead on Saturday at 20,043 dead, the third heaviest death toll in the world, behind those of the United States and Italy.
In 24 hours, the death toll rose to 565, a slight drop from the 585 reported on Friday and far from the record of 950 dead in a day recorded on April 2.
This count – which includes only people who tested positive for the new coronavirus – is however increasingly disputed by certain regions according to which thousands of additional people died after having presented symptoms of the disease but without having been able to be tested.
Catalonia (North-East), evokes in particular the figure of more than 7,800 dead while the national balance sheet for this region is more than 3,800 on Saturday.
The total number of confirmed cases rises in the country to 191,726, after a slowdown in the progression in recent days despite a greater number of tests performed, while the number of people healed rises to nearly 75,000.
Thanks to confinement, “the current level of transmission (of the virus) is much lower,” said Fernando Simon, the director of the health emergency center during his daily press briefing.
The highly monitored infection rate, which was above 3 at the start of confinement, i.e. one patient contaminated more than 3 people, is now less than 1.
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