House arrest for all Spaniards after 1,500 new corona infections
More than 1,500 new corona infections have been reported in one day in Spain. The country is now taking drastic measures to contain the new coronavirus. From Monday, all Spaniards have to stay at home, and in Madrid, even hotels are transformed into hospitals. In total, more than 5,753 people are now infected in Spain. After Italy, Spain is the country in Europe that is most affected.
From next week, the Spaniards will not be able to leave their home. Only those who go to work, for food or medicines, are still allowed outside, announced by the authorities. The Spanish army will patrol the police, and the gendarmerie and violations can lead to fines of up to 3,000 euros.
Seven planes from British low-cost carrier Jet2 that were on their way to the Spanish mainland and the Canary Islands had to turn around as a result of this decision. The number of deaths from the virus is at 136. On the other hand, 517 people were also healed.
Urgent need for masks
Nearly a thousand infections occurred in the Madrid region, said British public broadcaster BBC. The Spanish capital announced an emergency plan last night to convert hotels into hospitals.
However, Ignacio Aguado, deputy head of the Madrid regional government, says such steps are not enough to fight the coronavirus. “We urgently need masks and protective equipment. A medical department such as intensive care mustn’t collapse.”
“We have very difficult weeks ahead of us,” Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said during a press conference yesterday. “We cannot ignore that more than 10,000 people will be affected in the next week. We are only in the first phase of a battle involving the entire world.”
He added that the Spanish government is trying to prevent the virus from spreading quickly and also pointed out the responsibility of citizens. “Heroism is also washing your hands and staying at home.”
