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Coronavirus in Spain full update (14 April)

Click here for today’s full report: Coronavirus in Spain (27 April)

Report below updated in Spain at 20.30h on Tuesday 14 April.

LATEST: Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez is to request the authorisation from the Spanish Congress next week for an extension to the current ‘state of alarm’ lockdown in Spain until Sunday 10 May, according to Spain’s El Diario. The debate in the Spanish Congress will be held next Wednesday 22 April. 

During last Thursday’s debate and vote in the Congress to extend the current lockdown until 26 April, Sánchez already said that he was ‘convinced’ he would have to ask for yet a further 15 days, which would prolong it until 10 May.

Today’s earlier full report:

The latest figures released by the Spanish Health Ministry at 11.15am on Tuesday 14 April now confirm 172,541 known cases of Coronavirus (Covid-19) in Spain, 3,045 more than yesterday – now the lowest daily increase since 20 March.

Factory and construction workers, as well as some other non-essential office workers, are returning to work in all the regions across Spain on Tuesday, with police and local authorities handing out face masks at metro and train stations (see full report below).

Monday’s figure for Spain had seen an increase in confirmed cases of Coronavirus of 3,477 over SundaySunday had seen an increase of 4,167 over Saturday – and Saturday’s figure an increase of 4,830 on Friday. Friday’s figure had seen an increase of 4,576 on Thursday.

18,056 people have now died from the pandemic in Spain, up by 567 on yesterday.

Monday had seen an increase in deaths from Covid-19 of 517 over Sunday’s figure. Sunday had seen an increase of 619 deaths over Saturday. On Saturday, Spain had recorded its lowest daily increase in deaths (510) since 23 March. Friday had seen an increase in deaths of 605

67,504 people have now made a full recovery.

Of the official figures released, 48,048 confirmed cases are known to be in the Madrid region, and where 6,568 have died (from the total 18,056 across the country).

There are now 35,197 cases in Catalonia (3,666 deaths), 11,226 in the Basque Country (859 deaths), 10,192 in Andalusia (836), 14,329 in Castilla La Mancha (1,714) and 9,213 in the Valencia region (907).

Figures for those infected with Coronavirus in other regions are as follows: Aragón 4,245 (492 deaths), Asturias 2,051 (156 deaths), Balearic Islands 1,571 (118), Canary Islands 1,958 (102), Cantabria 1,796 (120), Castilla y León 13,180 (1,299), Ceuta 96 (4), Extremadura 2,684 (334), Galicia 7,597 (290), Melilla 101 (2), Murcia 1,487 (106), Navarra 4,150 (249) and La Rioja 3,420 (234).

ALSO READ: Despite lockdown, Spaniards applaud health workers from balconies every evening

Catalan police
The Catalan police (the Mossos d’Esquadra) carrying out road checks on 3 April 2020 in Barcelona during the lockdown. (Photo Mossos / mosses.gencat.cat)

The Spanish Health Ministry has not been giving complete figures for the number of people in intensive care units (ICUs) for various days, because Spain’s regions have been using different methods to collate these figures.

The exact number of deaths from Coronavirus in Spain could also be higher, since health authorities previously admitted that only those who died after testing positive have been included in the official death toll.

Some regional authorities have warned that the number of death certificates issued, particularly for those who have died in elderly residential homes, is higher than the official death toll.

There have also been issues with the timing of statistics sent to Madrid’s Health Ministry from each region, particularly during the weekend periods. Figures issued on Tuesdays by the ministry have sometimes reflected statistics not taken into account during the reports issued on Saturday and Sunday.

This report is being updated throughout the day.

ALSO READ: Coronavirus in Spain full update (13 April)

Civil Protection Sants Station
Civil protection officials preparing to give face masks to commuters at Sants Station in Barcelona on 14 April 2020. (Photo @emergenciescat / Twitter)

GLOBAL OVERVIEW

The Coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic has now killed around 120,000 and infected nearly 2m people across the globe.

The death toll rate in the USA was flat for a second consecutive day, however, with New York’s governor Andrew Cuomo saying the ‘worst is over’. The US death toll has now hit 23,200 – but President Donald Trump said, ‘It looks like we’re plateauing, and maybe even in many cases coming down.’

Prime Minister Narendra Modi in India has told his 1.3bn citizens that their lockdown will remain in effect until at least 3 May. President Emmanuel Macron in France has extended the country’s tight measures by another month, until Monday 11 May.

In the UK, where Prime Minister Boris Johnson is recovering at Chequers after three days in intensive care, officials have warned that the Covid-19 peak is still to come and that the lockdown is very likely to endure.

But many countries are contemplating or commencing a gradual reopening of their battered economies.

Italy and Austria are reopening some shops and Spain has allowed construction, factory workers and some other non-essential staff to return to work (see below).

Italy is to reopen some bookshops and dry cleaners on a trial basis on Tuesday, despite the death toll topping 20,000.

World Health Organization (WHO) director Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned that confinement measures ‘must be lifted slowly’, stating that Coronavirus was 10 times deadlier than the 2009-10 swine flu outbreak.

Retired Jamaican athlete Usain Bolt tweeted a picture of himself on Tuesday at the Beijing Olympics, with the simple caption: ‘Social Distancing’. The photo of Bolt winning the 2008 Olympics 100m final in a then-world record time of 9.69sec, was taken by Nicolas Asfouri. The tweet has since gone viral.

CORONAVIRUS in SPAIN

Many non-essential restrictions lifted

Although the official ‘state of alarm’ lockdown in Spain has only recently been officially extended until 26 April, factory, construction workers and many other non-essential workers were allowed to return to their workplaces on Monday, after the Spanish government led by Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez lifted some of the country’s ‘non-essential’ work restrictions.

The return to work was gradual, however, and mainly only in the Madrid region, as Monday 13 April was a holiday in most of the other regions of Spain, being still part of the long Easter weekend.

Tuesday will now see many more people returning to their workplaces in Catalonia, the Basque Country, the Valencia region, Cantabria, Castilla-La Mancha, the Balearic Islands, the Canary Islands, La Rioja and Navarra.

Police and local authorities are handing out face masks at metro and train stations, as well as at bus and tram stops. The Spanish government has asked citizens travelling to work to wear face masks in public places and on public transport, where possible, and to continue the ‘social distancing’ of standing one or two metres from other people. The Interior Ministry has promised that 10m face masks are being distributed across Spain.

ALSO READ: When can La Liga restart?

Pedro Sánchez has received criticism for lifting the restrictions from some of Spain’s regional leaders and trade unions, however – and particularly from the president of Catalonia, Quim Torra.

Pedro Sánchez during his visit to the Hersill factory on 3 April 2020 (Pool Moncloa / Borja Puig de la Bellacasa)
Pedro Sánchez during his visit to the Hersill factory on 3 April 2020 (Pool Moncloa / Borja Puig de la Bellacasa)

Spain originally commenced its lockdown for two weeks from 14 March, with measures that confined everyone to their homes apart from leaving to purchase food or medication, or to go to their place of work only if they could not perform their duties from home. These initial measures were then extended until 12 April.

From Monday 30 March, further new measures ordered all non-essential workers in Spain to also remain at home until after the Easter weekend.

Most non-essential workers can now also return to work, therefore – although the Spanish government has stressed that the relaxing of the lockdown restrictions is only for industrial and construction workers, and for employees in sectors where working from home isn’t possible.

Irresponsible and reckless

Catalan president Torra sent a letter to Sánchez at the weekend, stating that, ‘lifting these confinement measures … will lead to an increase of transmissions and a collapse of Catalonia’s health system’.

Torra said the decision taken by the Spanish government was ‘irresponsible and reckless’ and not supported by experts in Spain or abroad.

@aytogetafe
Local police and civil protection authorities in the city of Getafe in the Madrid region, handing out facemarks to public transport users on Monday morning. (Photo courtesy of city council of Getafe / @aytogetafe / Twitter)

‘We request that you send us the health and epidemiological reports that Spain’s government has in order to lift the measures,’ the letter to Sánchez read.

Torra claimed that his stance is backed by scientists and researchers in Catalonia, as well as the health department experts, and almost all officials of hospitals, professional associations and other entities representing the health sector in Catalonia.

Torra warned that ‘the risk of a resurgence and a second lockdown is huge’. He said the Spanish government’s decision ‘puts at risk the health recovery, leaves thousands of workers unprotected, and leaves business owners and the self-employed vulnerable’.

Isabel Díaz Ayuso, president of the regional government of Madrid, also expressed her doubts about lifting the restrictions. ‘Another wave [of infections] would be unforgivable,’ she said.

Below are the numbers to call for each region of Spain for information and assistance in the event of possible cases of Coronavirus – as issued by the Spanish health authorities.

Numbers to call
The numbers to call for each region of Spain.

Click here for further information (in Spanish) regarding Coronavirus from the Spanish Health Ministry.

Up-to-date WHO advice and facts (in English) about the Coronavirus epidemic can be found here: www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/technical-guidance.

Our previous reports on Coronavirus in Spain:

ALSO READ: When can La Liga restart?

ALSO READ: Coronavirus in Spain full update (13 April)

ALSO READ: Coronavirus in Spain full update (12 April)

ALSO READ: Coronavirus in Spain full update (11 April)

ALSO READ: Coronavirus in Spain full update (10 April)

ALSO READ: Coronavirus in Spain full update (9 April)

ALSO READ: Coronavirus in Spain full update (8 April)

ALSO READ: Coronavirus in Spain full update (7 April)

ALSO READ: Coronavirus in Spain full update (6 April)

ALSO READ: Coronavirus in Spain full update (5 April)

ALSO READ: Coronavirus in Spain full update (4 April)

ALSO READ: Lockdown in Spain set to be extended until 26 April

ALSO READ: Coronavirus in Spain full update (3 April)

ALSO READ: Coronavirus in Spain: unemployment figures worst on record

ALSO READ: Coronavirus in Spain full update (2 April)

ALSO READ: Coronavirus in Spain full update (1 April)

ALSO READ: Coronavirus in Spain full update (31 March)

ALSO READ: FC Barcelona players agree to 70% pay cut, and will ensure staff receive 100%

ALSO READ: Coronavirus in Spain full update (30 March)

ALSO READ: Coronavirus in Spain full update (29 March)

ALSO READ: Coronavirus in Spain full update (28 March)

ALSO READ: Coronavirus in Spain full update (27 March)

ALSO READ: Coronavirus in Spain full update (26 March)

ALSO READ: Animal rights NGO starts petition against possible state aid for cancelled bullfights

ALSO READ: Spain publishes list of hotels that will remain open

ALSO READ: Coronavirus in Spain full update (25 March)

ALSO READ: Coronavirus in Spain full update (24 March)

ALSO READ: Video of boy training as goalkeeper in isolation goes viral

ALSO READ: The new restrictions at Spain’s airports, ports and land borders

ALSO READ: Coronavirus in Spain full update (23 March)

ALSO READ: Madrid starts receiving patients at IFEMA exhibition centre ‘hospital’

ALSO READ: Confirmed: lockdown extended until at least 11 April

ALSO READ: Coronavirus in Spain full update (22 March)

ALSO READ: Walking a goat or a Vietnamese pig is not allowed

ALSO READ: Coronavirus in Spain – full advice for British travellers seeking to return to the UK

ALSO READ: Coronavirus in Spain full update (21 March)

ALSO READ: Coronavirus in Spain full update (20 March)

ALSO READ: ‘This virus we will stop together’ – video 

ALSO READ: Coronavirus in Spain full update (19 March)

ALSO READ: Despite lockdown, Spaniards applaud health workers from balconies every evening

Editor’s note: 

At Spain in English we’re always keen to also publish positive stories and features about life in Spain – not just the current news. With all cultural and sporting events currently on hold, as well as travel and gastronomic excursions, we welcome on-going contributions from all of you who’d like to send us articles for publication. Although we are unable to currently pay for contributions, we will certainly credit you and share the articles across our social media network (if of interest) – and/or also link to your own blogs or other sites. We currently welcome upbeat, positive and fun articles – perhaps how you’re coping with the ‘lockdown’ in your own area of Spain – or how your community is responding, or recommendations of help to others. We have a dedicated ‘Opinion, Blogs & Spanish Experiences‘ section where your articles will appear. We will edit for clarity and length only – and we reserve the right to not publish. Articles should be sent via email to editorial@spainenglish.com (preferably with a photo and credit details), and should be around 500 words (800 to 1,000 max). We will try to respond to everyone, but please be patient with us. We’re a very small team but with big ambitions! Please stay safe. Thank you for reading and following us.

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