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Coronavirus in Spain full update (11 May)

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ALSO READ: Lifting of lockdown in Spain – full details of all phases, regions & provinces, plus what is permitted in each phase

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Report below updated in Spain at 11.20am on Monday 11 May

CORONAVIRUS in SPAIN – Phase One has started

Today, Monday 11 May, around 51% of the Spanish population has moved to Phase One of the government’s four-phase plan to lift lockdown restrictions – but many are doing so with caution.

In a televised address over the weekend, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez had also called for ‘prudence and caution’ ahead of this first key phase of the lockdown de-escalation plan – following the ‘preparatory’ Phase Zero.

On Friday evening the Spanish Health Ministry had announced what regionsprovinces and also healthcare zone moving to Phase One from today – as well as those that remain in Phase Zero. Madrid and Barcelona currently still remain in Phase Zero, as well as Málaga and Granada in Andalusia, and most of the Valencia region – among many other areas.

We have published all the key rules and measures regarding the four phases in a separate report, together with the current ‘phase status’ for each region. It is regularly updated as and when new measures are announced. The report can be found here: Lifting of lockdown in Spain – full details of all phases for all regions.

CORONAVIRUS in SPAIN – today’s figures

The latest official figures* for Coronavirus (Covid-19) released by Spain’s Health Ministry in Madrid at 11am on Monday 11 May confirm that 26,744 people have now died from the pandemic in Spain, up by 123 on yesterday – but the lowest figure since 18 March.

Sunday had seen an increase of 143 Coronavirus-related deaths over Saturday – the lowest figure since 18 March. Saturday had been an increase of 179 over Friday. Friday had been 213.

The current peak of recorded deaths related to Coronavirus in a 24-hour period in Spain was on 2 April, when 950 deaths were registered.

Official figures released daily by the Spanish Health Ministry are for the total number of people who have tested positive for Coronavirus only through a PCR test (polymerase chain reaction). That figure for Monday 11 May is 227,436 – an increase of 373 over yesterday.

Sunday’s figure for the increase of infections tested only through PCR had been 621 over Saturday. Saturday’s comparative figure had been 604 over Friday. Friday had been 1,095.

A total figure also released today by the ministry for those who have tested positive through PCR and antibody testing, however, is 268,143 (227,436 PCR; 40,707 antibody).

The current peak of recorded infections for a 24-hour period in Spain was on 31 March, when 9,222 new cases were registered (including from PCR and antibody).

137,139 people have now made a full recovery.

With regards the official figures released by the central Health Ministry for each region of Spain, there have been discrepancies in the data released independently by some of those regions, particularly for Madrid and Catalonia. Please refer to *Health Ministry data and regional discrepancies below.

Of the official figures released by the ministry today – and based only on the total 227,436 confirmed cases through PCR testing – there have now been 64,853 cases in the Madrid region and where 8,683 have died (from the total 26,744 across the country). There have been 54,807 cases in Catalonia and where 5,555 have died.

There are now 13,167 known cases in the Basque Country (1,423 deaths), 12,341 in Andalusia (1,322), 16,387 in Castilla La Mancha (2,786) and 10,729 in the Valencia region (1,330).

Figures for those infected with Coronavirus in other regions are now as follows: Aragón 5,336 (825 deaths), Asturias 2,346 (299 deaths), Balearic Islands 1,953 (209), Canary Islands 2,260 (149), Cantabria 2,245 (201), Castilla y León 17,995 (1,905), Ceuta 110 (4), Extremadura 2,918 (483), Galicia 9,280 (593), Melilla 119 (2), Murcia 1,517 (139), Navarra 5,065 (490) and La Rioja 4,008 (346).

A full breakdown in Spanish of the data per region, together with age group statistics can be found by clicking here. Please also see Health Ministry data and discrepancies below.

ALSO READ: Lifting of lockdown in Spain – full details of all phases & regions

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A man waits his turn outside a pharmacy in the ‘Les Corts’ district of Barcelona. The city has opted to remain in Phase Zero for now. (Edu Bayer / Barcelona.cat)

CORONAVIRUS in SPAIN – latest updates

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez called for ‘prudence and caution’ ahead of half the country moving to Phase One today.

He asked citizens to ‘follow all the rules and precautions’ as it was the ‘best way to interrupt the contagion’ of Coronavirus.

‘In these past eight weeks [since the start of the lockdown on 14 March],’ said Sánchez on Saturday, ‘Spain has proved itself to be a humane community. All of the society has acted like a community … joined together by bonds of affection and care.’

‘We have saved lives, but also lost many more,’ said Sánchez. ‘What has set Spain apart has been the magnificent response of the people … [and] exceptional responsibility and social discipline.’

We are currently updating this report.

‘State of alarm’ extended to 24 May

Last Wednesday the Spanish Congress also voted to officially extend the current ‘state of alarm’ lockdown in Spain until 24 May. It is the fourth time that the lockdown has been extended, having started on 14 March.

The overall lockdown will continue at least until 24 May whilst Spain also continues with the ‘four phase de-escalation plan‘ of gradually lifting restrictions, depending on the progress of each region.

On Thursday, Spain’s first deputy prime minister Carmen Calvo said in an interview that it was almost certain that Spain would still need ‘some more weeks’ of lockdown even further than 24 May.

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*Health Ministry data 

From 24 April, the Spanish Health Ministry changed its criteria for presenting Coronavirus statistics. The official daily figure for the number of infections is now for those tested only via PCR (polymerase chain reaction).

The ministry also stipulated to Spain’s regional health authorities how the overall data should be collated, as some regions had been using different methods to collate their own figures.

All regions must now report deaths and intensive care unit (ICU) admissions in the same way. A victim can only be counted in the death tally if they have tested positive for Covid-19 via a PCR (polymerase chain reaction testing) or rapid test.

Salvador Illa, Spain’s Health Minister, said that, ‘Spain is following a very strict definition of cases in line with international authorities, including the World Health Organization (WHO) and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC). Anyone who tests positive for Covid-19 and then dies is considered a Coronavirus fatality’.

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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:

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