Spain marks lowest daily Covid-19 death toll on eve of Phase 1 of deescalation plan
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Spain’s daily death toll from the coronavirus fell to 143 on Sunday, down from 179 the previous day, the health ministry reported.
It marks the lowest daily death toll since mid-March.
Overall deaths rose to 26,621 from 26,478 on Saturday and the number of diagnosed cases rose to 224,390 from 223,578 the day before, the ministry said.
Meanwhile, the Spanish Premier made a televised address on Saturday to discuss the ongoing crisis and also to call for caution among citizens when confinement conditions are relaxed in some areas during the coming week.
As of Monday more than half of Spain’s residents are due to enter Phase 1 of the government’s coronavirus deescalation plan, El Pais reports.
The newspaper reports “In these two months, Spain has demonstrated many things, its huge strengths,” he began by saying. “What has set it apart has been the magnificent response of the people, thanks to exceptional responsibility and social discipline. The state of alarm works and it is proving to be very efficient,” he said, in reference to the conditions imposed by the government on March 14, when confinement across Spain began.
“In these eight weeks, Spain has proved itself to be a humane community,” the prime minister continued. “All of society has acted like a community joined together by bonds of affection and care. We have saved lives, but we have lost many more. Each fatality hurts us. These lives that we have lost weigh heavily on us.”
Some 51% of the population will progress to Phase 1 of a four-step easing plan on Monday after the government decided the regions in which they lived met the necessary criteria.
In regions that made the cut, such as the Canary and Balearic Islands, bars, restaurants and shops will open at reduced capacity, and museums, gyms and hotels will open their doors for the first time in nearly two months.
The country’s two biggest cities – Madrid and Barcelona – do not currently meet the criteria for easing and will remain on Phase 0.
Emergency Health Chief Fernando Simon on Saturday urged Spaniards not to think of it “as a race” and said it was possible Madrid would be ready to move onto the next stage within a week.
Still, some regional governments were unhappy about being held back on Phase 0.
Andalusian leader Juanma Moreno, a member of the opposition People’s Party, complained he had not been able to submit an easing proposal based on administrative health districts rather than provinces, as other regions such as Catalonia had done.
“I will ask that this decision be reviewed and the same criteria be applied to us as to the others,” he said.
The Madrid region’s deputy president Ignacio Aguado on Friday said he “regretted” the government had not allowed Madrid to move forward and said it would apply to move to Phase 1 on May 18.
The government will still encourage homeworking where possible and companies will have to implement staggered start and finish times to ensure distancing measures.
In a positive step for Spain‘s tourism industry, which contributes around 12% of economic output, hotels will be allowed to open all rooms and nature tourism will be allowed for groups of up to 10.
Scores of joggers and cyclists poured down Madrid’s six-lane Castellana Avenue on Saturday morning, one of several major transport arteries closed off to vehicles for the weekend.
“I think it’s really good, what they’ve done with the Castellana is fantastic,” said Madrid resident Carlos de la Torre, out for a morning jog.
Madrid’s city hall pedestrianized 29 roads over the weekend to prevent crowds from building up where runners and walkers are forced to share pavements and walkways.
