Spain Declares ‘Emergency’ Lockdown, Orders People to Stay Home for 2 Weeks

New Delhi, March 15, 2020:

Spain has declared a state of emergency after it recorded a total of 1500 confirmed cases of novel coronavirus overnight.

The Spanish government has placed the country in lockdown, ordering people to stay at home for the next two weeks unless they have to buy food or medicine or go to work or hospital.

It needs mention here that after Italy, which has so far recorded a total of 21, 157 confirmed cases, Spain has emerged as the worst-hit country with 6,251 people infected by coronavirus and 193 deaths.

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Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said that “extraordinary decisions” needed to be taken as Spain was grappled with a “health, social and economic crisis”.

Following the declaration of emergency, all the local, national and regional police forces would come under the command of the interior ministry. He also informed that the army was readied to assist the people with emergency response.

The Prime Minister also confirmed that people would be required to stay home from Monday morning and that all non-essential shops would remain closed, along with bars, restaurants, cafes and cinemas. Only supermarkets, small food shops, pharmacies, petrol stations and pet supply shops will remain open.

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He said, “During the state of emergency, people will only be allowed out on to public streets for the following reasons: to buy food, basic or pharmaceutical items; to attend medical centres; to go to and from work; to look after children, older people or those with disabilities or who are especially vulnerable; and to attend financial or insurance offices on force majeure grounds.”

This will be the first time that Spain has imposed an emergency state since 2010. The state of emergency will initially be applied for a fortnight, which can be extended with the approval of the parliament.

Meanwhile, the virus has claimed as many as 5,839 deaths worldwide, and 74,970 people are currently affected. 5,652 (8%) are said to be in serious/critical condition. Total cases currently is 156,745. Recovered cases stand at 75,936.

In India, 100 people are infected with coronavirus till the filing of this report. Two deaths have also been reported - a 76-year-old from Karnataka and a 68-year-old from Delhi. Recovered cases stand at 10.

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