BREAKING NEWS: Spain suspends all school & university classes across Madrid to contain Coronavirus

Madrid has announced that it will suspend classes at all schools and universities across the capital in an attempt to contain the Coronavirus (COVID-19). The measures come into effect this Wednesday 11^th March, so parents have at least 24 hours to make alternative arrangements. It will affect well over a million students and one hundred thousand teachers across Madrid.

The Spanish Government has also advised businesses to allow staff to work from home where possible to help families cope with these extraordinary measures to prevent the further spread of COVID-19. The latest raft of measures follow Madrid’s decision to close centres for the elderly last Friday, as well as close the doors to visitors at care and residential homes. In addition, the Government is also advising elderly people and those with chronic health conditions to avoid leaving their homes or residencies until further notice.

Other emergency measures for the city include postponing non-urgent medical procedures and tests across Madrid’s hospitals, and making provision for extra hospital beds to ensure adequate space for emergency treatment. However, less serious cases of COVID-19 will primarily be treated at home, according to Spain’s Ministry of Health.

The Government has also advised Madrid’s population against any travel, unless absolutely necessary. These ‘extraordinary’ measures follow a huge hike in the number of people infected with COVID-19 across the capital today, as well as the death toll doubling in just one day since yesterday (as reported earlier).