Spain overtakes France to become Europe’s second most Coronavirus-infected country after Italy

Spain is now officially the second most Coronavirus-infected country in Europe, after Italy. With more than 3,142 people in the country testing positive for COVID-19, it has overtaken both France (with around 2,876 cases) and Germany (approximately 2,512 cases), in just a matter of days.

Given the latest drastic measures to control the virus, Spain is now considered to be a high-risk zone for the virus. Practically all the regional governments have taken the Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez’s advice today, stepping up measures to control the virus, including school and university closures across the country, as well as day centres, and suspending all large group activities, as reported throughout the day.

To cope with the rising number of infected patients, the Prime Minister has injected the country’s health care system with approximately 2,800 million euros. He has also guaranteed enough ‘protective’ medical supplies, such as masks. “The health department has brought around 410,000 surgical masks, of which 130,000 will go to Madrid because it’s the most affected area – accounting for around 50% of Coronavirus cases in the country. Soon, they will buy another 500,000 more,” reassured Sanchez.

Much like Italy, life for Spanish residents – both the locals and expats – won’t quite be the same again. Change to our routine is both imminent and beyond our control. However, it’s vital to follow the guidelines provided by the health authorities in order to stay safe and prevent further spread of the virus and disruption to our daily lives. If you have been in contact with someone that’s already been infected, or have recently travelled to another high-risk zone, it’s vital to self-isolate for 14 days. If you suspect you have the virus, and are displaying cold/flu/respiratory symptoms, please call 112.

The Euroweekly News, Spain’s largest free newspaper, wishes you all a good night.