Coronavirus: Spain reports spike in deaths; Italy to make masks mandatory
- Spain reports highest number of coronavirus deaths since April
- Italy to order stricter rules, including masks be worn outdoors
Spain reported 261 coronavirus-related deaths over a 24-hour period on Tuesday, the highest figure it has posted for five and a half months, as Europe confronted a second wave of outbreaks.
The last time the country reported such a high number was on April 25, when 280 people died. The highest number over the past month was on September 22, when 112 people died, according to the Health Ministry.
Spain has experienced a surge in coronavirus cases in recent weeks, with Madrid a hotspot. More than 40 per cent of the 12,000 new infections reported on Tuesday were in the capital city.
Hospitals and their workers have been stretched to their limits again in Madrid, where the surging number of Covid-19 patients in September forced an expansion of critical care beds into gymnasiums and surgery rooms.
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The federal government forced Madrid into a strict lockdown on Friday despite opposition from the regional government, banning people from leaving or entering the city without good reason for two weeks.
Nine other areas in metropolitan Madrid were also affected by the lockdown. The coronavirus pandemic has left more than 825,000 infected in the country and caused at least 32,000 deaths.
Despite the surge in cases, the total number of people who have died in Spain, is less than in Britain and Italy.
In Italy, people will soon be forced to wear face masks at all times when outdoors, Health Minister Roberto Speranza said, confirming reports about upcoming virus containment measures.
Italian authorities were stepping up their response after a surge in daily contagion numbers, which have reached the highest level seen since late April.
The measure was to be part of a decree due to be adopted on Wednesday that was also expected to prolong a national state of emergency, set to expire on October 15, through to January 31.
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A state of emergency is a common response in Italy to disasters such as earthquakes or public health crises, and allows public authorities to act more quickly and bypass red tape.
Italy on Wednesday registered 3,678 coronavirus cases, the first time the country had exceeded 3,000 cases in a single day since April.
It was the first country in Europe to be slammed by Covid-19 and has the second highest death toll after Britain in the continent, with 36,061 dying since the outbreak flared in February, according to official figures. It has also registered 333,940 cases.
But compared to early days of the health crisis, when there were not enough beds and ventilators, hospitals are now under significantly lower stress.
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Meanwhile, Germany set a record for coronavirus cases in a day – compared to the second half of April, when case counts were peaking – with the number of patients in intensive care and on ventilators also up compared to a week earlier.
The Robert Koch Institute (RKI), the national disease control agency, said on Wednesday that 2,828 more cases had been confirmed in the last one-day period.
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At the height of the pandemic in late March and early April, Germany was counting more than 6,000 new cases per day before they fell off markedly. However, the numbers began trending upwards again in July.
The country has marked record high daily numbers for the period after the April peak several times in the last few weeks.
The latest figures released Wednesday showed a further 16 people died after catching the virus, bringing the death toll to 9,562.
The country has gradually lifted lockdown rules since May, as authorities opt for a contact-tracing strategy and localised restrictions in response to regional outbreaks. Meanwhile, masks have become ubiquitous on public transport and in shops
DPA, Reuters and Bloomberg
