Spain plans to extend its state of emergency for another 15 days, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez announced, as the number of Covid-19 deaths soars in the country.
Sanchez, who addressed citizens in a televised briefing on Sunday, after meeting with health and security officials, said he expected the Parliament to approve his request to lengthen the order, which has been in place for over a week.
The country’s health ministry said on Sunday that another 394 had died in the past 24 hours, bringing the total number of confirmed fatalities to 1,720.
Meanwhile, the United Kingdom’s 1.5 million most vulnerable citizens are being told to stay at home for the next 12 weeks to help shield them from coronavirus.
Communities Minister, Robert Jenrick, says authorities will be writing to those who had been identified to offer them assistance to maintain social distancing during the outbreak.
“This includes providing food, so they don’t have to leave the house,” he noted.
The announcement was made at Sunday’s daily press briefing at Downing Street, alongside Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
Johnson said the measures were foreshadowed in the government’s response plan.
