Spain’s moment of silence for dead

A MINUTE’S silence fell across Spain yesterday as the country held the first of what will be a daily moment of respect for the victims of the coronavirus pandemic.

The hush descended as officials announced the death toll had risen to 7,340 with another 812 fatalities in the past 24 hours.

Beleaguered Spanish authorities also revealed that the number of people infected in the county has risen to 85,185 from 78,797 a day earlier – a jump of eight per cent. It means Spain, like Italy and the US, has surpassed China in overall cases.

In spite of the death toll, there was hope, as Spanish Foreign Minister Arancha González said the country’s latest national figures showed the virus’s upwards curve appears to be flattening out.

Precautions

Madrid ordered flags to be flown at half-mast and a minute’s silence to be observed every day to pay respects to those who have died.

Despite bars, restaurants, schools and shops having largely stayed closed for weeks, officials have taken additional precautions to stop the spread of Covid19 by ordering all nonessential workers to do their jobs from home until April 9.

Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announced that workers would receive their salaries until that date, but would have to make up the missed hours before the end of the year.

He said: “I’m announcing to you that the Spanish government will approve in an emergency Cabinet meeting an exceptional measure.

“If we achieve the level of mobility we’re seeing at weekends on working days, we can halt the spread of this pandemic.”

Spain and Italy remain the two counties hardest hit by the virus.The two nations have more than half the world’s 34,000 deaths from the virus that has disrupted the lives of billions and devastated world economies.