Europe begins to relax lockdowns as cases decline
THE pandemic is showing signs of easing in Europe, with lows for deaths in Italy, France and Spain.
Italy – the first country to order a lockdown – began relaxing restrictions yesterday. Daily deaths there, 174, are the lowest since its lockdown began two months ago.
New infections and patients in intensive care have also continued to fall, authorities in Rome said.
For the first time in months, Italians were allowed to exercise, as long as they respected rules on social distancing. They were also able to visit relatives – but not friends – within their region.
However, schools, cinemas and most shops will remain shut for now.
Bars and restaurants will then start allowing customers to sit at tables in June.
France and Spain also reported the lowest number of deaths since mid-March – 135 and 164 respectively.
France plans to lift its lockdown on May 11, when children return to school in phases. Some businesses will reopen and people will be able to travel within 100km (60 miles) of their homes without the need for a document giving a reason for their movement.
In Spain. adults have been able to exercise outdoors for the first time in seven weeks. The lockdown was eased for children under-14 a week ago and yesterday some small businesses, such as hairdressers, were allowed to reopen for individual appointments.
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said Spain was reaping the rewards of the sacrifices made during the lockdown – one of Europe’s strictest.
Belgium remains the world’s worst-affected country when it comes to a measure of the number of deaths in relation to the size of population.
But yesterday the country also began reopening some schools, while in Germany churches were allowed to open for services for the first time since last month.
After a six-week state of emergency, Portugal also yesterday began a threephase reopening plan.
But there was less encouraging news from further East as Russia recorded its highest daily rise in coronavirus victims with 10,633 new cases. Its death toll stands at 1,280.
French doctor Dr Yves Cohen, head of resuscitation at several hospitals in Ile-de-France, Paris, has said France saw its first coronavirus patient in December, weeks before its first officially recorded case of Covid-19.
He revealed sample testing has confirmed the virus was in France just after Christmas.