Deaths in Italy, Spain show worst not over

Italy and Spain suffered their deadliest days yet from the coronavirus outbreak. The government in Madrid warned citizens that the situation will get worse.

Italy reported 969 deaths in 24 hours, and Spain 769. Italy now has 86,498 total cases, just under the United States, which has 93,329 cases and more than China’s, where the disease’s first outbreak occurred, which has a total of 81,340. A slowdown in new cases in Italy was the one silver lining.

Both Italy and Spain are in almost complete lockdown, with their governments counting on limited social interactions to help contain the spread of the disease. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez convened an emergency cabinet meeting to try to chart a way out of the crisis rapidly engulfing the nation.

“We may be entering a phase of stabilization, but we haven’t reached the peak yet,” Health Minister Salvador Illa said at a news conference in Madrid.

With Italy and Spain now reporting the most deaths worldwide, Europe’s outbreak is stretching healthcare systems and in some cases forcing doctors to choose who should live or die. The head of the World Health Organization tried to rally support for the battle against the disease on Friday, even as some world leaders like U. S. President Donald Trump question the need for extreme measures.

The United Kingdom’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who was criticized for being slow to react to the epidemic, became the first world leader to say he has tested positive and is self- isolating in his Downing Street offices with “mild symptoms.” Prince Charles, the heir to the British throne, also has the virus.

U. K. infections are doubling every three to four days, Cabinet Minister Michael Gove said. Some 14,543 people in Britain have now tested positive for coronavirus, a 2,885 increase on Thursday’s tally. Apart from Johnson, Health Secretary Matt Hancock also tested positive.

In France, cases rose to 32,964 from 29,155, with a total of 1,696 deaths.

European Union leaders have largely recognized the danger but struggled to agree at a virtual summit Thursday on a joint strategy to limit the economic impact.

They left key details to be hammered out in the weeks ahead.