This article is from the source 'nytimes' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/14/world/europe/spain-coronavirus.html

The article has changed 35 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 2 Version 3
Spain Imposes Nationwide Lockdown to Fight Coronavirus Spain Imposes Nationwide Lockdown to Fight Coronavirus
(about 1 hour later)
MADRID — Faced with a sharp rise in coronavirus cases, Spain on Saturday became the second country in Europe to impose sweeping restrictions on the public, telling all citizens to stay indoors, with limited exceptions. MADRID — Faced with a sharp rise in coronavirus cases, Spain on Saturday became the second country in Europe to impose sweeping restrictions on the public, telling everyone to stay indoors, with limited exceptions.
The government said people could leave their homes to buy food, to go to work if they cannot work remotely, or to seek health care, or to assist the elderly and others in need. The government said people could leave their homes to buy food, to go to work if they cannot work remotely, to seek health care, or to assist the elderly and others in need.
The government also ordered all schools, restaurants and bars to close, extending measures that various regional authorities, including in Madrid and in Catalonia, had taken on Friday. The government also ordered all schools, restaurants, bars and non-essential stores to close, extending measures that various regional authorities, including in Madrid and in Catalonia, had taken in recent days. Long-distance trains and buses across the country will have less frequent service.
“Spain is demonstrating in these critical hours that it has the capacity to overcome adversity,” Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez of Spain said in announcing the new measures, which he described as drastic. “We are facing very difficult weeks of efforts and sacrifices,” he warned. “Some important rights must be limited if we want to beat the virus.” “Spain is demonstrating in these critical hours that it has the capacity to overcome adversity,” Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez of Spain said in announcing the new measures, which he described as drastic.
The final victory over coronavirus, he added, will only come “when we have a vaccine.” “We are facing very difficult weeks of efforts and sacrifices,” he warned. “Some important rights must be limited if we want to beat the virus.”
Mr. Sánchez said the government would take steps to oversee and maintain the nationwide supply of food, energy and other basic services. The final victory over the coronavirus, he added, will come only “when we have a vaccine.”
Health authorities reported a surge of 2,000 new infections on Saturday, the largest daily increase in Spain since the beginning of the outbreak, suggesting that the country is following a curve similar to that seen earlier in Italy. Mr. Sánchez said the government would take steps to oversee and maintain the nationwide supply of food, energy and other basic services during the 15-day lockdown, which is scheduled to begin Monday.
The death toll in Spain rose to more than 190 on Saturday. Overall, 6,200 people are infected. On Saturday, health authorities reported a surge of 2,000 new infections, the largest daily increase in Spain since the beginning of the outbreak. The numbers suggest the country is following a curve similar to that seen in Italy, which has also imposed restrictive measures on public movement.
On Friday, the prime minister warned that the number of coronavirus cases in Spain could reach 10,000 next week, given how sharply infections have been rising. The death toll in Spain rose to more than 190 on Saturday. Over all, 6,200 people are infected.
On the same day, regional officials in Catalonia declared a lockdown, telling all residents to stay at home, and the authorities in the capital, Madrid, ordered all hotels, restaurants and bars to close by Saturday. Stores in Madrid are also closed. The more restrictive measures came after increasing alarm about the upswing in cases.
“We’re the new Italy,” said Francisco Gutierrez, a 33-year-old street cleaner for the city of Madrid. “We don’t know how long it’s going to last, and we don’t know how much Spain will suffer from this yet.” On Friday, the prime minister had warned that the number of coronavirus cases in Spain could reach 10,000 next week, given how sharply infections have been rising.
With the Madrid region now the epicenter of Spain’s coronavirus crisis, accounting for more than half of the reported cases, the city has abruptly followed the example of Milan and other Italian cities that were recently put under lockdown to contain the spread of coronavirus. On the same day, regional officials in Catalonia declared a lockdown, telling all residents to stay at home, and the authorities in the capital, Madrid, ordered all restaurants and bars to close by Saturday. Stores in Madrid were also closed.
Get an informed guide to the global outbreak with our daily coronavirusGet an informed guide to the global outbreak with our daily coronavirus
newsletter. newsletter.
“We’re the new Italy,” said Francisco Gutierrez, a 33-year-old street cleaner for the city of Madrid, in an interview before the announcement of the new nationwide restrictions.
“We don’t know how long it’s going to last,” he said, “and we don’t know how much Spain will suffer from this yet.”
Even as the Spanish government has been stepping up its efforts to fight the coronavirus, its fractious politics and territorial tensions threatened to complicate its response.
Shortly after Mr. Sánchez announced the new measures, Pablo Casado, the leader of the main opposition Popular Party, made his own televised address, claiming that the government “has shown once more that it’s not up to the challenge.”
Mr. Casado lambasted Mr. Sánchez for acting late throughout the crisis, including on Saturday when the prime minister’s announcement was delayed by several hours.
On Saturday, the Madrid region, the epicenter of Spain’s coronavirus crisis, accounting for more than half of the reported cases, was already feeling the effects of restricted movement.
Madrid is normally one of Europe’s most bustling cities, with people filling its public parks and squares, or meeting for drinks and tapas in its thousands of bars and cafes.Madrid is normally one of Europe’s most bustling cities, with people filling its public parks and squares, or meeting for drinks and tapas in its thousands of bars and cafes.
Yet on Saturday, it resembled a ghost city, as the capital’s 3.5 million residents, who normally spend much of their social life on the streets, started to follow the advice of the authorities to stay at home. Yet on Saturday, Madrid resembled a ghost city, as its 3.5 million residents, who normally spend much of their social life on the streets, started to follow the advice of the authorities to stay at home.
The train stations and main avenues were almost deserted, while some police cars patrolled the city center. Only stores providing basic services — such as supermarkets and gas stations — were allowed to stay open. People who ventured outside often headed for the supermarkets to buy essential supplies. The train stations and main avenues were almost deserted, while some police cars patrolled the city center. Only stores providing basic services — such as supermarkets and gas stations — were allowed to stay open. People who ventured outside often headed to supermarkets to buy essential supplies.
Museums and other public venues closed earlier this week. The gates of Madrid’s central park, the Retiro, were closed by the police on Saturday afternoon. Museums and other public venues closed earlier this week. The gates of Madrid’s central park, the Retiro, were shut by the police on Saturday afternoon.
On the arcaded Plaza Mayor, one of the main public spaces in the heart of the city, some tourists took a last walk as they hoped to catch a flight later in the day.On the arcaded Plaza Mayor, one of the main public spaces in the heart of the city, some tourists took a last walk as they hoped to catch a flight later in the day.
“Life here is slowing down by the hour,” said Stéphanie David, a visitor from Belgium.“Life here is slowing down by the hour,” said Stéphanie David, a visitor from Belgium.
Her partner, Paul Malkomes, said: “On Thursday, Madrid was still lively. Now it looks like a ghost town.” The Spanish government has only once before declared a state of emergency, in 2010, when the military was ordered to break up a wildcat strike by air traffic controllers that had paralyzed the country’s airports.
The Spanish government has only once before declared a state of emergency, in 2010, when the Spanish military was ordered to break up a wildcat strike by air traffic controllers that had paralyzed the country’s airports. A lockdown of the 7.5 million residents of Catalonia, in Spain’s northeast, was announced Friday by Quim Torra, the region’s leader, who asked the central government in Madrid to help suspend travel to and from the region by closing airports and train stations.
The lockdown of the 7.5 million residents of Spain’s northeastern region on Friday, was announced in Catalonia by Quim Torra, the region’s leader, who asked the central government in Madrid to help suspend travel to and from the region by closing airports and train stations.
That has not yet happened, and on Saturday trains were still running from the region’s capital, Barcelona, to Madrid.
Mr. Torra said it was necessary to “restrict entrances and departures” from Catalonia, but such a demand could also fuel the debate over the territorial sharing of power in Spain.Mr. Torra said it was necessary to “restrict entrances and departures” from Catalonia, but such a demand could also fuel the debate over the territorial sharing of power in Spain.
On Saturday, the northern Basque region declared its own state of emergency, while the Basque regional leader, Íñigo Urkullu, warned against Madrid taking full control over policies like health care that are now under regional management.On Saturday, the northern Basque region declared its own state of emergency, while the Basque regional leader, Íñigo Urkullu, warned against Madrid taking full control over policies like health care that are now under regional management.
Elsewhere in Spain, the southern city of Seville canceled its Easter celebrations, an event that attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors every year.Elsewhere in Spain, the southern city of Seville canceled its Easter celebrations, an event that attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors every year.
In the southeastern region of Murcia, the regional authorities put almost 400,000 residents of its coastal towns under lockdown, while warning visitors from Madrid and elsewhere to stop heading for the seaside and risk spreading the virus further.
Terminal 1 of Madrid’s airport was also almost empty on Saturday morning.Terminal 1 of Madrid’s airport was also almost empty on Saturday morning.
Among the few tourists, some said that they had scrambled to rebook in order to leave Madrid earlier than scheduled, fearful that a Spanish state of emergency might very soon close down Madrid’s airport altogether, or that their airline would in any case cancel their flight. Among the few tourists, some said they had scrambled to rebook in order to leave Madrid earlier than scheduled, fearful that a Spanish state of emergency might close Madrid’s airport altogether, or that their airline would cancel their flight.
Victor Van Leijsen, a student from the Dutch city of Breda, was preparing to depart Madrid for Brussels, alongside his twin brother. The siblings flew to Madrid on Thursday and had planned on spending a long weekend in the Spanish capital.Victor Van Leijsen, a student from the Dutch city of Breda, was preparing to depart Madrid for Brussels, alongside his twin brother. The siblings flew to Madrid on Thursday and had planned on spending a long weekend in the Spanish capital.
“We rebooked early this morning because we were afraid we could perhaps then simply not get back,” Mr. Van Leijsen said. “We really needed a weekend off, but it unfortunately got a little shorter than we planned.”“We rebooked early this morning because we were afraid we could perhaps then simply not get back,” Mr. Van Leijsen said. “We really needed a weekend off, but it unfortunately got a little shorter than we planned.”
Regional authorities in Madrid announced that all businesses would remain closed until March 27, a scenario that echoed what authorities in Italy put in place last weekend. Earlier on Saturday, as Madrid residents bought groceries and hurried back home, the authorities urged people to remain calm and maintain a one-meter distance in supermarket lines.
Earlier on Saturday, as Madrid residents bought groceries and hurried back home, bracing for more restrictive measures to be announced, the authorities urged people to remain calm, while calling to maintain a one-meter distance in supermarket lines. Yet many said they knew the worst was yet to come.
Yet many said they knew the worst had yet to come. Amuda Goueli, an Egyptian entrepreneur who lives in Madrid, said Spaniards, like other Europeans, were not psychologically prepared for the coronavirus because they had not faced such a crisis in a generation.
“Nobody wanted to believe that it could happen to us, too,” Amuda Goueli, an Egyptian entrepreneur who lives in Madrid, said while wearing a mask. “But it is now, and we have no idea how far the pandemic will stretch, or what kind of crises it will trigger here and in the rest of the world.” “There has been no war, no widespread illness and a relative state of well-being despite the economic crisis,” said Mr. Goueli, wearing a mask. “So Europeans were just not ready. We don’t know how to react.”
Mr. Goueli, the co-founder of an online travel agency, said Spaniards, like others in European countries, were not psychologically prepared to face the current scenario because they had not faced such a crisis in a generation.
“There has been no war, no widespread illness, and a relative state of well-being despite the economic crisis,” Mr. Goueli said. “So Europeans were just not ready. We don’t know how to react.”