MADRID: Spain has eased the lockdown and reopened parts of its coronavirus-stricken economy after the death toll slowed in the country.
The death toll in Spain lowered on Monday after another 517 people died with the overall number of fatalities nearly reaching 17,500, government figures showed. The data showed that confirmed cases rose by 3,477, the lowest daily figure since March 21, and have now reached 169,496.
After the rate of the fatalities began to slow during the past two weeks, the Spainish government took the decision to partially relax tough lockdown conditions, allowing mainly construction and manufacturing workers to return to work.
Some Spanish factories and construction staff will return to work within strict safety guidelines. Restrictions remain in place for millions of Spaniards who can only leave their homes to buy food, seek medical assistance, for emergencies or to go to work.
Spain has suffered more deaths than any country, except the United States and Italy, and has been on a strict state of emergency since March 14. However, China, where the virus emerged late last year, recorded its highest number of infections in weeks, most of them imported cases, suggesting that the country lifted restrictions too early.
More than half of the world’s population is staying home as part of efforts to stem the spread of the virus, which has now affected over 1.8 people globally. China also recently lifted the lockdown on the city of Wuhan where the virus first emerged in December last year.
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