JUST THIS MORNING President Pedro Sánchez announced that the state of emergency will be extended for a further 15 days.
The extraordinary public safety measures intended to stop the spread of SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus contagion were introduced at midnight last Friday 13th March and were originally intended to last until at least Sunday 29th March.
But an additional extension will mean the country will face a lockdown that extends for 15 days longer, potentially meaning residents and visitors won´t be able to leave their homes, except for legally sanctioned essential purposes, until Sunday 12th April.
Alicante province registers 479 positive CoVid-19 coronavirus infections and 30 deaths
Locally, the Alicante Province has diagnosed 479 people with a positive coronavirus infection, a sharp increase of more than 100 patients over the previously reported 24 hours. The province has registered 30 deaths to date.
Nationwide, Spain has 25,496 confirmed cases of patients that have tested positive for CoVid-19 coronavirus (an increase of 3,925 over 24 hours), and 1,385 people have tragically lost their lives to the disease.
On a more positive note, the number of successfully treated and recuperating people has also increased sharply, with the latest data showing 2,125 patients have recovered from coronavirus contagion.
Spanish SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus State of Emergency, the global picture in numbers
The vast majority of those with a positive coronavirus diagnosis are located in the Spanish capital city of Madrid (6,931 active infections), or central Northern provinces such as Araba and La Rioja, with the latter showing the highest rate of contagion at 147 cases per 100,000 people.
Globally, the United States now has more active cases than Spain with 27,111 infections, whilst Germany registered 22,530 SARS-CoV-2 infections.
The United Kingdom has registered a large rise in contagion since the outbreak began with 5,018 positive infections and 233 lives lost, with the government progressing toward a public health policy designed to limit the spread of the coronavirus disease.
Worldwide, the pandemic has affected more than 300,000 people thus far, of whom more than 13,000 have died and more than 90,000 have recovered.
The decision to extend the state of emergency in Spain will need the approval of the Spanish Congress, but this is thought to be a formality given the extraordinary circumstances.
If you or someone you know thinks they might have any symptoms of coronavirus infection or any flu-like symptoms whatsoever, do not go to a medical centre, a doctor's surgery, or a hospital. Instead, call +34 900 300 555 for assistance.
Looking for holiday ideas and travel inspiration? Find out more about our favourite recommended things to do on the Orihuela Costa or join the La Zenia community Facebook group and find out what's going on in the local area.
Photo credit: LaZenia.com
Please please write an article about walkking with pets and how can we feed the steet cats what is the law for that?
Hi Ilona, and thanks for your comment. Currently, feeding stray and abandoned cats in public is prohibited by most local authorities for public health reasons, and I would recommend you do NOT do it. In Orihuela, the Town Hall organises feeding and care of the feral cats with a neutering programme to control the increase in population. They also organise rehoming of cats that show signs of domestication, with assistance from volunteers and charity groups. Cat colonies establish all the time, so if you see a clowder that isn´t being cared for please contact the council or email them at residentes@orihuela.es.