Spain extends coronavirus lockdown, in 'war' to buy medical supplies
Skip to main content
  • Home
  • Economy
  • Stocks
  • Analysis
  • World+Biz
  • Sports
  • Splash
  • Features
  • Videos
  • Long Read
  • Games
  • Epaper
  • More
    • COVID-19
    • Bangladesh
    • Infograph
    • Interviews
    • Offbeat
    • Thoughts
    • Podcast
    • Quiz
    • Tech
    • Subscribe
    • Archive
    • Trial By Trivia
    • Magazine
    • Supplement
  • বাংলা
The Business Standard
THURSDAY, MAY 26, 2022
THURSDAY, MAY 26, 2022
  • Home
  • Economy
  • Stocks
  • Analysis
  • World+Biz
  • Sports
  • Splash
  • Features
  • Videos
  • Long Read
  • Games
  • Epaper
  • More
    • COVID-19
    • Bangladesh
    • Infograph
    • Interviews
    • Offbeat
    • Thoughts
    • Podcast
    • Quiz
    • Tech
    • Subscribe
    • Archive
    • Trial By Trivia
    • Magazine
    • Supplement
  • বাংলা
Spain extends coronavirus lockdown, in 'war' to buy medical supplies

Coronavirus chronicle

Reuters
26 March, 2020, 08:00 pm
Last modified: 26 March, 2020, 08:03 pm

Related News

  • In Europe's first, Spain aims to introduce paid menstrual leave
  • Spanish President Pedro Sanchez writes to PM Hasina marking 50 years of diplomatic ties
  • Spain, Denmark oppose EU green label for gas, nuclear
  • Emirates to support growth of Spanish tourism and trade
  • Spain grants monthly aid to lure youths out of parents' homes

Spain extends coronavirus lockdown, in 'war' to buy medical supplies

The number of coronavirus cases rose by 18 percent to 56,188, a slower pace than in the past few days

Reuters
26 March, 2020, 08:00 pm
Last modified: 26 March, 2020, 08:03 pm
Ambulance workers in full protective gear arrive with a patient at the Severo Ochoa Hospital during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Leganes, Spain, March 26, 2020. REUTERS/Susana Vera
Ambulance workers in full protective gear arrive with a patient at the Severo Ochoa Hospital during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Leganes, Spain, March 26, 2020. REUTERS/Susana Vera

Spain extended its coronavirus lockdown on Thursday to at least April 12 as Europe's second-worst hit country fought "a real war" procuring medical supplies in an overheated Chinese market that officials said was rife with fraud and speculative deals.

The death toll rose by 655 overnight to 4,089. That was down from 738 deaths the previous day when Spain overtook China by the total number of deaths since the outbreak began. Health Minister Salvador Illa cautiously told parliament the data "make us think we are starting a stabilization phase".

The number of coronavirus cases rose by 18 percent to 56,188, a slower pace than in the past few days, but health emergency chief Fernando Simon said that the start of mass testing for the virus would certainly boost new notifications of infections.

"We are in a real war to get hold of ventilators, facemasks and quick test kits," government spokeswoman Maria Jesus Montero told Telecinco television.

"All the countries are fighting to secure domestic production, fighting to get supplies from China," she said, adding that suppliers were failing to deliver on time. The government was also working to guarantee domestic production by converting some of the industry's capacity.

Spain has ordered 432 million euros ($471.4 million) of masks, gloves and testing kits from China, and has turned to NATO partners for protective gear and ventilators.

A diplomatic source told Reuters prices had gone up ten-fold in some cases and Chinese firms were demanding payment upfront. A health authority source said there were queues of aircraft in some Chinese airports just to buy such supplies and middle-men often defrauded buyers.

Spanish officials did not identify any of the unscrupulous sellers by name, but said they were usually smaller, private firms, so Spain was seeking long-term deals with reputable companies.

Parliament voted in the early hours of Thursday to extend emergency measures - including the lockdown that has seen people confined to their homes except for essential trips for food, medicine and work.

"It is not easy to extend the state of emergency," Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez told parliament. "I am convinced the only efficient option against the virus is social isolation."

Although the largest opposition party, the conservative People's Party, supported the measure, its leader Pablo Casado chastised Sanchez for what he described as a late and inadequate response, particularly the government's failure to provide medical professionals with vital equipment.

While Spain's death toll is still well below Italy's 7,503, it has been rising at a faster pace lately, having soared 10-fold since Spain declared the state of emergency on March 14.

In Madrid, Spain's worst affected region, hearses continued to arrive at the city's ice rink, which was converted into a makeshift morgue after authorities said existing facilities lacked resources.

Nursing homes, whose elderly residents are highly vulnerable to the disease, have been particularly hard hit.

An analysis by radio network Cadena Ser found at least 397 residents of such homes had died from coronavirus, nearly 10 percent of the country's latest death toll. The health ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the findings.

Carmen Flores, head of patient rights group Defensor del Paciente, said the number "appears correct", urging the health ministry to provide its own data.

"Old people have been abandoned in an astonishing way," she said.

Spain

Comments

While most comments will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive, moderation decisions are subjective. Published comments are readers’ own views and The Business Standard does not endorse any of the readers’ comments.

Top Stories

  • VAT on locally-made mobile phones, fridges on cards
    VAT on locally-made mobile phones, fridges on cards
  • Wheat stock at 3-year low and that may not be good for rice
    Wheat stock at 3-year low and that may not be good for rice
  • Ousted Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan gestures as he travels on a vehicle to lead a protest march in Islamabad, Pakistan May 26, 2022. REUTERS/Akhtar Soomro
    Azadi March: Imran gives 6-day ultimatum to announce polls

MOST VIEWED

  • A woman wearing a face mask crosses a road at the Central Business District (CBD), amid the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) outbreak in Beijing, China May 10, 2022. REUTERS/Carlos Garcia Rawlins
    Tightening Covid net, Beijing deals out punishments, stark warnings
  • A medical worker takes a swab sample from a person for a nucleic acid test at a makeshift testing site, amid the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) outbreak, in Beijing, China May 23, 2022. REUTERS/Tingshu Wang
    Beijing ramps up Covid quarantine, Shanghai residents decry uneven rules
  • A vial labelled with the Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus disease (Covid-19) vaccine is seen in this illustration picture taken March 19, 2021. Photo :Reuters
    Pfizer says 3 Covid shots protect children under 5
  • A medical worker takes a swab sample from a person for a nucleic acid test at a makeshift testing site, amid the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) outbreak, in Beijing, China May 23, 2022. REUTERS/Tingshu Wang
    Beijing urges millions to keep working from home amid Covid outbreak menace
  • Picture: PTI
    Saudi Arabia bans travel to India, 15 other countries over Covid outbreaks
  • A person in personal protective equipment (PPE) walks a dog at a resident community, as the second stage of a two-stage lockdown has been launched to curb the spread of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) in Shanghai, China April 3, 2022. REUTERS/Aly Song
    Shanghai reopens some public transport, still on high Covid alert

Related News

  • In Europe's first, Spain aims to introduce paid menstrual leave
  • Spanish President Pedro Sanchez writes to PM Hasina marking 50 years of diplomatic ties
  • Spain, Denmark oppose EU green label for gas, nuclear
  • Emirates to support growth of Spanish tourism and trade
  • Spain grants monthly aid to lure youths out of parents' homes

Features

Illustration: TBS

Should Belayets be allowed to return to school at 55?

28m | Pursuit
Impact Hub Dhaka is designed to cater to connectivity, offering lots of communal areas where you can chat over coffee, watch a webinar as a group or even host events. Photo: Courtesy

Inside Impact Hub: The surprising benefits of working in a co-working space

1h | Pursuit
Pacific Jeans uses sustainable technology in washing and finishing, and now has the facility to wash with zero water. Photo: Courtesy

How big dreams and smart investment made Pacific Jeans a denim exporting giant 

2h | Panorama
Psycure has received various awards for their extraordinary contributions to promoting Sustainable Development Goals. Photo: Courtesy

Psycure: Meet the organisation serving the underserved university students (and beyond) with mental healthcare 

1d | Panorama

More Videos from TBS

Why is Thanda Garam's juice so popular?

Why is Thanda Garam's juice so popular?

28m | Videos
Tea tales at TSC

Tea tales at TSC

1h | Videos
What journalism students want to know

What journalism students want to know

2h | Videos
Where the people have more weapons than military

Where the people have more weapons than military

13h | Videos

Most Read

1
Tk100 for bike, Tk2,400 for bus to cross Padma Bridge
Bangladesh

Tk100 for bike, Tk2,400 for bus to cross Padma Bridge

2
Bangladesh at risk of losing ownership of Banglar Samriddhi
Bangladesh

Bangladesh at risk of losing ownership of Banglar Samriddhi

3
BSEC launches probe against Abul Khayer Hero and allies
Stocks

BSEC launches probe against Abul Khayer Hero and allies

4
Photo: Courtesy
Panorama

Misfit Technologies: A Singaporean startup rooted firmly in Bangladesh

5
Illustration: TBS
Banking

Let taka slide

6
Photo: Collected
Industry

Spanish recycled cotton producer opens new facility in Bangladesh

The Business Standard
Top
  • Home
  • Entertainment
  • Sports
  • About Us
  • Bangladesh
  • International
  • Privacy Policy
  • Comment Policy
  • Contact Us
  • Economy
  • Sitemap
  • RSS

Contact Us

The Business Standard

Main Office -4/A, Eskaton Garden, Dhaka- 1000

Phone: +8801847 416158 - 59

Send Opinion articles to - oped.tbs@gmail.com

For advertisement- sales@tbsnews.net

Copyright © 2022 THE BUSINESS STANDARD All rights reserved. Technical Partner: RSI Lab