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Spread of Coronavirus Continues to Slow in Spain


Health personnel in protective gear prepare to attend to a patient during the COVID-19 virus outbreak in Barcelona, Spain, April 6, 2020.
Health personnel in protective gear prepare to attend to a patient during the COVID-19 virus outbreak in Barcelona, Spain, April 6, 2020.

Spain’s health ministry said Monday the spread of the coronavirus in that country has continued to slow, indicating the emergency measures put in place by the government are working.

At a news briefing in Madrid, the ministry reported the number of new cases from Sunday to Monday stood at 4,273, an increase of 3 percent, compared to a daily rate of increase of 22 percent March 14, when emergency measures were put in place.

Health Minister Salvador Illa told reporters that Spain was reaching “the top of curve,” meaning the spread of the virus may have peaked. He said the government is considering when and how to scale back measures such as self-isolating and shuttering businesses.

Illa said there would be a transition period and those measures would be gradually eased. He gave no specifics.

Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has said the lockdown would remain in place until April 26.

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