Spanish government "hibernates" economy to counter Covid-19

Spanish government said it was “hibernating” the country's economy in a bid to avoid the health system becoming overwhelmed by Covid-19 patients.

At an extraordinary meeting on Sunday, the Spanish Cabinet agreed to implement the stricter lockdown measures that were announced on Saturday night by Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, in another attempt to slow the spread of the coronavirus.

The agreed measures mean that all non-essential workers will also be confined to their homes, from today to 9 April.

The Spanish state was put on state of alarm on 14 March. Citizens are permitted to leave their homes to buy food or medication, and under other specific circumstances such as walking their dogs.

The latest figures released by the Health Ministry on Sunday night showed that a total of 6,528 people in the country have now died from the coronavirus.

Registered infections of the SARS-CoV-2 virus stand at 78,797, with 4,907 people in intensive care units (ICUs) across the Spanish state.

Some 14,709 patients have recovered from the Covid-19 disease and have been released from hospital care. The majority of deaths during the ongoing crisis (5,000) have taken place over the last seven days.