Spanish PM to ask parliament for 2-week extension on lockdown

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez says he will ask Spain’s Parliament to extend the country’s state of emergency another two weeks to battle the new coronavirus outbreak.

Spain has been under lockdown since March 14. The state of emergency is due to expire on April 11.

The extension of two more weeks will extend it until April 26 and take the lockdown to six full weeks.

The leader of the main opposition party has already said it will support the government when it asks the Parliament session for the extension this week. This will be the second extension Sánchez has requested.

Spain has 11,744 fatalities and 124,736 infections and from the pandemic. It is on pace with Italy as the countries with the most infections after the United States.

But the expansion of the outbreak is slowing and Spain’s hospitals have helped over 34,000 recover from the COVID-19 virus.

Sanchez notes Spain is slowing the curve but needs more time to continue its progress.

The national lockdown has closed down all non-essential industries and only allows people to leave their homes for food and medicine purchases.

— AP