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Spain Reports Less than 400 Virus Deaths for Second Day in a Row

Spain Reports Less than 400 Virus Deaths for Second Day in a Row

(Bloomberg) --

Spain recorded less than 400 deaths from the new coronavirus for the second day in row, a sign that the epidemic may be stabilizing in the country as it grapples with Europe’s worst outbreak.

Fatalities increased by 378, for a total of 22,902, according to Health Ministry data published Saturday. That compared with an increase of 367 on Friday.

This week Spain partially relaxed one of the world’s strictest lockdowns, and will allow children to leave their homes once a day accompanied by an adult from next Sunday. The confinement measures are currently due to end on May 9, but the government still hasn’t given details on how it will lift the restrictions which have virtually paralyzed the country over the past six weeks.

Madrid and Catalonia, the country’s economic heartlands and the hardest-hit regions by the outbreak, could be among the last areas to go back to normality, as the Health Ministry Salvador Illa said the government may be lifting restrictions in less affected territories first.

On Monday, the Bank of Spain depicted a worst-case scenario in which gross domestic product would shrink as much as 12.4% this year.

©2020 Bloomberg L.P.