By News Desk
The Spanish Prime Minister, Pedro Sanchez, has disclosed that the country may become the first European country to get out of coronavirus hook by July 1.
Sanchez added that the achievement could only be attained if the country can embark on another 15 days of lockdown to weaken the pandemic in Spain.
The prime minister, who gave the hint on Sunday while addressing a press conference, stated that the country’s parliament would need to approve a final two-week extension to the stay home rule for Spain to become free from the virus.
While expressing his intense relief that the number of new cases of COVID-19 in Spain, one of the nations hardest-hit by the virus, had fallen dramatically, he said: “We have almost achieved what we set out to do”.
From June 21 a national state of emergency will end and with it the lockdown, allowing citizens to move freely in their regions. From July 1, citizens will be able to move throughout the country.
Spain’s death toll rose by two on Sunday to 27,127, the health ministry said, while the number of COVID-19 infections rose by 96 overnight to 239,429.
Spain imposed a state of emergency on 14 March which involved a strict lockdown under which people could leave their homes only to buy food, seek medical care, or for jobs where they could not work from home. Children were initially confined inside all day. Restrictions are being gradually eased.
Despite opposition to the most recent lockdown extension from parties on the right and demonstrations across Spain, Sanchez has struck a deal with a Catalan separatist party Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya (ERC) which should guarantee his minority government secures enough support to extend the lockdown.
