Spain Intends To Extend COVID-19 High Alert For Last Time - Prime Minister

MADRID (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 31st May, 2020) Spanish authorities are going extend the nationwide state of high alert due to the coronavirus just one more time, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said on Sunday upon consultations with regional heads.

"I informed the heads of the autonomous communities that we will need to extend the high-alert regime for 15 days," Sanchez said at a press conference.

The prime minister added that at the third and final stage of the lockdown exit, regional governments would resume their powers.

"Only the regulation of movement will remain in the hands of the Spanish [central] government," Sanchez noted.

Spain's lower house of parliament, the Congress of Deputies, will vote on the extension of the high alert regime on Wednesday.

This would be the sixth extension of the high alert mode since it was introduced for the first time on March 14. Each extension requires the legislators' consent. The current extension expires on June 7.

Spain has so far recorded 286,308 COVID-19 cases and 27,125 fatalities. A total of 196,958 patients have recovered.