Spain coronavirus deaths fall below 100 a day – the lowest level since March 12 – as Europe’s strictest lockdown eases

THE rise in the number of new Covid-19 deaths in Spain fell below 100 today on the eve of a new easing of coronavirus restrictions.

Spanish PM Pedro Sanchez told regional presidents at their weekly meeting 87 people had died in the previous 24 hours, the lowest figure since March 12 two days before a state of emergency was declared.

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Spain’s single-day death toll of 102 announced yesterday was the lowest since the start of the state of emergency, which led to one of Europe’s strictest lockdowns in which outdoors sports were banned for seven weeks and children were stopped from playing outside for six weeks.

The number of new Covid-19 cases health chiefs will confirm officially at a press briefing later this morning is 421.

Spain’s new figures were made public as many parts of the country prepared for a new easing of lockdown restrictions.

The Costa del Sol tourist resorts of Marbella and Fuengirola are among those where bar terraces will re-open tomorrow after being given permission to move onto phase one of a four-phase recovery programme.

Hotels on the famous stretch of coastline can also re-open with limitations, although it is not clear how many will do so because of the absence of foreign holidaymakers.

The government’s decision to let the area move onto phase one means it will catch up with other popular tourist spots like the Costa Blanca where restrictions were eased last Monday in recognition of its more positive health situation.

END IN SIGHT

The cities of Madrid and Barcelona will remain stuck on phase zero, meaning bars and hotels will stay closed, but the government has loosened some commercial restrictions.

Around 30 per cent of the country’s population, some 14 million people, will be on phase zero, with almost all of the other 70 per cent on phase one.

The Balearic Island of Formentera and three small Canary Islands are the only ones moving to phase two, meaning among other things that restaurant owners can open up the inside of their eateries and restrictions on time-slots for doing outdoors sport will be eased.

Pedro Sanchez has already said he wants to extend Spain’s state of emergency for a further month when it ends on May 24 – but it is expected to be the last.

A 14-day quarantine Spain introduced on Friday for people entering the country is set to end when the state of emergency is lifted, paving the way for the return of foreign holidaymakers.

Benidorm mayor Toni Perez has already said he hasn’t given up hope of seeing British tourists back this year, despite a UK quarantine Boris Johnson is expected to formally adopt in early June.

It would apply to Brits returning from foreign holidays abroad.

Mr Perez said: “The British are our number one international tourists.

“Benidorm is their home and I’m sure we’ll be in many peoples’ minds this summer if they can’t end up coming.

“The horizon we’re looking at in terms of being able to receive the numbers of tourists we had when we started to empty hotels on March 14 is March next year.

“But I haven’t given up hope of seeing British tourists back this summer.

“We don’t know if there’ll be a treatment or vaccine by then or how the pandemic will have evolved here or in Britain.

“Whatever the date Benidorm will be prepared when British holidaymakers can come here and we will welcome them with open arms.”