US, WASHINGTON (ORDO NEWS) — This southern European country is trying in every possible way to curb the spread of the virus since the first confirmed cases of the disease appeared in February. In Italy, which has introduced national quarantine since the beginning of March, the death toll from coronavirus has more than doubled compared to China, where the outbreak first occurred in December.
According to the latest data provided by the Italian Civil Protection Service, on Thursday the number of deaths from coronavirus infection increased by 662 people. As a result, the total number of coronavirus victims increased from 7503 to 8165 people.
Earlier this week, first hopes emerged that the spread of viral infection could slow down. On Monday, the number of new victims was the smallest in the last four days. However, with the advent of recent data, these hopes have disappeared.
According to Italian authorities, as of Thursday, 80 539 cases of COVID-19 were recorded in the country, of which 10 361 patients recovered
Moreover, according to the Italian government, on Wednesday it was found that more than five thousand people violated the regime of national quarantine. Those who violate the quarantine regime may be fined between 400 and 3,000 euros.
The death toll in Spain is also higher than in China.
At the same time, according to Spanish authorities, on Thursday the number of deaths in the country increased by 655 people, as a result of which the total number of deaths from coronavirus infection reached 4089 people. According to Johns Hopkins University, the number of victims in China is 3291
“We faced an enemy that we don’t know at all, that is moving fast and constantly changing,” said Spanish Health Minister Salvador Illa on Thursday.
Spain and Italy were severely affected by this outbreak, but the virus spread throughout the continent. As a result, economists forecast a serious economic crisis in this region.
Under these conditions, during a videoconference on Thursday, EU leaders were unable to agree on a new set of measures to mitigate the economic impact of coronavirus.
“If we don’t come to an agreement now, I don’t know when we will do it,” Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa said in an interview with reporters after talking with his EU counterparts.
Missed opportunity?
Southern European countries, including Portugal, Spain and Italy, are pushing for joint European bonds as a financial tool to help their economies. However, the idea of issuing these bonds, often referred to as “coronobond”, is strongly rejected by more financially conservative countries such as the Netherlands, Germany and Austria.
When asked if the EU’s discussion on Thursday was a missed opportunity to show solidarity, Belgian Finance Minister Alexander de Croo replied, “I think so.”
He called the current crisis “an asymmetric shock.”
“Through Europe, all countries are adversely affected, but some countries suffer much more,” he said, adding that one of the major differences between this crisis and the sovereign debt crisis is that the virus harms not only economies like Greece, but and such as Italy and Spain.
From countries in which the same currency operates, he requires a decisive response, he said. Eurozone finance ministers were instructed to prepare new proposals for supporting the economy within two weeks.
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