Spain Lifts Ban on Flights from Italy

Spain has lifted a ban on all direct flights and ships from Italy but retained a block on cruise ships and a mandatory two-week quarantine for inbound travelers.

What encouraged Spanish officials to begin easing one of Europe’s strictest lockdowns is a dwindling death rate of COVID-19; the overnight death toll reported on Monday was 59, the lowest in two months.

Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has appealed to the parliament to extend until late June a state of emergency which has helped decrease infections but at the same time brought about substantial economic damage.

Spain is among one of the worst affected countries in Europe with the pandemic. At least 27,709 persons have died as a result of COVID-19, with over 278,000 confirmed cases.

By Elene Dzebisashvili