Spain relaxes as virus spikes in Russia and Pakistan

SPANIARDS are exercising on the streets for the first time after seven weeks of coronavirus lockdown.

Spain, one of the worst-hit countries in the world with 24,543 deaths and more than 213,000 cases of Covid-19, is rolling back restrictions that helped bring the outbreak under control and save hospitals from collapse.

Russia and Pakistan, however, have reported their biggest one-day spikes in new cases in a sign that the pandemic is far from over.

As restrictions were relaxed yesterday, people ran, walked, or rode bicycles under a sunny sky in Barcelona, where many flocked to the maritime promenade to get as close as possible to the still-off-limits beach.

Meanwhile, concern is growing in Moscow about the possibility that hospitals might become overwhelmed after Russia recorded a new one-day high of 9,633 new cases, a 20% increase over Friday’s count which, itself, was a new daily record.

Russia has now reported 124,054 total cases, with 15,013 recoveries and 1,222 deaths. True numbers are believed to be higher because not everyone is tested and Russian tests are reported to be only 70% to 80% accurate.

The virus has killed more than 238,000 people worldwide, including more than 65,000 in the United States and more than 20,000 each in Italy, the UK, France and Spain, according to a count kept by Johns Hopkins University.

Health experts warn a second wave of infections could hit unless testing is expanded dramatically.

Pakistan announced 1,297 new cases yesterday, raising the total in the country of 220 million people to 18,114. Photos in newspapers showed large numbers of the faithful at Pakistani mosques and only some following social distancing rules.

The Pakistan government said it might ease controls, but doctors have pleaded for stricter lockdowns, warning an explosion of infections would overwhelm hospitals that have only 3,000 intensive care beds nationwide.