News
Covid Update
Vulture rescued
When the National State of Emergency came to an end on May 9 , the Government of Pedro Sánchez in Madrid made it clear that all 17 of Spain ’ s autonomous communities had “ sufficient means to face the pandemic .” A number of the regions , including Andalucía , had warned of problems ahead until the vaccination campaign is effective for the entire population .
From May 10 , the regions had no authority to introduce coronavirus restrictions on fundamental rights , specifically the overnight curfew , limits on social gatherings and lockdowns of regions , provinces and municipalities . The Basque government asked for authorisation to seal its regional borders , but the request was denied , while Andalucía was amongst seven others which went to court to get approval for lockdowns in municipalities and health areas where there are high transmission rates of the coronavirus . Others wanted to be able to re-impose the curfew overnight .
So from May 10 , Andalucía activated a three-phase programme to reduce restrictive measures , with the first phase , “ stabilisation ,” scheduled to continue until May 31 . This saw the curfew abolished , the borders of the region re-opened and a relaxation on opening hours for the leisure sector . The second phase , “ advance ,” will continue throughout June , with the final phase , “ normalisation ,” beginning on July 1 .
However , the Junta de Andalucía asked the courts for additional powers to impose lockdown on municipalities where the cumulative rate of coronavirus cases over a 14-day period exceeds 1,000 per 100,000 inhabitants . Thanks to a royal decree passed ahead of the end of National State of Emergency , the Supreme court has the final word on disagreements on coronavirus restrictions which arise between the regions and central government .
As the State of Emergency ended , Pedro Sánchez claimed the country was “ 100 days away from group immunity .” However , the Health Ministry in Madrid warned that the wild street parties reported in some cities as the six-month of emergency period ended could lead to a fifth wave of cases .
At the same time , the Ministry gave the total number of coronavirus-related fatalities in Spain as 78,895 , while incidence rates and hospital and ICU patient numbers were all continuing to show a steady decrease . The national incidence rate stood at a little under 189 cases per 100,000 inhabitants , having fallen from a fourth-wave peak of over 230 a fortnight earlier , while only four regions - the Basque Country , Madrid , Navarra and Aragón - remained above the “ extreme risk ” threshold .
Restrictions were further eased in the region on May 13 , as the President of Andalucía urged young people to exercise “ maximum responsibility ” with their newly-returned freedoms . Juanma Moreno reminded them they are “ not immune ” and called for common sense , “ to avoid the drama of taking home the disease that could end the lives of loved ones .”
By May 17 , the Ministry of Health said that it was “ very likely ” that the requirement to wear a face mask could be relaxed “ in not many days .” However , the good news came with a warning that such a measure may not apply to the entire population and would be likely to remain in place in areas with a high incidence of cases .
And three days later , Málaga was declared to be the only province in Andalucía to be on the low-risk Level 1 , with no municipality on lockdown or forced to close non-essential businesses . This triggered a further easing of restrictions related to the capacity of events and premises , while beaches and swimming pools were free of all measures , provided that social distancing was maintained between groups .
Covid spreader
A 40-year-old man has been detained in Manacor on Mallorca on suspicion of infecting 22 people with Covid . National Police say that , despite developing symptoms and being tested , he continued with a normal life and went to work coughing and with a high temperature . He is thought to have infected eight people directly and 14 indirectly , including three one-yearold babies .
9
Officers from the Seprona arm of the Guardia Civil have successfully rescued a griffon vulture which fell to ground in Morón de la Frontera , south-east of Sevilla . The bird of prey was found to be dehydrated and unable to fly . It was quickly revived with water and handed to CREA ( Centre for the Recovery of Threatened Species ) to oversee its full recovery .
Equal treatment
Andalucía ’ s regional government has demanded equal treatment to the Canaries and Balearics when it comes to tourism support . In particular , it wants the coast to be included in Spain ’ s safe air corridor negotiations . The request came after the UK said it was studying options for British tourists to visit the island groups .
Self-employed
payments
Andalucía has rejected plans for selfemployed workers to make social security payments based on real income , rather than a fixed monthly sum . Central government is talking to unions and employers about a new system of 13 contribution levels ranging from a minimum of € 90 to a maximum of € 1,120 depending on revenue . However , the region ’ s ministers want a flat rate supported by subsidies and say the proposed scheme would be disadvantageous to the self-employed .
Cannibal killer
A 28-year-old jobless waiter from Madrid has been convicted of the murder of his mother , after which he dismembered her body and ate it . Known as the “ cannibal killer of Ventas ” – the area of the city where they lived - Alberto Sanchez Gomez now faces a long prison term when sentenced . Jurors dismissed his claim of suffering from a “ psychotic episode ” when he committed the killing .