Spain purchases medical equipment from China

Spain has signed a multi-million-euro contract with China to acquire medical equipment worth 432 million Euros in order to fight the Coronavirus pandemic. The deal will cover 550 million masks, 5.5 million rapid test kits, 950 respirators and 11 million pairs of gloves to address the shortage.

The number of deaths in Spain has surged to roughly 4365 overtaking the figure in China where the virus originated late last year.

The supplies will be delivered “on a staggered basis, every week, with the first – a major delivery – arriving at the end of this week,” according to Spanish Health Minister Salvador Illa.

Despite the fact that Spain's has been under an unprecedented lockdown since March 14, the numbers have continued to spiral with more than 57,000 infected by the virus.

With the rise in numbers, the medical system is at the verge of collapse, with more than 5,400 healthcare workers infected, around 12 % of the total, and various regional authorities and associations are criticising the government of Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez over the shortage of supplies.

According to Illa the contract was sealed last week.