A woman in Spain was arrested after she was caught visiting the home of a man she had met on a dating app, breaking mandatory home confinement rules put in place due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The woman was stopped by patrol officers as she walked down the street in Tortosa, a city in Catalonia, on Saturday night, according to El Periódico de Catalunya. They discovered the woman was on her way back home from visiting a man she had met on a dating app, according to the newspaper.
The Mossos d'Esquadra, the police force for Catalonia, tweeted about the woman's arrest on Sunday. They said the woman had left her home to visit a man she had only just met online.
She was detained for violating the mandatory confinement as well as resisting and disobeying the "stay home" agents, police said.
Spain announced a nationwide state of emergency on March 14 and banned people from all but essential outings as it struggled to contain Europe's second worst coronavirus outbreak.
The lockdown was intended to last 15 days, but on Sunday, the Spanish government sought to extend it until April 11, Reuters reported, while some regions have asked for even harsher confinement measures to tackle the pandemic.
The extension would need to be approved by parliament, but Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez's Socialist Party has secured enough votes after the main opposition party said it would back it.
In a news briefing on Saturday, Sanchez warned the country that the "worst is yet to come" but said the Spanish government would do whatever it takes to combat the outbreak.
He praised those in Spain who have stayed in their homes and defended the need to extend the state of emergency, adding: "We hope that with this so drastic, dramatic and hard measure…we can bend the coronavirus' curve."
Spain's death toll has climbed to 1,813 with more than 29,000 confirmed cases of coronavirus as of Monday morning, according to the latest figures from Johns Hopkins University. More than 2,500 people have recovered.
Globally, the novel coronavirus has sickened more than 340,000 people and killed more than 14,700. More than 98,000 have recovered from COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus.
World Health Organization advice for avoiding spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19)
Hygiene advice
- Clean hands frequently with soap and water, or alcohol-based hand rub.
- Wash hands after coughing or sneezing; when caring for the sick; before, during and after food preparation; before eating; after using the toilet; when hands are visibly dirty; and after handling animals or waste.
- Maintain at least 1 meter (3 feet) distance from anyone who is coughing or sneezing.
- Avoid touching your hands, nose and mouth. Do not spit in public.
- Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or bent elbow when coughing or sneezing. Discard the tissue immediately and clean your hands.
Medical advice
- If you feel unwell (fever, cough, difficulty breathing) seek medical care early and call local health authorities in advance.
- Stay up to date on COVID-19 developments issued by health authorities and follow their guidance.
Mask usage
- Healthy individuals only need to wear a mask if taking care of a sick person.
- Wear a mask if you are coughing or sneezing.
- Masks are effective when used in combination with frequent hand cleaning.
- Do not touch the mask while wearing it. Clean hands if you touch the mask.
- Learn how to properly put on, remove and dispose of masks. Clean hands after disposing of mask.
- Do not reuse single-use masks.
