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The Health Minister, Salvador Illa , appeared just a few minutes after the members of the Coronavirus Technical Monitoring Committee , in which Fernando Simón has been absent after having tested positive for covid-19 in his second test.

Illa, who has once again emphasized the idea that the Government has been defending day after day for the last week almost like a mantra - "if we are not at the peak we are very close to it" -, stressed that the growth of cases has been 8% against growth rates of 20% that were registered before the 25th.

Illa has also announced that this Monday the first plane will arrive with supplies purchased by the central government and will do so with "a very important quantity of material and rapid tests ." After the problem with the first batch of defective rapid tests, Illa highlighted that the new tests "meet all the necessary specifications", but will still undergo prior validation by the Carlos III Health Institute before distribution to autonomies. In addition, protocols will be developed to dictate who should take these tests.

Asked about the specific material that will arrive, Illa has explained little: it includes "1.5 million masks and many quick tests". Nor has it put figures to the actual distribution of material purchased by the central government, not donated by other entities, which has been distributed to the autonomous regions.

Regarding the possibility of transferring patients from one autonomy to another that the technicians have announced, Illa explained that "an important solidarity effort is being made. There has not yet been a transfer of patients, but rather a supply of material. transfer of patients we do not rule out anything and it will be done the most convenient for the patient.

Illa has also responded to why the prohibition against all non-essential work activity has not been established as requested by the medical group before. According to the minister, it was decided to start this weekend "to achieve a sustained reduction over two weeks. This date allowed us to also take advantage of Easter , which represents a reduction in activity." Illa has tried again and again to deny that the economy and health are being confronted. "For there to be an economy, there must be health."

Regarding a possible extension of the state of alarm and confinement beyond April 11, Illa has refused to speak of future scenarios, but Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska has seized the occasion to make clear in advance that as soon as commuting: "There is no Easter".

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  • Salvador Illa
  • Coronavirus
  • Covid 19
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