Sanchez defends decision to extend emergency

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Thursday defended his decision to extend the country's state of emergency.

To an almost empty debating chamber in Parliament, Sanchez said that the current lockdown was proving effective, adding "we find ourselves near the downward slope."

He repeated his call for the European Union to give financial assistance to the frozen Spanish economy and called for a new Marshall plan.

Spain's two largest opposition parties were critical of his management of the crisis.

Pablo Casado, leader of the Popular Party accused the government of depersonalizing the deaths of COVID-19 victims.

The leader of the far-right VOX party Santiago Abascal accused Sanchez and his deputy Prime Minister Pablo Iglesias of holding the maximum responsibility "for the worst management of this crisis in the world."

Spain has so far tallied 14,792 dead from COVID-19.

For most people, the new coronavirus causes mild to moderate symptoms such as fever and cough. But for some, especially older adults and the infirm, it can cause pneumonia and death.