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HEALTH

Spain counts 17 new coronavirus deaths in 24 hours

Spain on Friday registered 17 virus deaths within 24 hours, its highest daily COVID-19 toll since June 19.

Published: 4 July 2020 11:05 CEST
Spain counts 17 new coronavirus deaths in 24 hours
A coronavirus patient in hospital in Madrid. Photo: PIERRE-PHILIPPE MARCOU / AFP

The update came as many Spaniards were gearing up to go on holiday and as the country preparing to reopen its frontiers on Saturday to travellers from 12 other countries outside the European Union.

Spain had already opened its borders to EU nations on June 21 as well as residents of the passport-free Schengen zone.

The health ministry said it had reinforced its presence at Spain's airports to check incoming travellers, with an extra 650 staff to add to the 600 already in place.

On Thursday, the health ministry said five people had died overnight, giving a weekly total of 24 deaths.

Also on Thursday, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said Spain must “learn to live with the virus” and carry on as normal, “without lowering our guard”.

Spain has been badly hit by the epidemic, suffering 28,385 deaths, Europe's fourth-highest toll after the United Kingdom, Italy and France. It has also diagnosed 250,545 cases within its population of 47 million, ranking third within Europe after Russia and the UK.

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HEALTH

Danish parties agree to raise abortion limit to 18 weeks

Denmark's government has struck a deal with four other parties to raise the point in a pregnancy from which a foetus can be aborted from 12 weeks to 18 weeks, in the first big change to Danish abortion law in 50 years.

Published: 3 May 2024 08:06 CEST
Danish parties agree to raise abortion limit to 18 weeks

The government struck the deal with the Socialist Left Party, the Red Green Alliance, the Social Liberal Party and the Alternative party, last week with the formal announcement made on Monday  

“In terms of health, there is no evidence for the current week limit, nor is there anything to suggest that there will be significantly more or later abortions by moving the week limit,” Sophie Løhde, Denmark’s Minister of the Interior and Health, said in a press release announcing the deal.

The move follows the recommendations of Denmark’s Ethics Council, which in September 2023 proposed raising the term limit, pointing out that Denmark had one of the most restrictive abortion laws in Western Europe. 

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Under the deal, the seven parties, together with the Liberal Alliance and the Conservatives, have also entered into an agreement to replace the five regional abortion bodies with a new national abortion board, which will be based in Aarhus. 

From July 1st, 2025, this new board will be able to grant permission for abortions after the 18th week of pregnancy if there are special considerations to take into account. 

The parties have also agreed to grant 15-17-year-olds the right to have an abortion without parental consent or permission from the abortion board.

Marie Bjerre, Denmark’s minister for Digitalization and Equality, said in the press release that this followed logically from the age of sexual consent, which is 15 years old in Denmark. 

“Choosing whether to have an abortion is a difficult situation, and I hope that young women would get the support of their parents. But if there is disagreement, it must ultimately be the young woman’s own decision whether she wants to be a mother,” she said. 

The bill will be tabled in parliament over the coming year with the changes then coming into force on June 1st, 2025.

The right to free abortion was introduced in Denmark in 1973. 

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