Whanganui ex-pat self isolating in Spain

Whanganui ex-pat Rox Lloyd is currently in the small Spanish city of Benalmadena, where she's in lockdown after finishing a stint working for a health insurance company.

Lloyd said Spain "went into lockdown pretty fast" when compared to places like the UK and the USA.

"I've been in my little apartment for a few days now," Lloyd said.

"There's definitely no 'herd mentality' over here.

"I'm lucky to be on the coast because somewhere like Madrid has more people than the whole of New Zealand."

Health officials in Spain have confirmed that the country now has over 100,000 cases of Covid-19, behind only Italy and the USA.

Spain also recorded a single-day death toll of 864 between Tuesday and Wednesday this week. The country has now recorded 102,136 cases of the virus, resulting in 9053 deaths.

Although Spanish supermarkets were still full of fresh fruit and vegetables, Lloyd said all wine had sold out almost immediately.

"Wine, red and white, is gone, along with toilet paper, the necessities I guess.

"The Spanish really love their wine."

Lloyd said the area she lived in had the second-highest rate of Covid-19 infections next to Madrid, but that the capital had now "become a madhouse."

"My friend who lives in Madrid is really worried about his mum who's got coronavirus.

"She's 74 and already had a few pre-existing conditions.

"He's also pretty sure he's contracted it but because he's a lot younger he might be okay."

Lloyd said that the police were enforcing the current lockdown strictly, with fines ranging between €600 and €1500 for those caught roaming the streets.

"There have been horror stories about the police arresting people, and there was even a guy walking around Madrid with a machete.

"Obviously, he was tackled to the ground and stuff but it makes you wonder, what was he thinking?"

The underground car park under Lloyd's apartment complex has become her "makeshift running track."

"It's a bit creepy down there but I need to do a bit of exercise," Lloyd said.

Lloyd is planning on travelling to the UK after the pandemic has eased, then on to the USA.

"However, all my plans depend on this virus.

"I saw an article about a big ice rink in Madrid being turned into a morgue and churches everywhere filled with coffins."

"When you see things like that it really hits home just how seriously everyone should be taking this."

Mike Tweed
Whanganui Chronicle 2/4/20