In Spain, strict lockdown measures were relaxed a bit on Monday. The police distributed masks to people who go back to work at stations.

Some factories are reopening in the southern European country. Employees cannot work from home there. For most Spaniards, the end of the lockdown is not yet in sight. They must be kept at home to prevent the virus from spreading.

The relaxation of the measures did not immediately lead to great pressure in Madrid. Few commuters were seen at the main entrance to the large Atocha train station in the capital. There was also little traffic on the road.

One of the companies that are opening its doors again, the industrial corporation Nicolas Correa, says it is taking additional measures to protect its personnel. Employees are provided with protective equipment.

The lockdown in Spain was announced last month. In any case, the crisis measures will remain in force until April 26. In the country, more than 17,000 patients have died to date from the effects of the coronavirus.

On Monday, authorities reported the lowest number of new corona cases since March 20. Meanwhile, 169,496 people in the country have been diagnosed with the virus, 3,477 more than a day earlier. The number of deaths from the outbreak increased by 517 to 17,489.