COVID-19: Real Madrid's stadium turns into storage facility as Spain battles coronavirus

Spanish football club Real Madrid's Santiago Bernabeu stadium will be used as a makeshift storage facility for strategic medical supplies as the world battles against coronavirus pandemic. The deadly virus has now infected over 250,000 people across Europe with Spain being the second-worst affected nation.

The football club in a statement said, "All of the stored supplies will be passed on to the Spanish health authorities, so that the resources necessary in the current health emergency situation, are employed in the best and most efficient manner.”

Read: Eden Hazard Admits To Being Unhappy With Debut Season At Real Madrid, Hopes To Be Fit

Spain to extend emergency

Meanwhile, Spain is all set to extend its state of emergency until April 12 after it got approved by the Parliament in the early hours of March 26 as the coronavirus crisis in the country worsens.

As per reports, the Spanish Parliament eventually voted to extend emergency measures - which include an effective lockdown confining people to their homes except for essential services for food, medicine, and work - for a further 15 days period until April 12. 

Read: Real Madrid Star Gareth Bale's 'Stay At Home Challenge' Involves Golf And NOT Football

A majority of 321 lawmakers voted in favour of the extension while the other 28 opposed it, as per reports. The largest opposition party, the People’s Party, supported the measure.

Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez reportedly said in the Parliament that it is not easy to extend the state of emergency and added that the only efficient option against the virus is "social isolation." 

Spain has reported 56,347 confirmed cases of coronavirus taking its death tally to 4,154. Spain now has the second-highest number of deaths globally after Italy’s 8,215.

Meanwhile, it also signed a multi-million euro deal with China to procure medical supplies. Spanish Health Minister Salvador Illa on March 25 said that the government signed a contract with China worth 432 million euros to purchase 550 million masks, 5.5 million rapid test kits, 950 respirators and 11 million pairs of gloves.

Read: Spain: Death Toll Witness A Spike Of 4,000 Amid Coronavirus Pandemic

Read: Spain To Extend Its State Of Emergency As Coronavirus Crisis Worsens