The major European economies are looking for ways to counter COVID-19 pandemic

Italy’s coronavirus deaths exceeded 10,000 and Spain reported the highest number of casualties on Saturday, leaving the two leaders in search of ways to cope with the economic crisis in Europe.

Although data suggest that the rate of infection may be flattening, casualties and economic damage are not diminishing. Spain reports a record 832 deaths on Saturday, while in Italy they were 889.

With the aim of “flattening the curve”, Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte and his Spanish counterpart Pedro Sanchez addressed the nation with comments that raised concerns.

Giuseppe Conte went on to extend the quarantine, which covered the whole of Italy, a move that seemed inevitable. Sanchez said employees whose activities are not critical to the situation will remain at their homes during the Easter period, raising questions about what kind of quarantine Spain will be put under for two weeks.

In the meantime, both leaders have criticized the European Union, saying it is slow and fails to help its most affected members at times when they are most in need of economic assistance. Both sides tried to recall the responsibilities of the bloc.

About 15,000 deaths – more than half globally – have been reported in Italy and Spain.

Although Italian Deputy Finance Minister Laura Castelli told that the government’s crisis management package could be raised to 100 billion EUR (111 billion USD), it remains far from the 750 billion USD mobilized by Germany, as well as the amount of 300 billion EUR in France.

Conte and Sanchez have joined French President Emmanuel Macron in demanding a unified EU response, reopening the possibility of a block in the bloc that has existed since the Eurozone debt crisis.

“We will not overcome this crisis without strong European solidarity on the health and budget fronts”, said Emmanuel Macron. “The amount is secondary. The signal is important, whether through a common debt or a common budget”, added he.

Such proposals came against the backdrop of German-led resistance after German Chancellor Angela Merkel said she preferred to use the European Stabilization Mechanism, a rescue fund created during the debt crisis.

Sanchez did not specify what his latest policies would be, noting that the measures would be “extremely tight” and called for “very different social behavior” from what the Spaniards are used to.

French authorities have already been criticized for lacking safeguards for health officials, who warned of a possible shortage of coronavirus drugs and tests.

Paper and clothing manufacturers were asked to start manufacturing face masks after French factories handled only one-fifth of the required quantity.

“The whole world is facing a shortage and the demand for intensive care equipment is increasing”, said Prime Minister Edouard Philippe.