A nurse returns to her job treating COVID-19 patients at a hospital near Madrid after spending four weeks recovering from the coronavirus herself.
Edward Baran reports.
Spanish nurse returns to frontline after battle with virus
After several weeks battling coronavirus, Cristina Cadenas is back in her job.
She works as a nurse at this hospital near Madrid where just a few months ago coronavirus floated around unnoticed.
Back in February, staff wore no special protection as it was considered a safe area.
But unbeknown to the team here, one patient was already infected and around ten health workers in this department caught it.
"They have not taken care of us at all.
The budget for public health has decreased over many years.
Supposedly there were too many of us so contracts were not renewed.
I can't tell you how many but there were a lot and that's why so many people went to work abroad." Spain is one of the countries worst hit by the global pandemic, with more than 25,000 deaths and about 220,000 confirmed cases.
Health staff account for around 43,000 nationwide cases A regional health department source said Madrid's current health budget of 8.1 billion euros is its highest ever.
But in 2018, the city had the lowest public health spending related to GDP of all 17 of Spain's regions Cadenas spent four weeks in her apartment battling the virus.
She had her own bathroom and remained isolated from her 19-year-old daughter Finally, after two negative coronavirus tests, she was allowed back to work.
She now has to wear a full-body suit and masks, as her department now deals exclusively with COVID-19 cases.
And she's just hoping she's developed antibodies to prevent a second infection.