Story By: Maja Mishevksa, Sub Editor: Marija Stojkoska, Agency: Newsflash

The decomposing bodies of an elderly Spanish couple have been found in their flat with the authorities believing they died alone weeks or even months ago during coronavirus lockdown.

The bodies of the couple, a man born in 1930 and a woman born in 1931, both from the Spanish capital Madrid, were found in their flat in the Colonia Requena neighbourhood of Alicante, in the southeastern Spanish province of the same name on different beds.

Local radio station Cadena SER report their neighbours had called the emergency services as they had not seen the unnamed couple for months and a bad smell was coming from their flat.

Local police, firefighters and paramedics went to the flat and had to break into the home where they found the couple’s bodies.

Cadena SER report it is believed the couple died of natural causes and the case is not being investigated as suspicious. The cause of death has not yet been confirmed.

Local residents told local newspaper Levante that the woman was often seen in the neighbourhood doing the shop but the man rarely left the home as he had mobility issues.

Levante report neighbours would often take them food and check in on them and the President of the Association of Neighbours of Colonia Requena, Antonio Colima, said there are a lot of elderly people in the neighbourhood who live alone.

He told Levante the elderly residents often complain about the lack of social assistance offered by the government.

Local newspaper Nius report that the autopsies on the bodies were supposed to be done yesterday (Thursday) but as there is a suspicion the deaths could have been caused by coronavirus due to the couple’s previous health conditions this has been changed.

Nius report the couple’s bodies will instead undergo a less rigorous check as full autopsies present a risk of coronavirus being spread, but this information has not been confirmed by official sources.

The investigation is ongoing.

Local newspaper Nius commented that the neighbourhood there is a lot of old people living alone and that need social assistance.

This incident joins to other elderly people who died alone at their place.

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