Coronavirus rate in Spain triples in three weeks after blockade reduction

MADRID (Reuters) – The prevalence of the new coronavirus in Spain has tripled in the last three weeks as authorities struggle to contain an eruption of fresh clusters, mainly in the regions of Catalonia and Aragon, according to data from the Ministry of Health.

After recording thousands of cases and hundreds of deaths per day during a peak in early April, Spain managed to slow down the number of new infections.

But since movement restrictions were lifted and the Spanish relaxed in daily life, some 201 new groups have appeared, with strong concentrations in and around the Catalan cities of Barcelona and Lleida.

The appearance of the new coronavirus has increased from eight cases per 100,000 inhabitants in late June, when the country’s state of emergency ended, to 27 per 100,000, deputy director of health emergencies Maria Sierra said Monday at a press conference.

Over the weekend, 4,581 new cases were registered, with a total of 264,836, he added. More than 28,000 people have died.

“Where the measures have relaxed is where these groups appear,” said Health Minister Salvador Illa. “We are talking about extended family reunions and spaces associated with nightlife.”

Describing the situation in Catalonia as worrying, he appealed to residents to respect health measures.

On Friday, the Catalan regional government urged some four million people, including residents of Spain’s second largest city, Barcelona, ​​to stay home and avoid gatherings of more than 10 people. He also told bars and restaurants to reduce their capacity.

That was in addition to ordering the mandatory confinement of at least 160,000 people around Lleida. [nL5N2EO2UW]

To try to prevent similar outbreaks, most Spanish regions have made facial masks mandatory even when social distancing can be guaranteed, going beyond a national directive.