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MADRIDThe local government of Madrid, the region of Spain most affected by the pandemic, reversed Thursday on its plans to introduce selective closures in areas with a high number of coronavirus cases.
The region’s deputy health chief, Antonio Zapatero, announced Wednesday that the local health department planned to confine people to the areas with the highest incidence of the virus, without naming which neighborhoods would be affected.
The announcement caused concern among residents of low-population and densely populated neighborhoods in southern Madrid that have a high rate of infections.
But on Thursday, the Minister of Justice of the Community of Madrid, Enrique López, said that the word confinement “generates anxiety” and stressed that the government only planned to “reduce mobility and contacts” in areas with a high rate of infections but that wouldn’t shut them down.
“We need to send a message of calm to the population,” he added during an interview with radio Onda Cero.
A source from the Madrid health department said AFP that a press conference would likely be held on Friday to outline the new measures, which would take effect on Saturday or Monday, depending on how soon they could be legally implemented.
Spain has more than 600,000 confirmed cases of the virus and 30,000 deaths from the respiratory disease, one of the highest rates in the world.
The Madrid region accounts for around a third of the country’s active Covid-19 cases.
“We must do whatever is necessary to control the situation in Madrid,” Health Minister Salvado Illa said during an interview with Spanish radio when asked about the Madrid region’s plans to introduce new measures against the virus. . – AFP
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