Dilip Kuner
JUST a day after Spain entered the ‘new normality’ three comarcas have reverted to Phase 2 of lockdown after a new coronavirus outbreak.
Monday’s move affects 67,700 people in the comarcas – administrative divisions smaller than a province – in Aragon.
Spain’s Health Minister, Salvador Illa, said that the situation in Aragon, which is confined to the province of Huesca, is ‘on the way to being controlled’.
The new outbreak in Aragon involves 50 infections and is thought to be the most serious of 11 outbreaks reported throughout Spain, including those in Madrid, Catalonia and the Canary Islands.
The decision to go back to Phase 2 was taken after several coronavirus outbreaks amongst fruit pickers in the municipalities of Binefar, Zaidin, Fraga and Monzon, with one fruit and veg company being closed down after 14 of its workers were infected.
So far those infected have been young and healthy people who have shown few symptoms but health authorities decided to reintroduce lockdown restrictions to contain the outbreak before it gets out of hand.
But they are unable to reintroduce travel restrictions as the emergency powers granted by the State of Alarm are now at an end. The regional government has instead urged people to avoid the affected municipalities.
The restrictions that have been imposed include restaurants and bars only being to operate at 40% of capacity, the closure of children’s playgrounds and limited use of swimming pools.
