LOCKDOWN: Town in Spain’s Murcia goes back to Phase 1 of de-escalation plan while Catalunya registers almost 2,000 more COVID-19 cases

A TOWN in Murcia has gone back to Phase 1 of the lockdown plan due to a surge in coronavirus cases. 

The municipality of Totana has seen 55 people test positive following an outbreak linked to the Dubai nightclub, with 44 of those being in the past 24 hours. 

It means people will only be allowed to exit Totana if their trip is deemed absolutely necessary, said Murcia health minister Manuel VIllegas. 

People will not be able to visit elderly people or anyone who belongs to an at-risk group. 

Meanwhile, meetings between friends or family cannot exceed 10 people and restaurants may only open to a 50% capacity. 

Shops larger than 400m2 will not be allowed to open while all others can only open to a 30% capacity. 

Meanwhile, Catalunya has registered 1,949 more cases in the past 24 hours. 

A large part of these, the health ministry said, has come from serological tests, which do not detect the virus while it is active, but rather detect whether a person has overcome COVID-19.