Isha Sesay
A NEW outbreak of coronavirus has been detected in the small village of Santa Maria in Mallorca.
A total of 56 people tested positive for COVID-19 yesterday, the largest number of infections that has so far been confirmed in the area.
At the height of the pandemic and during Spain’s state of alarm, Santa Maria recorded just three infections.
The head of the Civil Protection, Malen Crespi, described the detections as ‘alarming,’ asking that ‘civilians remain on guard in order to halt the spread of the virus.’
Santa Maria Council has since ordered for all of the village’s streets to be cleaned with bleach.
Residents have also been asked to disinfect the outside of their homes by the end of this week.
The outbreak has led to the cancellation of the popular Balearic Cycling Masters Championship which was scheduled to take place this weekend.
Capdepera, which has also seen a rise in infections, has followed Santa Maria, postponing this month’s Sant Bartomeu festivities.
It comes as infections have continued to surge in the Balearic Islands.
On Wednesday, a total of 223 people tested positive for COVID-19, five below the region’s record in one day.
Out of the 1,624 confirmed cases, 164 are hospitalised, with 19 people admitted in the ICU.
Meanwhile, Health Minister Patricia Gomez visited patients battling coronavirus at Son Llatzer Hospital.
After speaking with doctors, Gomez warned that around 70% of the outbreaks in the Balearics originated from family or social gatherings.
Predicting hundreds of more cases in the next few weeks, Gomez stressed the importance that no more than 10 people are in the same space at one time.
