Laurence Dollimore
CERTAIN areas of Andalucia will be ‘closed down’ if COVID-19 transmission becomes ‘untraceable’, regional leaders have announced.
Junta health minister Jesus Aguirre said the regional government is ‘very concerned’ about the evolution of the virus, which has seen the number of positive PCR tests ‘double in the past 15 days.’
Aguirre added that the government will be willing to close areas or regions once it becomes impossible to trace where new infections have come from i.e. when there is community transmission.
At a press conference, Aguirre said the Junta will act in a ‘coercive’ manner in areas where epidemiologists report that new cases cannot be ‘traced’ and PCR positive cases are ‘out of control.’
“When it is no longer known from where people are infected, the area will be automatically closed for as long as is necessary,” he said.
He added that 56% of infections are occurring at celebratory events such as weddings and birthdays and family gatherings.
Under the closure, following in the footsteps of the Basque Country, meetings of more than 10 people will not be allowed.
He did not elaborate on other measures but stressed that to avoid such a scenario people need to maintain social distancing norms, use facial masks and wash hands at all necessary times.
Aguirre said he receives reports daily and that currently the rate of coronavirus in Andalucia is 58.73 per 100,000 inhabitants, much lower than the national average of 131.12.
Despite this, Aguirre said the Junta is ‘very concerned’ about the region, which has 71 active outbreaks.
Of these, 14 are in Malaga while Almeria, Sevilla and Granada have 12 each.
A further eight are in Cadiz, while Cordoba and Huelva have five and Jaen three.
Some 586 more cases by PCR have been registered in Andalucia in the past 24 hours.
Yet again, it is the highest daily increase since April.
Meanwhile, 25 people with coronavirus have been admitted into hospital, with one entering the intensive care unit.
