Laurence Dollimore
MORE than 100 COVID-19 cases have been linked to a Christmas Day bash at a small bar in inland Malaga.
Albaicin de Teba bar, in the heart of Teba, had been closed since March but decided to re-open on December 24, 25 and 26.
Revellers claimed that several security measures were not kept to, including capacity limits and social distancing, particularly on Christmas Day.
The town hall is now opening an investigation to ‘clarify what responsibility citizens, companies and institutions’ may have had in the outbreak.
“Without wanting to criminalise anyone, there are things that have not been done correctly and from the mayor to the last neighbour we have to make an account of what happened, because we are not at all proud,” a spokesperson told Diario Sur.
Teba had been clear of coronavirus since the start of November after reaching a peak incidence rate of 2,000 cases per 100,000 inhabitants in October.
The town imposed strict restrictions and managed to get that down to zero, but that has radically shot up following the Christmas outbreak.
“More than 95% of cases have come from people who were at the same bar on December 24, 25 and 26,” said the mayor, who added that the person who may have been the source of the outbreak has yet to be identified.
The bar has been forced to close again after its owner and staff all tested positive for the virus, while all affected clients are in self-isolation.
“Unfortunately in the next few days the number of cases will continue to grow,” said the mayor, “there are many people still awaiting diagnostic tests.”
More than 90% of the infected are believed to have shown no symptoms and those that have have been mild.
The mayor added: “Teba was very affected by the virus from minute one of the pandemic: we were very seriously affected in the first wave, also in the second and now, in this third wave or whatever we want to call it, we are putting ourselves at levels that we have not yet known. We have not been up to par.”
