Laurence Dollimore
SPAIN’S third coronavirus wave reached record highs on Friday as the country detected 40,197 new infections.
According to the Health Ministry, that is the highest daily count of the pandemic and has seen the 14-day cumulative incidence rate shoot to a record 575 cases per 100,000 people.
Of the more than 40,000 cases detected today, 17,039 have been diagnosed in the past 24 hours.
The highest daily number of infections to date had been registered this Wednesday, January 13, when 38,869 cases were registered.
It comes as Galicia, Murcia, Castilla y Leon and Andalucia have all demanded that the national Government assume control of the coronavirus pandemic and implement a fresh lockdown or at least a nationwide plan.
Failing that, the likes of Andalucia have demanded the power to enforce a lockdown following an uptick in cases and hospitalisations.
The southernmost region is expected to announce tougher restrictions at 8:30pm tonight.
Murcia president Lopez Miraz said yesterday that home confinement was ‘necessary’ and an option that ‘has to be on the table.’
“If they are not going to get involved in the management of this pandemic, let the regions make decisions and, at least, reform the state of alarm so that the communities can decree that home confinement,” he told the Ana Rosa programme on Telecinco.
Vice president of Castilla y Leon Francisco Igae echoed his sentiment, demanding regions are granted the power to lock down their populations.
“I don’t want to exaggerate but this wave may be more dramatic than the one seen in March, and bring more deaths, if we don’t stop it,” he said.
He pleaded for residents to limit their trips ‘to the essential.’
Do you think there should be another nationwide lockdown? Email us your thoughts and opinions at newsdesk@theolivepress.es
