James Warren
CASES of the COVID-19 virus have shot up in recent weeks in the Axarquia province, leading to five more towns closing their borders to all but essential travel.
On average throughout the province, cases have exceeded 1,000 per 100,000 for the first time, with 1,095 as of Monday afternoon.
This was thanks to a spike over the weekend, with figures hitting 984 on the previous Friday.
The towns that have introduced perimiter closures as of midnight tonight are Torrox, Almáchar, Totalán, Riogordo and Árchez.
These bring the total municipalities in Axarquia to close their borders to 31.
The municipalities that have a figure between 500 – 1,000 cases sit at Algarrobo (900.1), La Viñuela (835.8), Periana (787.4), Rincón de la Victoria (775.8) and Comares (684.4.).
The towns that sit above 1,000 cases are El Borge (3,655.9), Moclinejo (2,753.7), Alfarnatejo (2,652.5), Cútar (1,812.2), Alfarnate (1,777.4), Salares (1,775.1), Vélez-Málaga (1,556.8), Benamocarra (1,527.7) and Alcaucín (1,300.4).
These continue to see business closed and borders sealed.
The popular tourist destination of Nerja continues to show low incident rates at 388 and remain open for now, along with Colmenar (385.1), Iznate (230.4), Canillas de Aceituno (178.9), Sedella (165) and Frigiliana (132.9).
The closures will be in place for 14 days from tonight in order to establish a true reduction in cases before being reviewed.
