Marbella and Estepona can re-open bars, restaurants and shops from SATURDAY after COVID-19 incidence rate drops below Junta threshold

MARBELLA and Estepona are among the 17 municipalities in Malaga which will be permitted to re-open bars and restaurants this Saturday.

Malaga city, Ojen and Velez-Malaga are also among the towns which have found themselves below the 1,000 cases per 100,000 people threshold as of Thursday.

It comes after the Junta de Andalucia announced this week that it will be updating coronavirus restrictions for its more than 700 municipalities once a week, every Thursday.

Those in which the 14-day cumulative incidence rate falls below 1,000 cases per 100,000 people can re-open non-essential businesses, while those below 500 cases can also re-open their borders.

The 17 Malaga municipalities which have fallen below the 1,000-cases threshold Thursday and which can re-open businesses from Saturday are: Malaga city (678.5), Marbella (894.8), Velez-Malaga (514.8), Estepona (909.9), Coin (714.5), Genalguacil (763.4), Pizarra (857.7), Alameda (705.4), Benamocarra (262.4), Alfarnate, Cartajima (826.4), Casares (726.4), El Borge (433.8), Farajan (0), Ojen (733.8), Teba and Villanueva de Tapia (890.4).

All bars and restaurants will have to continue closing at 6pm, with exceptions for takeaway and delivery services.