Movement curbed in Spain for 200,000 people after new coronavirus outbreak

Spain’s north-eastern region of Catalonia enforced a new lockdown on more than 200,000 people on Saturday, after several new outbreaks of the coronavirus were detected.

Residents in Segria, which includes the city of Lleida, will not be able to leave the area from 12 noon (1000 GMT) on Saturday, but will not be confined to their homes as was the case in Spain’s original strict lockdown in March.

“We have decided to confine Segria due to data that confirm too significant a growth in the number of COVID-19 infections,” Catalan regional president Quim Torra told a news briefing.

Regional health ministry data showed there were 3,706 cases in the Lleida region on Friday, up from 3,551 the previous day.

Movement for work will be permitted, but from Tuesday workers entering or leaving the area will have to present a certificate from their employer.

Spain has registered 205,545 coronavirus cases and 28,385 deaths, making it ne of the worst affected countries in Europe.

After imposing a strict lockdown on March 14, the government has been gradually easing restrictions in a multi-phase plan since early May.

Meanwhile, the severity of coronavirus cases that are being detected in Spain is falling in step with the average age of those being infected.

Two months ago, nearly one in every four positive cases – 23 to 24% – required hospitalization, but now that figure has fallen to 8%, which is less than one in every 10.