Spain imposes second local lockdown for 70,000 people following an increase in coronavirus cases

Spain has imposed a second targeted lockdown in as many days following a spike in confirmed coronvirus cases in the Galicia region

The north western region of Galicia in Spain has imposed lockdown restrictions on 70,000 people following an outbreak of Covid-19.

The move comes a day after Catalonia also implemented a local lockdown following a spike in confirmed cases near the north-eastern town of Lerida. The town is approximately 150 kilometres west of Barcelona. 200,000 people are now in confinement.

In Galicia, those living in A Marina will be prohibited from leaving the area until midnight on Friday. Residents will be able to move around A Marina, but only people who need to travel for work will be allowed to leave and enter the area.

Jesus Vazquez, the Galician regional health official, told a news conference: “It is considered necessary to raise levels of restrictions to attempt to improve the outlook … and isolate ourselves from the possibility of exponential growth which is what tends to occur in the case of community transmission which, here, has not yet appeared.”

He also said the biggest outbreaks of coronavirus were linked to several bars in Galicia.

Spain has recorded 205,545 coronavirus cases and 28,385 deaths since March.

Australia

In Australia, the state of Victoria is to be sealed off following a surge in confirmed Covid-19 cases. The border between Victoria and New South Wales will be closed from midnight tomorrow.

Victoria is one of Australia’s most populated states with nearly 6.6 million people residing there. In Melbourne, the virus is spreading quickly with clusters in several apartment blocks. 127 news cases were recorded yesterday, with 16 of them identified in nine high-rise public housing towers.

The city has seen an increase in community transmission with some neighbourhoods being closed off.

Australia has seen 8,500 cases and 105 deaths from the virus.

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