Spain Announces Nationwide Restrictions as COVID-19 Cases Su
Posted: Fri Aug 14, 2020 2:14 pm
Health care workers wearing protective gear are seen with a patient on a stretcher near the emergency unit at 12 de Octubre hospital, amid the outbreak of the coronavirus disease, in Madrid, Spain, Aug. 14, 2020.
Spain announced new nationwide restrictions, largely focused on nightlife, as COVID-19 cases have surged in the country.
At a news conference Friday, Spanish Health Minister Salvador Illa announced all night clubs and dance clubs, with or without live music, will be closed. He also issued a ban on outdoor smoking in public places where a distance of two meters cannot be maintained.
He also said street gatherings where young people meet to drink, known in Spain as "botellónes," are also banned.
New daily cases in Spain have been steadily climbing since the country ended a lockdown of more than three months on June 21. Officials have recorded almost 50,000 cases over the past 14 days, an average of more than 3,000 new cases a day.
Illa says they are applying the measures throughout Spain, in coordination with autonomous regions and with respect to their specific situations regarding the pandemic. He said they believe this is the best chance to bring the spread of the virus under control.
The World Health Organization reports Spain saw a one-day jump Friday to 7,550 confirmed cases, compared to 3,172 cases reported Thursday.