The President of Catalonia, Quim Torra, in June 2020 (illustration photo) - Quique Garcia / EFE / SIPA

Back home. The region of Catalonia on Saturday ordered the reconfinement of some 200,000 inhabitants around the city of Lerida, due to a renewed contagion of coronavirus as Spain begins the summer holidays and opens up more to tourists. "We have decided to confine the area of ​​Segria (around the city of Lerida, 150 km west of Barcelona), on the basis of data which confirm a very significant increase in the number of cases of contagion from Covid-19" , the president of the region, the independent Quim Torra, declared to the press.

He announced that this containment would begin at noon, restricting entry and exit from this area. The regional Minister of Health, Alba Verges, clarified that the gathering of more than ten people was prohibited, and visits to retirement homes suspended.

Reopening of borders to 12 new countries

Only two weeks after the lifting of the general confinement that prevented the Spanish from leaving their province, this reconfiguration of 200,000 inhabitants coincides with the reopening of the borders on Saturday to nationals of 12 new countries. Spain had already admitted EU and Schengen citizens as well as the British on June 21.

Spain is one of the countries most affected by the pandemic, with at least 28,385 deaths. However, the authorities estimate that they have succeeded in controlling the contagion after a severe confinement of more than three months. However, the country had recorded 17 deaths from the coronavirus in one day on Friday, according to the Ministry of Health, the highest daily number of deaths since June 19.

The Ministry of Health had stressed Friday that new reinforcements had been deployed in airports, for "the control of the arrivals of the travelers", with taking of temperature and collection of their personal data.

The number of confirmed cases reaches 250,545 for 47 million inhabitants, according to the latest report from the Ministry of Health on Friday.

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  • Covid 19
  • Confinement
  • Coronavirus
  • Catalonia
  • Spain
  • World