Covid-19: in Madrid, the army called in to reinforce the epidemic

The army and the civil guard were called in to reinforce Madrid to carry out PCR tests and control the busiest roads.

José Jordan / AFP

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2 min

Spain is at the top of the number of coronavirus contaminations in Europe with 11,289 new cases in 24 hours, and 130 deaths.

The country seeks to slow down the second wave that hits Madrid.

Nearly 855,000 Madrilenians are affected by the mobility restriction, in force in 37 areas of the capital.

It is from now on the army and the civil guard called in reinforcement which will be in charge of the controls.

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With our correspondent in Madrid

,

Diane Cambon

Time is running out in the Spanish capital to curb the epidemic.

Army battalions will be deployed these days in the neighborhoods most affected by Covid-19.

This is the southern outskirts of Madrid, home to many Latin American immigrants and low-income families.

►To listen: Spain: how to explain a new peak in the coronavirus?

The soldiers were called to the rescue

by the president of the region and are responsible for carrying out 500,000 PCR tests.

Currently, endless queues are forming in front of public health centers, totally overwhelmed by the situation.

300 doctors will come and reinforce the health teams, which the public health nurses and doctors have been asking for for months.

The other big concern is to enforce neighborhood restrictions, such as closing restaurants and bars at 10 p.m., or limiting residents' mobility.

200 additional agents of the civil guard and the national police will be responsible for controlling the routes most frequented by the population and only allowing those who work outside the restricted area to pass.

To read: Covid-19: Spain sets up "selective containment" in the Madrid region

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  • Spain

  • Coronavirus

  • Health and medicine

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