Spike in Covid-19 Outbreaks & Hospitalisations Force Spain to Lockdown Parts of Catalunia Again

Catalunia’s Lleida and Segria are back under lockdown from this afternoon due to a spike in Covid-19 cases and an increase in hospital patients as a result of the disease.

THIS “difficult decision” has been made to “protect ourselves and control the outbreak” stated Catalunia’s President Quim Torra. The measure came into effect at midday today forcing more than 200,000 people back in lockdown, as reported. Catalunia’s Interior Minister Miquel Buch said that people who are currently in Segrià but do not usually reside there will have until 4 pm to leave the area if they wish to return home. Residents also have until 4pm to get back home, but he added that exceptions will be made for residents working outside the area. He also warned its citizens against travelling between towns in the region.

Although people are not being ordered to stay home this time round, a “slow down and “reduction in activity” have been imposed. Hospitals in the area have also noticed a spike in Covid-19 patients. For example, Lleida’s Arnau de Vilanova hospital currently used for patients with coronavirus “is already full”, stated doctor José Luis Morales-Rull on Catalunia Ràdio this morning, and “another hospital space is being set up to treat coronavirus patients”.

The higher rates of coronavirus outbreaks in Segrià have been attributed to the large number of slaughterhouses and agricultural farms in the area. According to the Catalan Health Department another 155 diagnoses in the Lleida health region have been diagnosed in the last 24 hours, up from the 60 on Friday. In total, there are currently 3,706 Covid-19 cases in the area, of which 599 are at care homes.