Spain rules out another nationwide lockdown even as new cases soar
Spain’s Health Minister Salvador Illa has insisted a new lockdown is not imminent even as the number of cases across Spain, and particularly in Madrid, soar.
"We are not going to make generalized measures,” he said. “Instead we have to focus on early and act with proportionate forcefulness."
Madrid is once again at the epicentre of the virus spread recording a third of all new cases across the nation, prompting calls that there should a confinement should be put in place to stop people travelling and spreading the virus.
But in an interview on Thursday morning, the health chief also ruled out placing restrictions on movement from Madrid insisting that it wasn’t viable.
“A perimeter lockdown is not appropriate right now,” Illa said about Madrid in an interview with Cadena SER.
El consejero de Salud de Castilla-La Mancha insiste en @HoyPorHoy en señalar a Madrid: "Es evidente que Madrid para nosotros fue una bomba o como quieran llamarlo" https://t.co/LlDRD1qXcs Illa descarta por ahora confinar Madrid
— Cadena SER (@La_SER) September 3, 2020
His statement came in response to a demand by Emiliano García-Page, the regional premier of Castilla-La Mancha who blames a rise in infections within his region on those coming from the capital.
On Wednesday, new restrictions were placed on two cities in Castilla y León, Salamanca and Valladolid, after a surge in new cases was recorded.
Regional authorities have imposed restrictions that include limiting capacities in bars and restaurants, capping social gatherings and stopping contact sports, effectively returning the cities to the rules in place during Phase 1 of the de-escalation plan.
But Illa insisted that although concerning, the situation in Madrid, where no new restrictions have been imposed, was under control.
“We are in a scenario of control,” said Illa.“We are seeing an increase in cases, but it has no comparison with what we went through in March, there is no overload of the system.”
“We have to take certain actions, as we are doing,” he added.
The evolution of the coronavirus in Spain since February showing a second wave with the number of new cases rising since July. and below since lockdown restrictions were lifted in June.
On Wednesday the Health Ministry reported 8,581 new cases of the coronavirus in Spain. Of the 3,663 detected in the previous 24 hours, more than a third (1,362) were detected in Madrid.
Data from the European Centre for Disease Protection and Control (ECDC)
According to the ECDC the 14-day accumulated incidence of coronavirus cases registered in Spain now stands at 213.3 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, far exceeding the figure of the next highest rate of 91 recorded France and is far above the figure of 24 for the UK and Italy.
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"We are not going to make generalized measures,” he said. “Instead we have to focus on early and act with proportionate forcefulness."
Madrid is once again at the epicentre of the virus spread recording a third of all new cases across the nation, prompting calls that there should a confinement should be put in place to stop people travelling and spreading the virus.
But in an interview on Thursday morning, the health chief also ruled out placing restrictions on movement from Madrid insisting that it wasn’t viable.
“A perimeter lockdown is not appropriate right now,” Illa said about Madrid in an interview with Cadena SER.
El consejero de Salud de Castilla-La Mancha insiste en @HoyPorHoy en señalar a Madrid: "Es evidente que Madrid para nosotros fue una bomba o como quieran llamarlo" https://t.co/LlDRD1qXcs Illa descarta por ahora confinar Madrid
— Cadena SER (@La_SER) September 3, 2020
His statement came in response to a demand by Emiliano García-Page, the regional premier of Castilla-La Mancha who blames a rise in infections within his region on those coming from the capital.
On Wednesday, new restrictions were placed on two cities in Castilla y León, Salamanca and Valladolid, after a surge in new cases was recorded.
Regional authorities have imposed restrictions that include limiting capacities in bars and restaurants, capping social gatherings and stopping contact sports, effectively returning the cities to the rules in place during Phase 1 of the de-escalation plan.
But Illa insisted that although concerning, the situation in Madrid, where no new restrictions have been imposed, was under control.
“We are in a scenario of control,” said Illa.“We are seeing an increase in cases, but it has no comparison with what we went through in March, there is no overload of the system.”
“We have to take certain actions, as we are doing,” he added.
The evolution of the coronavirus in Spain since February showing a second wave with the number of new cases rising since July. and below since lockdown restrictions were lifted in June.
On Wednesday the Health Ministry reported 8,581 new cases of the coronavirus in Spain. Of the 3,663 detected in the previous 24 hours, more than a third (1,362) were detected in Madrid.
Data from the European Centre for Disease Protection and Control (ECDC)
According to the ECDC the 14-day accumulated incidence of coronavirus cases registered in Spain now stands at 213.3 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, far exceeding the figure of the next highest rate of 91 recorded France and is far above the figure of 24 for the UK and Italy.
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