Germany has tightened the rules for those traveling to the Balearic Islands and will impose a quarantine on people arriving from high-risk areas, including Spain, unless a negative coronavirus test is presented, which must be carried out no more than five days before entering the country, according to the German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
"Travel to regions of risk should be avoided as far as possible," said Mrs Merkel, who stressed that the issue had been “discussed intensely" during her meeting with the country’s Länder leaders.
The agreement with Regional Authorities also stipulates that those who don't comply with the quarantine requirement will be fined and that no compensation will be paid to people who are absent from work because of an unjustified trip.
The new rule will be implemented from October. Since August all travellers arriving at German airports, railway stations or health centres have been offered a free Covid-19 test and only have to quarantine if the result is positive.
The German Government has upheld its recommendation that all but essential travel or tourism in a total of 160 countries outside the EU be avoided.
Countries within the European Union included on the list are Spain, except the Canary Islands; Belgium, Bulgaria, France, Croatia and Romania. The Principality of Andorra was also included in the list on Wednesday.
Daily Infections
Coronavirus infections have continued to rise in Germany in recent weeks.
1,507 new coronavirus infections were confirmed on Thursday, which is less than the 1,576 reported on Wednesday, according to the Robert Koch Institute, or RKI.
Last Saturday, Germany reported 2,034, the highest figure since the end of April.
6,000 infections a day were reported between the end of March and the beginning of April.
A total of 237,936 people have contracted the virus since the pandemic began, 211,900 have beaten the virus and 9,285 have died.
There were 350 infections per day in June which increased to between 800 and 950 in July and 1,000 in August.
School Term
Between July and the beginning of August, students from ten Federal states returned to school, and pupils in Bavaria will go back to class in September.
RKI says the return to school is not to blame for the increase in infections which it says is caused by family gatherings, religious events, parties and holidays abroad which account for 39% of all new infections.
Consensual measures
Chancellor Merkel has held regular meetings with Regional Leaders throughout the pandemic in order to adopt common lines of action, despite the fact that regional variations may be implemented.
Germany's ban on large public events, which was due to be lifted at the end of October, has been extended until the end of the year and fines of at least 50 euros will be imposed on anyone who refuses to wear a face mask on public transport or in shops, but not on public roads.