Restrictions are being tightened in Municipalities with more than 100,000 inhabitants and more than 500 cases of Covid-19, according to Health Minister Salvador Illa who said the measures will be enforced as soon as they are published in the Official State Gazette or BOE.
Minister Illa and Madrid Community Health Minister enrique Ruiz Escudero presented the draft measures to Regional Councillors on Wednesday.
Madrid, Galicia, Catalonia, Andalusia and Ceuta voted against the proposal and Murcia abstained.
“We have decided to introduce social restrictions in Municipalities with more than 100,000 inhabitants, a cumulative incidence of more than 500 cases in the last 14 days and more than 10% positivity in PCR tests in Autonomous communities where more than 35% of ICU beds are occupied,” said Minister Illa. “A maximum of 6 people will be allowed to gather in a group, capacity in shopping centres and hotels will be reduced to 50% and bars must close at 23:00,” he added.
The towns affected by the new measures are Madrid, Parla, Alcobendas, Fuenlabrada, Torrejón de Ardoz, Getafe, Alcorcón, Leganés, Móstoles and Alcalá de Henares, according to the Ministry of Health.
Minister Illa emphasised the fact that coronavirus infections have soared in the Community of Madrid.
“When you go to the doctor, you expect them to tell you the truth and as Minister of Health I have a responsibility. The situation in Madrid is complex, today there were 4,810 new cases, which is the second largest increase in the second wave and represents 43.7% of the total number of new cases in the country,” he said. “The situation is going to break down but there are some tough weeks ahead. This agreement was accepted by the Community of Madrid on Tuesday. Nobody understands his reversal now, neither the madrileños nor the Spanish. The health of Madrid is the health of Spain,” he said.