Spain has become the first country in Europe to record one million coronavirus cases. The total number of Covid-19 cases stands at 1,005,295 after the country reported 16,973 more infections in the past 24 hours.
Experts have claimed the true number of cases is likely to be much higher, with figures impeded by insufficient testing, asymptomatic cases and other issues.
Health authorities say 34,366 people have died with coronavirus in Spain since the pandemic began – including 575 deaths in the past week.
It comes as the Government desperately tries to quash a second wave and avoid a second strict national lockdown.
The regional government of northern Aragon said they had closed the city limits of Zaragoza, Huesca and Teruel on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, neighbouring Navarra is to become the first Spanish region to close borders on Thursday.
Bars and restaurants will be closed and all other businesses will be forced to shut at 9pm after the region recorded nearly 950 infections per 100,000 people two weeks – the highest case numbers in Spain.
La Rioja will also close regional borders on Friday, with a ban on all-non-essential movement lasting until November 7.
The Government is considering other curfews on hard-hit regions including Madrid.
Imposing a curfew in Madrid would require invoking a state of emergency and any such measure lasting more than two weeks would require the support of some opposition parties.
Spain’s health minister Salvador Illa warned on Tuesday ‘some very hard weeks are coming.’
He said: ‘The second wave is no longer a threat, it is a reality. A curfew requires a state of emergency and we will analyse it.
If we opt for this, I want to know which parties are willing to support it.’ Mr Illa and regional heads of health are set to meet on Thursday to discuss virus strategies.
Source: metro.co.uk
