The Spanish health authorities expressed their great concern on Monday regarding the development of the epidemic in a part of Catalonia, isolated from the rest of the country and subjected to restrictive measures since Saturday.
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" In the past few days, and especially during this weekend, we have recorded the highest number of cases in almost a month, " said the chief epidemiologist of the Ministry of Health, Fernando Simon, during a press conference.
According to figures released Monday by the Ministry of Health, the number of people infected with the virus in the country stands at 251,789, with nearly 1,250 new cases diagnosed since Friday, more than half of them in Catalonia (north -is).
On Saturday, the Catalan authorities announced that it was no longer possible to enter or leave an area around the city of Lerida, about 150 km west of Barcelona. In this area which has some 200,000 inhabitants, traffic is not restricted but it is recommended to minimize movement and to wear a mask on the street.
" Very concerned "
" We are concerned about the contamination in Lerida, we are very concerned, " said Fernando Simon. While most of the new outbreaks in Spain are under control, " some are reaching levels far beyond what is desirable ". The Catalan health authorities have installed a field hospital near the main health center in Lerida and have called for volunteer doctors.
The first sources of contamination seem to have appeared among seasonal workers who participate in fruit harvesting, before spreading among the population. Since Sunday, the 70,000 inhabitants of the coastal region of A Mariña in Galicia (north-west), have also been subject to restriction measures due to an increase in contamination with the new coronavirus.
Doctor Simon nevertheless pointed out that " in most of Spanish territory, there is no significant increase in risk ", while calling for " individual responsibility " of citizens. Spain is one of the countries most affected by the new coronavirus pandemic, responsible for nearly 28,400 deaths on its soil. According to a serological study published Monday, only 5.2% of the Spanish population has been immunized against the new coronavirus.
