The authorities of Catalonia eased the containment measures in and around the city of Lerida (north-eastern Spain) on Wednesday, where 160,000 people had been called on to stay at home after an outbreak of coronavirus contaminations. The city and six nearby municipalities, located 150 km west of Barcelona, were first subject to travel restrictions in early July after an increase in the number of Covid-19 cases in the region, before the establishment of strict home confinement from July 13.
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On Wednesday, these measures were lightened because the authorities believe they have the situation under control. Residents can now leave the area, for the first time since July 4. "The measures implemented in recent weeks have reduced Covid-19 contamination in the Lerida region (...) which shows that the epidemic is under control", declared the President of Catalonia, Quim Torra. Bars and restaurants can now reopen their terraces until midnight and businesses can welcome customers, provided that their number is halved.
New rise in contamination in Spain
More than 28,400 people have died from Covid-19 in Spain, which like its neighbors is facing a new increase in contamination, almost half of them in Catalonia. The regional government ordered the containment of almost four million people in the Barcelona metropolitan area on July 18.
The situation in Spain has prompted several countries to advise their nationals not to go there, such as France, which expressly cited Catalonia as a risky destination, followed by Germany, which also mentioned two other regions. Britain has gone further, imposing a quarantine on anyone arriving from Spain - a blow to the world's second-largest tourist destination.
