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Spain Orders Closure Of All Nightclubs And Bars In Bid To Slow Coronavirus Spread

Spain Orders Closure Of All Nightclubs And Bars In Bid To Slow Coronavirus Spread

Spanish Health Minister Salvador Illa announce the crackdown today

Dominic Smithers

Dominic Smithers

The Spanish government has ordered all bars and nightclubs to close tonight.

It comes as the number of cases in the country have started to pick up once again, with 2,953 new coronavirus infections having been detected the 24 hours to Thursday (13 August).

Speaking during a press conference, Spanish Health Minister Salvador Illa said it was vital businesses followed the new rules to help prevent the further spread of the deadly disease.

During the announcement, which was held following an emergency meeting with health officials from Spain's regions, Mr Illa said: "There has been a growing number of outbreaks in recent weeks.

"I am announcing that, for the first time, we have decided to adopt coordinated actions in terms of public health and that these measures have been adopted unanimously."

Nightclubs across Spain have been ordered to close.
PA

Mr Illa also announced that restaurants would have to follow a new curfew, with premises having to close at 1am, with new patrols able to enter premises after 12am.

Restaurant employees will also have to keep a distance of 1.5 metres from customers, with a maximum of 10 diners per group.

He also placed a ban on smoking in public when safe distancing cannot be observed.

And while he assured the country that "the situation is not comparable with the one that we had in April," Mr Illa made it clear that it was still vital that people were vigilant and followed the new guidelines to the letter.

This sudden crackdown comes after it was announced that British people returning from France and the Netherlands will soon have to quarantine for 14 days.

The change will come into effect after 4am on Saturday (August 15).

It comes as the country has recorded a rise in the number of Covid-19 cases.
PA

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson says he has no issues with implementing bans if it means protecting the community.

"We can't be remotely complacent about our own situation. Everybody understands that in a pandemic you don't allow our population to be re-infected or the disease to come back in," he said.

The Foreign Office is warning against all but essential travel' to the two countries after a surge in coronavirus cases.

In France, there has been a 66 per cent rise in the number of infections per 100,000 people, and a 55 per cent jump in the Netherlands.

France and the Netherlands will soon join Monaco, Malta, Turks and Caicos, and Aruba, who have already been listed as countries that require tourists to quarantine from when they return home.

Featured Image Credit: PA

Topics: Coronavirus, Health