Six regions of Spain tighten restrictions and Andalusia requests a total confinement

On Wednesday Spain reported the highest total of Covid cases for a single day since the pandemic began

There is no doubt that the huge surge in new coronavirus cases is unsettling the regional governments of Spain, and throughout the day on Wednesday, regional governments announced both record numbers of cases and tighter restrictions.

On Wednesday evening the figures published by the national Ministry of Health were the highest ever reported; 38,869 new cases diagnosed within the last 24 hours.

Further measures are expected to be announced by other regions in the coming days, although the national government continues to rule out the possibility of another national full lockdown, in spite of the fact that Castilla y León and now Andalucía, are pressing the government to permit the autonomous regions to implement a full lockdown.

The presidents of Andalusia and Madrid have both said that further restrictions will be announced on Friday and the mayor of Valencia, Joan Ribó, has called for a "partial confinement" in which "people can go out to work or go to school."

Cantabria has decided to close its shopping centers during weekends and holidays and reduce the capacity in establishments and cultural and work areas. Currently, the region has confined its perimeter border, the curfew is between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. and a maximum of six people can meet. There are also measures in force in the hostelry sector, which must keep the interior of its establishments closed to the public.

La Rioja has approved the closure of the Logroño metropolitan area from 00:00 this Saturday and prohibits any non-essential movement from 5:00 p.m. throughout the region. In addition, the Riojan region is maintaining its perimeter closure until January 3st, its curfew from 10 pm and has prohibited gatherings of more than four people.

Navarra has adopted new measures that will come into effect on Friday and that imply the closure of the hotel business at 9:00 p.m. and a ban on smoking on hostelry terraces. Its perimeter border remains closed, with a curfew between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m., and the maximum number of people that can meet is 6.

Galicia has moved its curfew forward to 10 p.m and shops must close at 9.30 p.m. In addition, the maximum number of people that can meet is 4 and the activity of the hotel industry is limited in Santiago, A Coruña and Ourense until 6:00 p.m., while in the Galician capital only the terraces will be able to open.

The Balearic Islands, specifically in Menorca, which moves to alert level 4 next Saturday, has moved its curfew forward to 10 p.m. until 6 a.m. In addition, the interiors of bars and restaurants must be closed and meetings limited to 6 people, at least, for the next two weeks.

Extremadura – Closure of hotels and businesses in each and every one of the towns with a population of more than 5,000 inhabitants, regardless of their accumulated incidence rate. Perimeter confinement in all the municipalities of Extremadura. Apart from extending alert level 3 throughout the autonomous community (with the curfew at 10 p.m.), the capacity in commercial premises is maintained at 30%, at 40% inside bars and restaurants (50% in terraces), and only a total of four people can share a table. These measures are maintained "during two incubation periods", that is, 28 days from this Wednesday.

Murcia, which has reported its highest number of cases for a single day since the pandemic began, has announced that all social gatherings will be prohibited with anyone outside of the immediate family nucleus, both inside and outside. Any activity which implies the removal of a mask is prohibited for 14 days from Thursday.