Date Published: 28/09/2020
ARCHIVED - Totana confined again as covid cases soar
ARCHIVED ARTICLE Lorca and Jumilla will remain in the same flexibilised confinement for another week
The decision was taken this morning following the Monday meeting of the regional covid monitoring committee.
Totana will return to a “flexibilised phase one containment situation” again, exactly the same as was applied between the 20th July and 10th August as the number of cases in the municipality have once again risen to worrying levels.
At the moment, the Spanish Ministry of Health considers an area to be “red level” if it exceeds 350 cases per 100,000 of population, and as of yesterday 14 out of the 45 municipalities in the Murcia Region exceeded 500 cases per 100,000 of population during the last 14 day period.
Murcia itself is one of 7 regions of Spain considered to be red level, but there is a resistance to imposing confinements of any type in this second wave of covid, as the damaging economic and psychological effects of lockdown are now fully understood and the approach has been changed to one of identifying positive cases and isolating them in an effort to stem the spread of the virus.
However, once a municipality starts approaching the 1,000 cases per 100,000 head of population mark, alarm bells start to ring and it has been necessary to implement stricter measures in the municipalities in which cases are reaching this level.
Totana has experienced significant problems, particularly in relation to its lower paid immigrant population which tends to work in the agricultural sector, and became the last municipality to leave de-escalation due to an outbreak in the agricultural sector, then the first municipality to be confined following de-escalation and even though the number of cases was reduced significantly during this first confinement, the town has failed to shake off the contagions and figures have continued to rise.
The Mayor fully acknowledged two weeks ago when he requested that schoolchildren be permitted to remain at home rather than return to school, that the municipality should have remained in confinement for longer, but pressure from the business community to return to work was too intense for the regional government to resist and the confinement order was lifted.
This is the greatest problem faced across the country as it is financially impossible for everyone to stop work and stay at home for as long as it takes for the virus to run its course, but at the same time, daily life permits the contacts on which the virus thrives, so it continues to circulate.
Totana now has 1818 cases per 100,000 inhabitants during the last 14 days, the highest level in the region.
The restrictions will take effect from midnight.
The most obvious impact is that entry to and exit from the municipality, will be restricted, and the reasons for entering or leaving will be restricted to health, ie having to attend a medical appointment, going to work or for another essential reason; going to shop in the port, play a round of golf or meet up with friends at a quiz night will not be permitted!
Residents are not confined to their homes, can go shopping in the town centre or sit in a bar, but may not leave the municipality.
Lorca and Jumilla are both in the same situation and will both remain in the same flexibilised confinement for a further week until their number of cases reduces.