Daily US Times: Spain has said recently emerged new Covid-19 cases are isolated and under control after the United Kingdom abruptly ordered people coming from the country to quarantine.
Recently, infections of news Covid-19 cases have risen sharply in Spain as restrictions were eased. Some regions of the country have now imposed measures including making face masks mandatory.
The foreign minister said: “Spain is safe for Spaniards and for tourists,”
Contagion among young people, who have been gathering in larger numbers ignoring social distancing rules, appears to be a particular worry.
Germany and France have also both seen new cases rise, as nations grapple between staving off fresh outbreaks and reopening economies.
The UK’s move to require arrivals from Spain to self-isolate for 14 days came into effect on Sunday, just hours after the decision was announced, angering travel operators and travellers.
The airline industry reacted with dismay, describing the change a big blow. Tui, The UK’s biggest tour operator, has cancelled all mainland Spanish holidays until 9 August. British Airways is still operating flights, but said the move was “throwing thousands of Britons’ travel plans into chaos”.
However, Dominic Raab, UK Foreign Secretary, defended the “swift” decision.
Spain was one of the most affected European countries due to coronavirus panmdemic. According to Johns Hopkins University research, the country has more than 272,000 confirmed Covid-19 cases and some 28,400 deaths.
The number of Covid-19 cases there has tripled in two weeks, with more than 900 new infections reported on Friday.
How does Spain compare in Europe?
According to the European Union’s European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), Spain’s rate of cases per 100,000 people is currently at 39.4. This compares with the UK’s rate of 14.6.
Spain is now comparable with Portugal and Sweden, but rates there are falling while Spain’s is on the rise.
Numbers in Romania (59.7) and Bulgaria (44.8) are considerably higher. Luxembourg is far higher, but the number there may be skewed by its small population.
Some other countries are also reporting a spike in infections. The majority of new cases in Spain seem to be restricted to a few regions, including Aragon and Catalonia, where Barcelona is located.
Spanish Foreign Minister Arancha González Laya said on Sunday that the outbreaks were “perfectly controlled” and that they had been expected once the restrictions were lifted.
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