An entire county in northwestern Spain is on lockdown all week because authorities fear a new COVID-19 outbreak even after the federal government ended a nationwide lockdown.
Officials in La Marina in the Galicia region placed all 70,000 residents in a countywide quarantine after several bars in the area reported new cases.
Only essential travel in and out of the county is allowed and gatherings of more than 10 people are forbidden. The lockdown will be in place through Friday.
The La Marina lockdown comes a day after authorities in Lleida in Catalonia reimposed a lockdown, affecting more than 200,000 people. Jesus Vazquez Almuina, Catalonia’s health minister, said he wants to avoid what he calls “an exponential growth” of COVID-19 in the popular tourist destination since more than 100 cases have been confirmed in the last two weeks.
Spain has been one of Europe’s COVID-19 hotspots with more than 250,000 cases and 28,000 deaths. But the central government has begun easing travel restrictions and other measures.
El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele has put the next phase of his country’s reopening on hold for two weeks because of a 50% jump in the number of coronavirus cases in the last several days. Buses were to have started running and some businesses and factories were to have started to reopen Tuesday.
Indian authorities have extended their lockdown on businesses, monuments and other attractions in Agra, including the Taj Mahal, as the number of coronavirus cases in that country continues to jump.
“In the interest of the public, it has been decided that opening monuments in Agra will not be advisable as of now,” the district authorities said in a notice published in Hindi.
The Taj Mahal and other tourist sites in Agra have been closed since March. Agra is most affected city in Uttar Pradesh, India's most populous state.
Nearly 25,000 new cases and more than 600 deaths were reported in India Sunday.
India is still closed to international travel, but New Delhi has gradually been lifting restrictions on local tourism to try to boost India’s COVID-devastated economy.
An easing of coronavirus restrictions appears to be a success in England after trademark British pubs reopened for the first time in almost four months Saturday.
“Overall, I’m pleased with what happened yesterday. It was really good to see people out and about, and largely socially distancing,” British Health Minister Matt Hancock told Sky News Sunday. “From what I’ve seen, although there’s some pictures to the contrary, very, very largely people have acted responsibly.”
Drinkers and diners are told to practice social distancing with Prime Minister Boris Johnson telling Britons to “enjoy summer safely.”
But police say some pub goers who celebrated a bit too much had troubled keeping two meters apart from one another.
“The foolish few, but the sensible majority, I think is the story across the country, and long may that continue,” the head of Britain’s National Health Service, Simon Stevens, told the BBC.
In Tokyo, exit polls show voters Sunday reelected Yuriko Koike governor because of what observers say was her straightforward handling of the coronavirus outbreak.
But Koike predicted a second wave of COVID-19 and said this is a critical time to prepare. The number of new cases in Tokyo exceeded 100 for the fourth day in a row Sunday.
Japan was to have been hosting the Summer Olympics this month, but the coronavirus pandemic has forced a one-year postponement.
“The event represents a big hope for athletes as well as children. Municipalities are waiting in earnest for torch relays,” Koike told reporters even if a recent Japanese newspaper poll shows more than half in Japan want the games to be postponed further or canceled outright.
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has announced some harsh measures against individuals and businesses who he says aren’t doing their part to fight COVID-19.
State services will be cut off to people who won’t wear a mask, and businesses and offices that do not comply with social distancing and other measures will be shut for a week.
Iranian authorities reported a new record number of deaths Sunday, 163, bringing the total number of reported coronavirus deaths in the Islamic Republic to more than 11,000.
More than 1,000 people held a mass prayer Sunday on the Indonesian island of Bali, where the resort haven gets ready to welcome domestic tourists again.
Prayer leaders sought blessings for what they say is the “new normal” in a world hammered by a pandemic.
Bali’s economy has been in shambles since the outbreak. Officials on the island say they hope to be able to welcome foreign visitors again starting in September.
