UPDATE 1-Madrid mulls targeted COVID-19 lockdowns
MADRID, Sept 16- The Madrid regionng to of the worst hit in Spain, is planning to announce on Friday restrictions on movement that could include targeted lockdowns in areas with high COVID-19 cases, a senior official said on Wednesday. Madrid accounts for around one-third of active coronavirus cases in Spain, with a higher incidence in high-density and…
By Emma Pinedo
MADRID, Sept 16 (Reuters) – The Madrid regionng to of theworst hit in Spain, is planning to announce on Fridayrestrictions on movement that could include targeted lockdownsin areas with high COVID-19 cases, a senior official said onWednesday.
Madrid accounts for around one-third of active coronaviruscases in Spain, with a higher incidence in high-density andlow-income neighbourhoods, mainly in the south of the capital.
“There will be decisions focused on restricting mobility,”Antonio Zapatero, head of the COVID-19 response for the region,told reporters, adding the health department was consideringlocking down areas with the highest incidence of the virus.
“There has been a relaxation of behaviour that we cannotafford,” he said, adding that people were organizing parties,drinking in the street and not respecting quarantine rules.
Since restrictions on movement were lifted and mass testingbegan in late June, infections have risen in Spain from a fewhundred a day to thousands, outstripping other hard-hit nationssuch as Britain, Italy or France.
Spain’s cumulative number of cases, at 603,167, is thehighest in Western Europe, while the number of deaths exceeded30,000.
On the streets of Madrid, some agreed with the regionalgovernment’s plans.
“I think it is right because if not this will get worse,”said Ines Diaz, a Madrid resident. “Many people are doingwhatever they feel like, so I do think we need to have moremeasures.”
The latest plan comes amid controversy in Spain over who isto blame for the increase in infections, with growingpolarisation along party lines as well as regions and thecentral government pointing fingers at each other.
Adding to the tensions, Madrid’s regional chief Isabel DiazAyuso said earlier this week that “the way of life ofimmigrants” was partly to blame for the increase in cases,attracting huge criticism.
“We condemn your words that promote a racist stigma on ourcommunities”, non-profit association SOS Racismo Madrid said onTwitter, adding that migrants usually have more precarious jobs,underprivileged housing and are more exposed to the virus.
Also controversial is the region’s estimate, which itincluded in a report published on Tuesday, that around 40% ofthe active infections concern “people born outside Spain”, abroad definition that includes migrants from non-EU countries,people with dual nationality and EU citizens.(Additional reporting by Belen Carreno, Guillermo Martinez andMiguel Gutierrez; Editing by Ingrid Melander and Janet Lawrence)
