MADRID (SPAIN) – Madrid will go into lockdown in coming days after the region’s leader reluctantly agreed on Thursday to follow a central government order to stop non-essential travel in the capital, which is marked as Europe’s worst COVID-19 hotspot.
The Madrid region has 859 cases per 100,000 people, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). It has seen a resurgence of the coronavirus in Spain.
Spain’s Socialist-led government, came to a decision late on Wednesday to impose a new lockdown in Madrid, which has more than 3 million people.
It has led to resentment among the conservative-led local authority, who were concerned about how it would affect livelihood.
Madrid region chief Isabel Diaz Ayuso told the regional assembly on Thursday she had no choice but to follow the lockdown. However, she would go forward with a legal challenge.
She said, “This region is not in rebellion and will strictly comply with all the orders. But yes, we will go to the courts … to stand up for the rights of the Madrilenos.”
Borders in Madrid and nine nearby municipalities will be closed for outsiders for non-essential visits. Only travel for work, school, doctors’ visits or shopping will be allowed. A curfew for bars and restaurants was moved to 11 pm from 1 am.
Plans to shut parks and playgrounds have been dropped by the government.
The Madrid region has time until Friday evening to put forth final details of the lockdown, including the start date.
Madrid has recorded 769,188 cases, the highest in Western Europe, and has 31,791 deaths.