Spain declares state of emergency in response to rising COVID-19 infections News
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Spain declares state of emergency in response to rising COVID-19 infections

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez declared a state of emergency Sunday after a new spike in COVID-19 infections in the country. Sánchez further imposed a nighttime curfew on citizens and prohibited meetings of more than six people. Regional travel may also be limited under the order.

After facing relatively a higher number of cases early in the pandemic, Spain initially imposed strict restrictions on citizens, including shelter-in-place orders. However, like many countries, it lifted these restrictions as cases dwindled in the summer. Now, the country is being hit with a second wave of infections, with more than 1.15 million cases and 35,000 deaths to date. Sánchez announced Friday that he wanted to act proactively to avoid another at-home lockdown. Even prior to this announcement, a majority of Spain’s regions called for greater restrictions on socialization and travel.

The state of emergency is currently limited to 15 days, but it may be extended up to six months with parliamentary approval.

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