MADRID (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 06th June, 2020) Lockdown measures imposed in the Spanish cities of Madrid and Barcelona to curb the spread of COVID-19 will be eased to phase two from Monday as the daily number of new cases continues to decline, the country's Ministry of Health said on Friday.
"The region of Barcelona and the entire Community of Madrid are moving into the second phase," Health Minister Salvador Illa said at a press conference.
Many regions that were already in the second phase of the lockdown easing will be moved to the third and final stage, Illa stated, adding that 52 percent of the country's population will, from Monday, be living in areas with the weakest social distancing measures.
In the second phase of Spain's lockdown easing, bars and restaurants are allowed to serve customers indoors and beaches can reopen to recreational uses. Kindergartens and swimming pools can also reopen. In phase three, greater numbers of people may patronize an establishment.
On Friday, the Spanish Ministry of Health confirmed 177 new cases of COVID-19 over the preceding 24 hours, down from the 195 new positive tests reported the day before. Spain's case total now stands at 240,978 and 27,134 people who have tested positive for the disease have died.
