Curfew imposed in Barcelona to curb COVID-19 spread

Barcelona and the surrounding northeast corner of Spain began curtailing public activity again on Saturday to stem an outbreak of the Delta variant of the coronavirus.

Regional authorities in Catalonia have reintroduced a nightly curfew in towns of populations over 5,000 which surpass the rate of 400 infections per 100,000 inhabitants over 14 days.

The curfew, approved by the regional court, is intended to discourage social gatherings where the virus spreads.

The more infectious Delta variant is pushing infections back up in Spain and other European countries where vaccination efforts are going well and the public healthcare systems are robust.

But Catalonia has an infection rate double Spain's national average, with over 1,000 cases per 100,000 inhabitants over 14 days.

Only Cyprus is worse off in Europe, according to the European Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

Catalan authorities said they are canceling health workers’ days off this weekend because the number of intensive care beds occupied by COVID-19 patients is expected to surpass 300, from 237 on Wednesday.

Scenes of revelry became common in many of Spain’s cities once the government lifted a six-month nighttime curfew in early May.

The government had hoped to give some relief to businesses and send the message abroad that Spain was open again for its all-important summer tourist season.

At that time, Spain’s rate of new cases had fallen under 200 per 100,000 over 14 days.

Two months later it is over 450 and rising. Infections among young adults in Catalonia are particularly worrying; the 20-29 age group is posting a 14-day rate of more than 3,300 infections per 100,000 inhabitants.