Coronavirus: Government advises against non-essential travel to parts of Spain

The Government is advising against all non-essential travel to several parts of Spain due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney said on Wednesday night his department was upgrading its overall security status in respect of Spain to "exercise a high degree of caution".

It advised against non-essential travel to Madrid, Vitoria and Labastida in the Basque Country and La Rioja.

A significant number of new Covid-19 cases were confirmed on the Spanish mainland, as well as on the Balearic and Canary Islands. “If you are in Spain, monitor developments closely and follow advice from local authorities,” he said.

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Spanish authorities announced on Tuesday that three autonomous regions had “significant or high rates of community transmission”: Madrid, La Rioja, and parts of the Basque Country.

In these areas, a number of measures have been put in place by the authorities, based on the principles of prevention and reinforcing measures to prevent transmission. These measures include closures of educational institutions for two weeks in these regions.