Council leaders in the Costa Blanca seaside resort of Gandia, the second largest city in Valencia, Spain, say the decision has been taken to safeguard people’s health. Health councillor Ana Barcelo said the police would be called in to make sure nightclubs adhered to the order which will last until at least August.
All other pubs and beach bars have been ordered to shut down at 10pm and keep to the coronavirus safety regulations which limit the capacity of terraces and interiors.
So far, at least 70 people have been tested positive for the virus and most are aged between 20 and 40.
It is the most virulent new outbreak in Valencia since the easing of lockdown restrictions and in just 24 hours up to today, 21 new cases were confirmed.
Health official say the outbreak is being linked to a nightlife venue and a full investigation is underway.
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The mayoress also sent three clear messages. The first has been “the stigmatisation of people who have contracted the disease”.
Her second message was addressed to young people, the main group affected by the outbreak.
“They must be aware, like the rest of the population, that an infection in a young person can be just as virulent as in another group and that they can transmit the coronavirus to at-risk groups.
“We have proof that a family focus has been transformed into a community focus,” she said.
The third message was that the situation had changed in the last four months.
“We are now better prepared than then, we have more resources and there are action protocols that allow us to act forcefully,” she assured.
Local Police will focus on the use of masks, the social distance and the capacity of the premises whether public or private.
They have already doubled the number of fines in 24 hours to 124 for not wearing a mask and say people must abide by the rules.
Spain is considering resealing some of its borders following a sudden surge of COVID-19 cases in the Catalonia region, which has seen residents of Barcelona forced back into a 15-day lockdown.
The region has recorded more than 1,000 new cases of the virus in a single day, throwing parts of the area back into temporary lockdown measures.
With the destination appearing to be entering into a second spike, Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez is in ongoing talks with the French President Emmanuel Macron about closing the border between France and Spain once again.
This could cause a headache for tourists hoping to travel between the two, or who are travelling by land.