Madrid Orders Earlier Curfew, Bans Home Visits to Fight Pandemic

(Bloomberg) -- Spain’s Madrid region brought forward a daily curfew to 10 p.m. and ordered restaurants and bars to shut earlier to rein in the spread of Covid-19.

Inhabitants of the region of 6.7 million people, which includes the Spanish capital, will have to be home an hour earlier than under current rules, the regional government said in a statement Friday. The restrictions will initially apply for two weeks starting Monday.

Bars and restaurants will have to close at 9 p.m., an hour sooner than now. Residents also won’t be able to invite visitors to their homes unless for tasks such as caring for children or the elderly.

Spain’s 14-day infection rate has risen to 829 per 100,000 inhabitants from 575 a week ago, according to Health Ministry data. The infection rate in the Madrid region is 904 and 46% of its intensive care beds are taken by Covid-19 patients.

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