Barcelona residents urged to stay home as coronavirus cases surge

Regional authorities urged Barcelona residents on Friday to stay home and not gather in groups of more than 10 in a bid to stem the spread of coronavirus in the city and its metropolitan area, reported Xinhua.

"We recommend that people don't move around if it's not absolutely necessary," Catalonia's regional health chief Alba Verges told reporters at a news conference, stressing that this was the best way to avoid a mandatory lockdown.

The authorities asked residents to avoid traveling to their second residences over the weekend and recommended they stay away from cultural or sports events. Museums, bars and restaurants will remain open.

The regional authorities called for "collective and personal commitment" as the pandemic "advances without ceasing" and said the restrictions would remain in force for up to 15 days.

A stricter lockdown and restrictions on movement can only be imposed by Spain's central government and under a State of Alarm. Spain came out of the State of Alarm on June 21 after one of Europe's toughest lockdowns.

The Spanish Health Ministry reported the steepest increase in coronavirus cases in over two months on Thursday, with 580 new infections registered. Of these, 266 were reported in Catalonia's neighboring Aragon region and 142 in Catalonia itself, the two regions hit hardest.