Britons are told to avoid ‘all but essential travel’ to Madrid


Britons have today been advised to avoid ‘all but essential travel’ to Madrid and some other parts of Spain because of coronavirus fears.

The Foreign Office said Britons should scrap unnecessary visits to the regions of Madrid and La Rioja and the municipalities of La Bastida, Vitoria and Miranda de Ebro. 

Spanish authorities have designated those places as ‘areas of community transmission’.  

Spain has recorded 2,968 virus cases and 84 deaths, making it the worst outbreak in Europe apart from Italy. 

Red Cross members demonstrate hygiene measures in Madrid where Britons have now been advised to avoid travelling unless necessary because of coronavirus  

Britons who are currently in Spain are not being advised to leave, because flights and other transport routes are still running. 

Airlines are still running flights to and from the areas in question, the Foreign Office said. 

However, the Spanish government has suspended all incoming flights from Italy until March 25 and asked people to avoid unnecessary travel. 

‘People intending to travel to Spain should consult their airlines and tour operators,’ the UK government advice says.  

The region of Madrid is one of 17 autonomous communities in Spain, and includes the capital city. 

The community of La Rioja, also designated as a virus hotspot, is further north and includes the cities of Logrono and Calahorra. 

La Bastida and Miranda de Ebro are in the north-western Castile and Leon region, while Vitoria is in the Basque country. 

There is no advice against travelling to the rest of Spain, but officials are keeping the outbreak under review. 

The FCO advice follows very similar guidance issued by Ireland’s foreign minister Simon Coveney two days ago. 

Officials are already advising against all but essential travel to Italy, and urging tourists to try to return to the UK as soon as possible. 

That is becoming increasingly difficult with flights being scrapped and neighbouring countries closing their borders. 

Britons are also advised against non-essential travel to China and any travel at all to Hubei province at the centre of the outbreak. 

Catalan police officers stop a car trying to get into Igualada, one of four towns closed down by regional authorities, at a checkpoint near Barcelona this morning

Catalan police officers stop a car trying to get into Igualada, one of four towns closed down by regional authorities, at a checkpoint near Barcelona this morning

The FCO also advises against unnecessary travel to Iran, although that was the case already because of political tensions. 

There is no general advice against travel to South Korea, except for affected provinces.  

Separately, four towns in Catalonia were put under quarantine on Thursday in the first such move in the country.

The 66,000 inhabitants of the localities of Igualada, Odena, Santa Margarida de Montbui and Vilanova del Cami ‘cannot leave their urban core’ although they can leave their homes, a statement said.

Catalonia’s health minister Alba Verges told reporters that the authorities would be focussing on Igualada, a town of 40,000 people around 40 miles from Barcelona.  

There are currently 58 cases in the town, 38 more than on Wednesday, the health minister said.

Catalan police officers were blocking cars trying to leave Igualada on a road this morning.  

Spain’s royal palace said yesterday that King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia had tested negative for Covid-19.

The cabinet also underwent tests after the equalities minister tested positive and was quarantined with her partner, the second deputy prime minister. 

The infected minister, Irene Montero, had appeared at a mass march of some 120,000 people through Madrid for International Women’s Day last Sundady.