BILBAO (SPAIN) – Amid the outbreak of coronavirus, Galicia and Basque Country in Spain held elections. Voters wore face masks and used hand sanitisers before entering polling stations.
The elections are the first in the country after it began a strict lockdown to curb the spread of the coronavirus in early March. In fact, the elections were postponed from April following the outbreak.
Bilbao, which is the Basque region’s largest city, increased the number of polling stations by 25% to ensure social distancing. Voters and polling station workers are required to wear masks and wash their hands.
More than 460 people in the two regions who tested positive will be unable to vote. “People with active coronavirus infections … cannot attend activities in person. They would be breaching public health laws,” Basque regional health chief Nekane Murga said on Saturday.
Health officials confirmed 161 COVID-19 cases in the Basque Country and more than 300 in Galicia.
Following fresh outbreaks, local lockdowns were imposed on the Basque Country, Galicia and Catalonia.
Andalusia, one of Spain’s top holiday destinations, will decide on Monday whether to make face masks mandatory in public, regional leader Juan Manuel Moreno said on Saturday.
(Photos syndicated via Reuters)
This story has been edited by BH staff and is published from a syndicated field
