Amid increasing restrictions around the world as the number of coronavirus cases spikes, the vacation hot spot of Andalusia on the southern coast of Spain is requiring everyone to wear face masks at all beaches and swimming pools as of Wednesday.
People who violate the new rules could face fines of up to $114 (100 euros), according to the government Ministry of Health and Families.
The use of the face masks is obligatory for people older than age 6 in outdoor spaces whether or not they are able to keep a social distance of 5 feet (1.5 meters), according to the local government.
Andalusia, which has a population of 8.5 million and is well-known for flamenco and bullfighting, has a total of 13,575 coronavirus cases, according to the government Health Department. In the past seven days, 264 people were confirmed to have the disease, and two died.
Spain has a total of 257, 494 coronavirus cases, according to the latest data from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland.
Images show police officers warning beachgoers about the new rules.
In addition to the face mask rules, the government of Andalusia has also announced that the number of people allowed to attend funeral wakes has been cut from 60 to 25 people in outdoor spaces and from 30 to 10 people in indoor spaces.
The new measures have been imposed as other regions also implement more restrictive rules. Spain has ordered 160,000 citizens in the northeastern Catalonia region back into lockdown for 15 days.
Australia, which has 10,495 coronavirus cases, returned the state of Victoria to stay-at-home restrictions from July 2 due to a “significant increase” in community spread of the virus in a number of neighborhoods.
In the United States, the governor of California has reinstated restrictions on indoor activities, including at restaurants and other businesses, as the state recorded 336, 508 cases.
(Edited by Judy Isacoff.)
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