Altea stag night contributes to 99 infections and confinement of Albacete town for two weeks – all bars shut

The Albacete town of Villamalea, population 4,000, has returned to lockdown for two weeks after 99 people tested COVID-19-positive in the past few weeks.

A local judge ordered the confinement following two outbreaks: one among a family-run mushroom farming business; the other from an Altea stag night.

A medical report that carried measures to close down nightclubs last week said the outbreak began with 17 positives at the mushroom farming business and 11 from a ‘despedido de soltero’ in Altea.

The Town Hall yesterday published a new decree yesterday via Facebook saying the infection has ‘grown in a drastic manner in one week’ to reach 99 cases yesterday, and 108 today.

“We can only conclude that a community transmission is happening, which could lead to a massive spike in cases in both the municipality and in the comarca, and that could seriously affect the health of the surrounding municipalities,” the note said.

The town will now see roadblocks at the entrance and exits to the town – with exceptions for visits to health centres, work obligations, returning to a residence, helping the young or aged or infirm, or by any other justified reason.

All bars, casinos, social centres, clubs and religious centres have been ordered to close.

Parks and gardens will close, while recreational or sporting activities will be suspended and markets closed.

Among other measures, the restrictions will be in place for 14 days.

The Town Hall has already begun disinfecting the town’s streets.

Villamalea is an hour and a half from Valencia city, and two hours from Alicante.