Authorities order closure of schools in central Catalonia after detecting coronavirus cluster

Catalan authorities have ordered the closure of schools, language schools, music schools and higher education centers in the central Catalonia towns of Igualada, Jorba, Vilanova del Camí, Santa Margarida de Montbui and Òdena following the detection of a cluster of some 20 coronavirus cases.

The closure of 39 centers for two weeks will affect 15,412 students and 1,401 teachers. 

It has also been confirmed that a person who was receiving palliative care at Igualada's hospital died of covid-19, while authorities are currently investigating two other deaths to see if they could possibly be related. 

Many of those infected are either patients or medical professionals at the Hospital d'Igualada, and while authorities have stated that they can trace the source of infection of most of the cases, they are still looking into the conditions that allowed the cluster to flourish. 

 

 

The Catalan health department has been able to identify 250 people who have been in close contact with the newly diagnosed cases, of which 200 are medical professionals.

Along with schools and higher education centers, nursery schools in Igualada will also remain closed for the time being, as will a number of senior citizen centers. 

Igualada mayor Marc Castells explained in a press conference held Wednesday evening that all public events in his city would be suspended, and said that the town hall is asking that private events held in public areas be canceled as well.