Igualada wakes up to empty streets after discovery of coronavirus cluster

The central Catalan city of Igualada awoke to empty streets on Thursday after Wednesday's discovery of a coronavirus cluster at the local hospital that was initially thought to have affected 20 people.

Health secretary Joan Guix announced on Thursday that there are in fact 49 people who have tested positive, including 33 medical professionals, and 3 people have died of the disease.

Hospital struggling to provide services

Given the cluster's location affecting mainly Hospital d'Igualada patients and staff, 200 of the 250 people in total that have been forced into isolation as a precautionary measure are medical professionals who had been in close contact with the confirmed cases. 

The public hospital has been struggling to provide services it once did now that a fifth of its staff cannot work, and 3 of its 6 operating rooms have been temporarily closed while all non-urgent medical appointments have also been canceled.

The mayor has asked for reinforcements to ensure that the hospital staff is able to carry out its tasks. 

School closures affecting over 15,000 students

Authorities ordered the closure of 39 educational centers in Igualada and the surrounding towns of Jorba, Vilanova del Camí, Santa Margarida de Montbui, and Òdena starting on Thursday, leaving 15,400 students and 1,400 teachers without classes for 15 days.

According to Carme Hernández, the director at the head of Igualada's Institut Pere Vives secondary school, the move to close schools will have a significant impact on her students as many of those in their final year are currently preparing for their university entrance exams.