By Ashitha Nagesh, Matthew Cannon and Alix Kroeger
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- Posted at 10:0110:01
Spain quarantines four Catalonia towns after deaths
About 70,000 people there have been urged to stay at home
Getty Images/David RamosCopyright: Getty Images/David Ramos
Police officers halt cars trying to access to Igualada at a check-point outside the cityImage caption: Police officers halt cars trying to access to Igualada at a check-point outside the city
Four towns have been quarantined in the Catalonia region of north-eastern Spain, under government order in an attempt to halt the spread of coronavirus.
Local police were sent to patrol roads into Igualada, Vilanova del Camí, Santa Margarida de Montbui and Òdena, after three elderly people died in the local hospital in Igualada and 49 others were infected.
More than 30 of those infected are health care professionals.
The only vehicles going into the area, to the north-west of Barcelona, are goods lorries and other vehicles carrying food and pharmaceuticals, reports say.
About 70,000 people who live in the four towns have been urged to stay at home.
Meanwhile, King Felipe and Queen Letizia of Spain have tested negative for coronavirus after coming into contact with Equality Minister Irene Montero who has tested positive.