Catalan government urges Barcelona residents to stay home amid rise in coronavirus cases

After the number of coronavirus cases tripled in a week in Barcelona, Spain's Catalan government urged residents to stay at home on Friday.

The Catalan government also ordered the closure of theatres, cinemas and nightclubs amid the rising number of cases.

"We must take a step back to avoid returning in coming weeks to a total lockdown of the population," the Catalan government spokesman said.

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Spain was the hardest hit due the virus in March and April when the pandemic hit Europe leading to the lockdown of the country. There have been 28,000 fatalities due to the virus in the country making it the seventh worst-hit country in the world hit by the virus.

The county had ended its lockdown on June 21.

The virus has put added pressure on health workers in the country with medical workers now demanding post-virus job security even as Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez pledged to inject nine billion euros into the health system.

Earlier, residents in three districts in Barcelona suburb L'Hospitalet de Llobregat were asked to stay indoors.

Catalonia had recorded three deaths and 938 new COVID-19 cases on Tuesday with most cases reported in Barcelona. There have been reports of new clusters ever since the lockdown was lifted last month. As the virus cases increased, local authorities announced patchwork of restrictions sending out confusing signals to residents.

The Lleida area near Barcelona was earlier put under stay-at-home order. Catalonia was also the first region to reimpose a lockdown with Basque imposing a curfew to contain the virus and parts of Galicia being sealed off.

Catalonia has made wearing masks in public places compulsory. On Thursday, Spain honoured its 28,400 virus victims at solemn state memorial even as virus cases continued to mount in Catalonia.