Coronavirus: Spain to shut land borders at midnight

OVIEDO, Spain

Spain will close all of its land borders to unnecessary travel at midnight, said Spain’s interior minister on Monday.

No one will be allowed into the country by road or train unless they are Spaniards returning home or workers with special permission, Fernando Grande-Marlaska told a televised news conference.

Commercial goods will be allowed in, he added.

The Spanish government did not say flights would be suspended, but also did not rule it out for the future.

Spain is one of the world’s worst-affected countries by COVID-19. As of Wednesday afternoon, it had 9,190 cases and 309 deaths.

The country is currently on full quarantine, with people only allowed out of their homes for essential tasks. Yet the borders have remained fully open, and thousands of travelers are scrambling to make it home while they still can.

Over 110 countries, including Turkey, have either blocked the entry of people coming from Spain or imposed quarantine measures.

Spain is following in Germany’s footsteps by activating a code of the Schengen agreement that allows countries to temporarily establish controls on their borders.

Earlier on Monday, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said officials were mulling a 30-day travel ban across the EU, which would bar all non-EU citizens from non-essential entry into the territory.