Spain’s autonomous region of Catalonia has made face masks mandatory in public for all those aged over five after a surge in new cases of coronavirus.
Anyone caught without a mask – even when social distancing can be observed – faces a €100 ($113; £90) fine.
It comes amid an outbreak of the virus in Segrià, an agricultural area.
Officials already imposed a lockdown on 210,000 residents on Saturday, banning anyone from entering or leaving except for work.
While the national situation is largely under control, Spain has been hit hard by the virus. As of Wednesday the health ministry said the country had recorded 252,513 cases and 28,396 deaths.
Spain’s northwestern region of Galicia imposed a local lockdown around the coastal district of A Mariña following a fresh outbreak earlier this month.
And in June the region of Aragon, which borders Catalonia, re-imposed restrictions on several areas after an outbreak among fruit pickers in its Huesca province.
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“The general rule is that everyone will leave their house with their face mask on, whether they are going to the beach or to the office,” Catalan health chief Alba Vergés told reporters on Wednesday.
Exceptions will be made, such as when a mask is “not compatible” with an activity like exercise but as a whole those older than five must always wear a face covering outside their home, she said.
Even where people can observe the recommended physical distance of 1.5 metres (5ft) people will still be required to wear a mask throughout the entire region.
In May Spain made face masks compulsory for everyone over five years in public, unless they could observe social distancing.
Other areas have made the rules stricter. Basque country authorities made face coverings compulsory regardless of social distancing around the city of Ordizia, where there is another local outbreak.
And the government of the Balearic Islands is also considering bringing in the same measures this weekend due to rising case numbers on the mainland.
BBC
