Portugal's land border with Spain remains closed until May 15: minister

Portuguese Minister of Internal Administration Eduardo Cabrita announced on Monday that its land borders with Spain will remain closed at least until May 15.

"In coordination with the Government of Spain, we approved the extension of border controls and the limitation to nine exclusive crossing points on our land border with Spain for another month until May 15," said Cabrita at a press conference.

The control of land borders with Spain has been carried out since 11:00 p.m. on March 16 at nine authorized crossing points, days before Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa declared the state of emergency.

Tourist and leisure travel between the two countries is suspended, and only the transport of goods and cross-border workers is allowed.

Cabrita stressed that the decision of the government is in line with the position expressed by the president that the state of emergency be extended till the beginning of May.

Portugal is in a state of emergency from March 19 to April 17. The country has reported 535 deaths and 16,934 confirmed cases of infection associated with COVID-19 as of Monday, according to the daily bulletin of the health authorities.