Frustration as strict lockdown roadblocks stop travel to Spanish city

01:53

Frustration is mounting as roadblocks are put in place and people are stopped from from leaving Lleida in northeast Spain.

The country has been easing COVID-19 restrictions, but now more than 300,000 people in Catalonia and other areas have been told not to travel after a spike in cases.

Cars are being monitored by police as they enter and leave Lleida, with only essential travel permitted. Similarly, at the train station people are allowed to return home but nobody is allowed to leave unless it is deemed necessary.

Local residents are wary that they could be heading for another sustained lockdown, but others understand it is the safest way to prevent the virus spreading.

"We are not happy, because we have been locked down for a couple of months already, after that we could leave and now all of a sudden we are locked down again. I don't like it, but we feel it'snecessary," said one man in the city.

Roadblocks have been put in place by police to control traffic. /CGTN

Another agreed: "Cases of infection have risen hugely in comparison with other cities during the week. They said it was under control but it seems that it wasn't. So, instead of letting it get out of hand we prefer to go back into lockdown. So, yes, I think it's necessary."

Still, there is a feeling that now the Spanish authorities are better prepared to deal with the outbreak than the first time round. The lockdown was imposed after regional health ministry data showed there were 3,706 cases in the Lleida region last Friday, up from 3,551 the previous day.

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