Spain placed four towns under quarantine on Thursday and announced measures to tackle the economic impact of the coronavirus epidemic, which the country’s hoteliers described as a “tsunami” threatening the survival of their businesses. Catalan authorities began locking down four towns around the village of Igualada – 49 km (30 miles) north of Barcelona – after a significant outbreak in the area, top regional police official Eduard Sallent told reporters. Access to Igualada, Vilanova del Cami, Santa Margarida de Montbui and Odena will be blocked from 2300 GMT, the first such restriction imposed in Spain since the outbreak began.
