16.02.2022 19:58 h

Spanish grounds return to 100% capacity as virus curbs lifted

Spanish sports grounds will be able to return to 100% capacity for the first time since the pandemic next month, health chiefs said Wednesday.

"From the weekend of March 4, sporting events, both outdoors and indoors, will see their capacities raised to 100%, given the satisfactory evolution of all the epidemiological indicators," said health minister Carolina Darias.

However, she warned that wearing masks will remain compulsory and that it will still be forbidden to smoke, drink or eat during sporting events.

At the end of December, Spanish authorities reduced crowd limits to 75% and 50% indoors to combat rising cases of Covid-19.

There have been more than 10 million cases of the virus recorded in Spain with 97,000 deaths.

Levels have dropped to 1,060 cases per 100,000 people over the last 14 days against 3,418 on January 21.