Laurence Dollimore
RONDA and Villanueva del Trabuco must close all non-essential businesses after registering coronavirus incidence rates of more than 1,000 cases per 100,000 inhabitants.
The toughest of restrictions will be in force from Saturday and will last for at least two weeks, regardless of whether the figure drops back below 1,000.
The Junta will confirm the measures in a press conference this afternoon following its meeting with the expert committee.
The two municipalities will join 21 others in Malaga which have already crossed the 1,000 case threshold (Cañete la Real, Alfarnate, Velez-Malaga, Alcaucin, Moclinejo, Alora, Farajan, Teba, Almargen, Monda, Alameda, Salares, Ardales, Igualeja, El Borge, Benamocarra, Cartajima, Coin, Alfarnatejo, Alhaurin el Grande and Algatocin).
None of these 21 have fallen back below the 1,000-case red line in the past two weeks.
The regional government is now meeting every Monday and Thursday to take stock of the latest coronavirus figures in each municipality.
It comes as the region broke a new record Thursday after registering more than 7,400 new cases.
Those which cross the 500 cases per 100,000 people barrier will be ordered to close their outer perimeters.
Any which cross the 1,000-cases threshold must close all non-essential businesses, including bars and restaurants.
If a municipality is added to either list on a Monday, the new restrictions will start on the following Wednesday.
If they are added on a Thursday, they will come into force the following Saturday.
Andalucia is continuing to demand extra powers to implement a home confinement of municipalities where the incidence rate surpasses 1,000 cases per 100,000 people.
It also wants to change the curfew starting time from 10pm to 8pm, but both requests were denied by the central Government last night.
