Apple stores reclosing in Madrid following COVID-19 surge

Apple has taken the decision to temporarily reclose four more stores in Spain following a wave of COVID-19 cases.

According to Michael Steeber, four more stores will close from August 24:

As Steeber notes, Apple's Puerto Venecia store was already closed temporarily.

Four more stores in and around Madrid are now also closing:

• Apple Xanadú
• Apple Parquesur
• Apple Puerta del Sol
• Apple Gran Plaza 2

Stores will close temporarily from Monday and there is no indication as to when they might reopen.

Spain is currently the worst-hit country in Europe by far when it comes to COVId-19. Figures today from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control show Spain is currently reporting about 145 new cases per 100,000 people over the last fourteen days. Madrid is the hardest hit area in the country. As reported by the Financial Times:

Apart from Malta, no other European country had a ratio above 100, and the Spanish figures compare with ratios of 51 in France and 21 in the UK.

In three districts of Madrid, the Spanish region with most cases, the equivalent ratio is above 400 and in one it is almost 600.

A further six Apple stores in Spain, including stores in Barcelona remain unaffected by closures at the time of publication. These stores, like others globally, remain under precautionary measures to stop the spread of the disease, including the wearing of masks, temperature checks, and social distancing.