The Spanish holiday island of El Hierro has seen a sharp rise in cases and the beaches and supermarkets were closed immediately.

The island previously had only a few cases but have now had at least 40 people infected and led local authorities to take urgent action.

El Hierro president Alpidio Armas today announced new preventive measures which include a ban on using bathing areas on the island.

Parks and markets have also been closed, along with children’s play areas, parks and squares.

Mr Armas said: “Early intervention has been shown to be a fundamental tool to prevent the spread of the SARS-Cov-2 coronavirus in El Hierro.

“In this sense, health protection measures have been issued, within each area of ​​competence, in order to reduce and prevent risky contacts between citizens in relation to Covid-19.”

Authorities on the island are said to be ‘devastated’ that their previously clean record and priding themselves on escaping the virus has been overturned.

El Hierro is the second smallest island in the region and depends on tourism for their economy.

The Canaries had low rates of cases and deaths in the first wave of the virus, which hit Spanish cities including Madrid particularly hard.

But some areas are contending with new spikes.

Lanzarote and Gran Canaria have warned of localised lockdowns if the level doesn’t drop.

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