The Canary Islands become the latest Spanish holiday hotspot to reintroduce Covid mask rules after a rise in cases

The Canary Islands, visited by hundreds of thousands of British tourists every year, have become the latest Spanish holiday destination to enforce new mask rules.

Health officials are following the lead of other autonomous communities across Spain, including Valencia and Benidorm, as Covid and flu cases rise.

From tomorrow (9 January), wearing masks will be mandatory in health centres, pharmacies and hospitals in the Canary Islands, including Tenerife, Lanzarote and Gran Canaria.

The Canary Islands government says the rule will remain in force for as long as the epidemic peak lasts.

The decision coincides with an official announcement made today by the Spanish Interterritorial Council for the National Health System, which has agreed to extend decision-making on a general decision in all regions until Wednesday.

But the Balearic Islands, which also includes Mallorca and Ibiza, are currently refusing to introduce the new rule, saying infection rates are the same as last year and it is 'completely unnecessary' to impose the wearing of masks.

Gran Canaria, Canary Islands, Spain

The Canary Islands government said today: 'With this measure, the Canary Islands join other autonomous communities in which the mandatory mask requirement in health centers has already been declared.

'Until now, the use of a mask has been a recommendation for use in all centers of the Canary Health Service since mid-December and is now becoming mandatory.'

'The rule, which is temporary as long as the epidemic peak of influenza and coronavirus infections continues, will affect peripheral offices, health centers and public and private hospitals in the Canary Islands.'

'This measure is given the growth of acute respiratory infections throughout Spain and to try to stop the chain of infection, in addition to protecting health workers and people who go to hospitals and health centers of the archipelago to avoid contracting a respiratory infection.

'In addition, during this morning's telematics meeting, the Canary Islands called for an agreement on a strategy for the prevention of respiratory infections to avoid health tensions in the next flu seasons.'

Health chiefs say anyone showing symptoms such as coughing, fever, general discomfort, sore throat, congestion and nasal discharge, among other things, should use a mask if sharing space with other people.

They said people should use disposable scarves and throw them away after each use, and avoid sharing glasses, cutlery, towels and other items that may have come into contact with saliva or secretions.

The announcement from authorities in the Canary Islands comes just days after other regions of Spain began reintroducing mask mandates.

The Spanish government has not yet made an announcement about the return of mandatory wearing of face masks, but regions such as Valencia – home to tourist hotspots Benidorm and Alicante – are already imposing their own rules.

The Valencia Health Department introduced the mandatory use of masks in health centers on Friday due to the increase in respiratory infections.

This preventive measure is considered relevant given the incidence in the Valencian community, with a rate of 1,501 cases per 100,000 inhabitants.