Madrid, the epicentre of an explosion of new infections in Spain, will on Friday extend partial lockdown measures to more areas to try to stem the surge in new coronavirus infections, AFP quoted officials as saying on Wednesday.

The regional government on Monday introduced mobility controls on some 850,000 people in the Madrid region — mostly in densely populated, low-income districts in the south. These neighbourhoods account for 13 per cent of the region's population of 6.6 million — but 24 per cent of virus infections.

The restrictions prevent people from entering or leaving the affected areas, except for work, education or to seek medical care, but they can move around freely within their zone.