Spain's capital and its surrounding suburbs, the European region where a second coronavirus wave is expanding the fastest by far, are edging toward stricter curbs on people's movements and social gatherings following a political dispute that angered many Spaniards.

Health officials from Spain's central government and the Madrid region agreed on a set of health metrics late Tuesday that should dictate standardised restrictions in cities with a population of 100,000 or more. Approval of the plan was pending at a meeting of health officials from all Spanish regions later today,

The deal, outlined by Spanish Health Minister Salvador Illa, came after weeks of sour public disagreement on how to tackle uncontrolled virus clusters in Spain's capital at a time when the efficiency of the country's decentralised political system has come under scrutiny.