MADRID, May 13 (Xinhua) -- Barcelona, Spain's second-largest city, will have to wait until at least May 25 before progressing to the second phase of the Spanish government's four-phase plan to relax the coronavirus lockdown, which has been in force the country since March 15.

Alba Verges, minister of health of Catalonia, explained at a press conference that while the region in the northeast of Spain will ask for the areas of Lerida, Girona and Central Catalonia to progress to the second phase, Barcelona and its metropolitan area are still not ready to move from "Phase 0" to "Phase 1".

Speaking on a day when Catalonia reported 71 new deaths and 136 new coronavirus cases, Vergas said the decision had been made after "taking into account territorial differences and the way people live in each area."

"The decisions are based on epidemiological risk, but also on the capacity to treat cases and the ability to monitor new cases," she added.

Roughly half of the Spanish population was able to move to "Phase 1" on May 11. In this phase, terrace bars are allowed to open at 50 percent capacity, along with shops with a floor space of under 400 square meters. Religious centers can also open their doors at 30 percent capacity, and meetings of up to ten people are also permitted.

On Wednesday, the regional government of Madrid said it would ask for the capital city to progress to "Phase 1" after the Spanish health ministry judged that it had failed to meet all the conditions required to advance on May 11.