The downward curve in coronavirus contagion continues but ICU patient numbers remain high
The most recent coronavirus update published by the Ministry of Health on Wednesday evening reports a further 10,781 confirmed cases in the previous 24 hours, but while case numbers remain stable another 163 Covid-related deaths have been added to the toll since the pandemic first reached Spain early in 2020, taking the total to 83,690.
At the same time there are also 1,760 Covid patients in intensive care units across the country, just 9 fewer than the day before, accounting for 19.2 per cent of all available beds. In terms of hospital admissions, on the other hand, the figure dropped by over 300 to 7,657 (or 6.5 per cent of occupied beds), although the figures remain alarmingly high in Madrid and the north African enclave of Melilla.
Incidence rates
The overall 14-day cumulative incidence rate in Spain as a whole dropped below 300 for the first time since July 8, standing at 291, although it is still well over the “extreme risk” threshold of 250. The figure is now around 59 per cent lower that at the height of the fifth wave in late July, but it should also be remembered that on the same date last year it was significantly lower at the figure was far lower at 176: by late August 2020 the figures were beginning to rise again as the summer drew to a close, and despite the progress of the vaccination campaign there remain worries that the same could happen in 2021.
The 7-day rate remains under half the 14-day figure at 126 and while this state of affairs continues it can be expected that there will most likely be further decreases over the next few days.
Despite the improvement in the overall situation, only Asturias, the Canaries and the Comunidad Valenciana among Spain’s 17 regions present rates below the “extreme risk” threshold of 250, recording figures of 130, 196 and 232 respectively. The next lowest figure is in Catalunya (252), while at the other end of the scale are Extremadura (498 and still rising), the Basque Country (380) and La Rioja (375).
In terms of age groups, all sectors above the age of 40 are below the 250 threshold, while the highest rates are still reported in teenagers (609) and those aged between 20 and 29 (482).
Vaccination data
Following the administration of 374,000 doses on Tuesday, the number of people fully vaccinated against Covid-19 in Spain has reached 31,930,874, equivalent to 67.3 per cent of the population.
35,950,365 people have received at least one vaccine dose, representing 75.8 per cent of the total population.
The last group to be included in the immunization consists of teenagers, and with the return to school and university imminent the proportion in this age group to have received their first vaccine dose has now reached 63.4 per cent. However, so soon after the invitation to vaccinate was extended to teenagers relatively few of them (just 18.3 per cent) have received their second doses.
In the 20-29 age group the equivalent proportions are 71 per cent with at least one dose and 49.5 per cent fully vaccinated.
Image: Archive
Source: Murcia Today
