Date Published: 03/09/2020
ARCHIVED - Cases creeping up again in Mazarrón; health centre put on red alert
ARCHIVED ARTICLE Fuente Álamo is also a centre on red alert
Cartagena health area alerts:
Red: Centros de Salud de Fuente Álamo, Barrio Peral, San Antón and Mazarrón
Orange: Centros de Salud de Cartagena Este, Pozo Estrecho, Cartagena Oeste, Los Dolores, La Unión, Casco Antiguo, Puerto de Mazarrón and Mar Menor.
Although the Mazarrón municipality has overcome the major outbreak which pushed its figures up to worrying levels, cases have come down significantly as the outbreak related to a fruit processing plant is brought under control.
However, there are still cases in the municipality in general, and these are quietly rising, as are cases in many other municipalities of the region.
The health centres in Mazarrón come under the control of the Cartagena area health zone, Area 2 which has decided to move the health centre in Mazarrón town up to red level.
As of 2nd September, Mazarrón had reported 31 cases in the last 7 days and 45 in the last 2 weeks, so there is a clear indication that case numbers are rising again, although at the moment the municipality only has an IA* accumulated incidence rate of 96 for the last 7 days, (rate per 100,000 of population) unlike Fuente Álamo which is in the same bracket and has an IA rate of 458.
What this means in practical terms is that the resources of the health centre are being dedicated to trying to combat Covid and attempts are being made not to use resource for anything else unless it’s absolutely necesary.
When a centre is on red level, only telephonic appointments are available with the doctor unless there is an emergency situation. In the case that a presencial appointment is given, the patient is first assessed by a care worker before seeing a doctor in order to protect medical professionals and make sure the time of the doctor is being well spent.
A triage system also operates, so that patients arriving with respiratory symptoms are treated in a separate circuit from other patients, helping to isolate potential risk patients.
Patients attending Orange alert centres must request appointments in advance and telephone consultations are undertaken wherever possible.
As normal, continue to follow the health advice given to wear masks, wash hands and maintain social distancing and above all, be aware. There are more cases of covid now in the region than at any time during lockdown, yet we’ve all relaxed and dropped our guard, so be careful.
If you do think you are suffering from covid, call 900 12 12 12 or 112, do NOT go down to the health centre; you will be given an appointment to go for a test. Self isolate and do not go out until called back with an appointment.