ARCHIVED - Coronavirus alert upgraded in Spain with 12 confirmed cases

Update at 12:58. The number of confirmed cases has now risen to 15.

On Thursday morning the health service of the Comunidad Valenciana announced that a second case of coronavirus has been confirmed in the region, this time in the city of Valencia, bringing the total of patients in isolated care in hospital throughout Spain to 12 as the epidemic shows signs of mushrooming in this country.

By lunchtime the number of infected had risen to 15 with two new confirmed cases in Madrid and another in Valencia.

This follows the upgrading of the coronavirus alert on Wednesday to “moderate” after the first known case of a patient having contracted the virus within Spanish territory came to light in Sevilla during the day. The patient in the capital of Andalucía is a 62-year-old man who was admitted to hospital a few days ago with pneumonia, and who underwent coronavirus tests after all other likely causes of the infection had been discounted. He is reported to be progressing “reasonably well” in the Virgen del Rocío hospital, but the fact that he contracted the virus in Spain has led to speculation that the number of cases in Spain could soar over the next ten days or so as those who are carrying the virus begin to develop symptoms and to transmit it to others.

Meanwhile, all of the other cases reported since the weekend are almost certain to have originated while patients were visiting northern Italy.

With the latest case in Valencia there are currently 12 patients in hospital following positive coronavirus tests: 4 in Tenerife, 1 in La Gomera (also in the Canary Islands), 2 in Madrid, 2 in Barcelona, and 1 each in Valencia, Castellón and Sevilla. Two others who tested positive a few weeks ago have already made full recoveries after receiving treatment in La Gomera and Palma de Mallorca.

There are, however, still hopes that the spread of the virus can be contained in Spain. No efforts is being spared in re-tracing the steps of all of those diagnosed in order to test, and if necessary to isolate, people with whom they have been in contact, and the reaction to the recent cases in Tenerife is an example as around 1,000 holidaymakers and staff remain isolated in the Costa Adeje Palace hotel. Within the hotel 37 Italian nationals are under especially intensive observation, among them eight people who shared transport with the first man to show symptoms as he travelled to the hotel from the airport.

However, it is reported that the authorities in the Canaries are already weighing up the option of allowing 106 of those in quarantine to leave the premises on the grounds that they did not check in until this Monday, making it impossible for them to have come into contact with that first patient.

Meanwhile, 33 people who were in contact with the young Italian woman who has been admitted to hospital in Barcelona have been confined to their homes, while in the Comunidad Valenciana efforts are being made to trace the football fans who travelled to the match between Atalanta and Valencia in northern Italy on 19^th March.

Image: Hospital Virgen del Rocío, Google Street View

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