ARCHIVED - Spain Covid update July 26: 61,000 cases and 47 deaths over the weekend

The rate of infection in Spain is close to matching the third wave peak in late January

Optimism that the fifth wave of Covid infection in Spain might be nearing its peak was tempered on Monday evening by the publication of the latest update from the Ministry of Health, in which a further 61,625 cases are confirmed over the weekend, taking the total since early 2020 to over 4.34 million.

The 14-day incidence rate now stands at 700.1 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, an increase of 3.4 per cent since Friday, and were it to continue rising in this way the third wave peak of 899 on January 28 would be matched in a little over another week. In late June the figure had fallen to only just over 100, but the decision to make facemasks optional rather than obligatory outdoors, the lifting of other restrictions and the spread of the Delta variant have led to a steady increase over the last two months.

All of the country’s 17 regions remain well above the “extreme risk” threshold of 250, with the highest figures being reported in Catalunya (1,145), Navarra (1,002), Castilla y León (825) and Aragón (830), while at the other end of the scale are Castilla-La Mancha (344) and Murcia (419). Nonetheless there are again signs that the rate is reaching a peak in certain regions, as the 7-day rate is under half the 14-day figure in Andalucía, Aragón, Catalunya, the Balearics, Asturias, Castilla y León, Castilla-La Mancha, Navarra and the Comunidad Valenciana.

The majority of the newly reported cases continue to be in teenagers and young adults who have not been fully vaccinated against Covid-19, and the latest breakdown of incidence rates by age groups  per 100,000 of population is as follows:

Age 0-11: 515.5

Age 12-19: 1,639 (maximum 2,685 in Navarra)

Age 20-29: 1,876 (maximum 3,445 in Navarra)

Age 30-39: 908 (maximum 1,617 in Catalunya)

Age 40-49: 457

Age 50-59: 322

Age 60-69: 317

Age 70-79: 174

Age 80+: 238

Hospital patients and fatalities

While the latest surge in new Covid cases has had less effect on the burden faced by health services than previous waves, the rise in contagion is now bringing about a marked increase in the strain on hospital staff and resources due to the general rise in cases. At present there are 9,384 Covid patients receiving hospital treatment in Spain as opposed to 7,955 a week ago, an increase of 18 per cent in just three days, and in consequence 7.85 per cent of hospital beds are occupied by patients with positive test results.

Similarly, the number of intensive care Covid patients rose by 15.3 per cent over the weekend to 1,490, accounting for 16.2 per cent of available beds, while in Catalunya that proportion has reached a very worrying 44.1 per cent.

At the same time the Covid-related death toll in Spain rose by 47, taking the official Ministry total related to the virus to 81,268.

Vaccination data

Following the administration of another 810,000 doses over the weekend the number of people in Spain who are fully vaccinated against coronavirus has reached 25,944,318, equivalent to 54.7 per cent of the population.

30,827,932 people have received at least one vaccine dose, equivalent to 65 per cent of the population.

Encouragingly, progress is now being made in the age group with most cases being reported – those between 20 and 29. In this group the equivalent proportions are up to 14.9 per cent fully vaccinated and 37.5 per cent with at least one dose.