ARCHIVED - Spain Covid update July 27: 26,000 more cases and 55 fatalities

The upward curve in the incidence rate flattens out with 55 per cent of the population of Spain fully vaccinated

The latest daily update published by the Ministry of Health on Tuesday evening at last provided concrete evidence that the spread of the fifth wave of coronavirus in Spain may be flattening out, as the 14-day incidence rate rose by just one point to 701 cases per 100,000 inhabitants.

The bulletin confirms another 26,399 cases but in the context of recent figures this represents stability rather than a worsening of the situation, and with the 7-day rate now well under half the 14-day figure at 332 it is reasonable to infer that the figures could soon start to move downwards. However, the PCR positivity rate of 16.25 per cent continues to be over epidemiological targets: WHO guidelines state that the pandemic can be viewed as being under control only when that figure falls below 5 per cent.

All of the country’s 17 regions remain well above the “extreme risk” threshold of 250, with the highest figures being reported in Catalunya (falling to 1,088), Navarra (979), the Balearics (886) and Aragón (823), while at the other end of the scale are Castilla-La Mancha (371) and Murcia (424). On the other hand, the 7-day rate is under half the 14-day figure in Aragón, Asturias, 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 Tuesday breakdown of incidence rates by age groups is as follows:

Age 0-11: 530

Age 12-19: 1,637 (down by 2 points, maximum 2,713 in Navarra)

Age 20-29: 1,859 (down by 17 points, maximum 3,276 in Navarra)

Age 30-39: 900 (falling by 9 points)

Age 40-49: 457 (stable over the last 24 hours)

Age 50-59: 330

Age 60-69: 324

Age 70-79: 181

Age 80+: 248

Hospital patients and fatalities

While the incidence rate may be stabilizing, the recent rise in contagion is now bringing about a marked increase in the strain on hospital staff and resources. At present there are 9,522 Covid patients receiving hospital treatment in Spain as opposed to 6,856 a week ago, an increase of 39 per cent, and in consequence 7.96 per cent of hospital beds are occupied by patients with positive test results.

Similarly, the number of intensive care Covid patients has risen by 37.4 per cent over the last week weekend to 1,534, accounting for 16.6 per cent of available beds, while in Catalunya that proportion remains at over 44 per cent.

At the same time, the Covid-related death toll in Spain rose by 55, taking the official Ministry total related to the virus to 81,323.

Vaccination data

Following the administration of another 358,000 doses on Monday the number of people in Spain who are fully vaccinated against coronavirus has reached 26,151,164, equivalent to 55.1 per cent of the population.

30,996,228 people have received at least one vaccine dose, equivalent to 65.3 per cent of the population.

Significant 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 15.1 per cent fully vaccinated and 39 per cent with at least one dose.

Image: @AsturSalud