ARCHIVED - Sunday 5th April: figures for Murcia provide grounds for optimism

Covid-19 case numbers in the Region appear to be reaching a plateau

While the latest figures relating to the spread of the coronavirus throughout Spain on Sunday provided tentative indications that the pandemic may be being brought under control, the figures in Murcia showed that another nine deaths had been recorded, bringing the total so far to 68.

Once again a large proportion of the fatalities are reported to have concerned former residents of the Caser home for the elderly in Santo Ángel, a few kilometres outside the city of Murcia: this was also the case on Saturday, when eight deaths were reported in the Region, and to date approximately 20 of the deceased are known to have been residents of just this one facility. In this context Manuel Villegas, the minister for Health in the Murcia government, stated during his daily briefing on Sunday that various residents of homes for the elderly are in “very delicate condition”, while at the same time recognizing that the overall data do suggest that a plateau is being reached in the spread of the virus.

Examples of this include the encouraging news that the number of patients currently in intensive care fell from 58 to 53 on Sunday, while the number receiving treatment in hospital rose only slightly from 290 to 298. This means that the resources of the regional health service, while still stretched to the limit, are not being called upon to cover as many more cases as was the case a week ago, and at the same time the Sunday data show that the number of patients given the call clear rose by 26 to 156.

Meanwhile, only 24 new cases were reported on Sunday, and of the 1,259 in the Region of Murcia so far 1,035 are still active.

However, Manuel Villegas is quick to point out that Murcia is still vulnerable to Covid-19, and that the health service has enough facemasks in stock to last for only another week. For this reason, assuming that the 20,000 rapid coronavirus testing kits acquired by the regional government are found to be effective, medical and health professionals will be prioritized when they come into use.

In addition, with Easter Week now under way (although celebrations and processions have been cancelled) he warns against any complacency regarding the lockdown restrictions, which it has now been confirmed will remain in place until at least 26^th April.

Remember: LOCKDOWN MEANS LOCKDOWN. STAY AT HOME. STAY SAFE AND DO YOUR BIT TO REDUCE THE SPREAD OF CORONAVIRUS.