Covid-19 indicators have skyrocketed in Spain and are increasing day by day. The situation has reached the point that the Spanish state has become the new European epicentre of the pandemic. In fact, according to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), more than four out of every ten cases of new infection in Europe between June 21st and July 5th had their origin in Spain.
The map published by the European agency is based on the 14-day cumulative incidence - one of the key parameters used to show the comparative evolution of the pandemic, as it indicates the number of new cases notified in the last 14 days per 100,000 inhabitants - as well as on the positivity rate of virus detection tests carried out.
And the statistics show that Spain has registered 101,824 of the 238,855 cases declared between these dates across the 30 countries of Europe surveyed - the 27 EU member states plus Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein. The map shows most of Spain's territory in red, indicating an incidence between 200 and 499 cases per 100,000 people (or alternatively 75 to 200 cases, but accompanied by a higher positivity rate of Covid screening tests, 4% or above).
The graph is based on data reported by the 30 countries last Tuesday night. With the latest data, Spain is still in this range, given that yesterday it registered a rate of 277.9 cases per 100,000 inhabitants.
The highest European incidence, in Cyprus
In fact, there are two countries on the map which surpass Spain in 14-day cumulative incidence: Cyprus, at the south-eastern extreme of the map, in dark red to indicate a cumulative incidence of above 500 cases per 100,000 people. The Mediterranean island nation recorded 581.7 cases per 100,000 inhabitants. However, having a much smaller absolute population, it recorded only 5,100 new cases between the dates of the study.
Next on the list is Portugal - in red, like Spain - with a cumulative incidence of 248 and 25,500 new infections in the period.
The best data
Countries shown in orange notified fewer than 50 cases per 100,000 people with a test positivity rate of 4% or more; or 50-75 cases per 100,000 people with a rate of 1%; or 75-200 cases cases per 100,000 people with a rate of less than 4%.
Finally, the green countries - most countries in Europe - are those that have registered an incidence of less than 50 cases per 100,000 with a positivity rate of 1-4%, or fewer than 75 cases with a rate of less than 1%.
Young people, the most worrying data in Spain
The main reason for the high overall levels in the indicators from Spain is the very high infection rates among the younger population. The age group with the highest incidence throughout the Spanish state is the 20 to 29 year-old cohort, which has registered 911.23 cases per 100,000 people in the 14 days studied.
In Spain, members of this age group have had little access to vaccination to protect themselves against the virus, as only a few autonomous communities have opened vaccinations for them. Among them, Catalonia which hurriedly began vaccine jabs for the young at the end of June, but nevertheless has record incidence in this age range, with 2,165.95 cases per 100,000 people.
In contrast, the incidence is very low in older age groups. For example, in the over-80s, only 40 cases per 100,000 people have been recorded.
Main image, map showing 14-day new Covid case notification rate, crossed with the rate of positive Covid detection tests, updated July 8th, 2021 / ECDC