Covid-19 cases keep rising in Spain, currently experiencing its third wave. According to the latest report from the Ministry of Health the highest number of cases have been recorded since the onset of the pandemic: 41,576 new cases and the transmission rate reached astounding figures, 736.23 cases for every 100,000 inhabitants in the last 14 days -21 points above yesterday’s figures-. “It is a very high transmission rate” warned Salvador Illa, the Spanish Health Minister.
Today another 464 deaths were registered. This brings the death toll in the last seven days to 1, 146. The total number of deaths due to Covid-19 rose to 54,637.
New cases in the last 30 days
What regions are most affected?
The situation is worsening all over Spain. However, some regions are more badly hit than others. Extremadura, according to today’s figures, has reached a transmission rate of 1,425.29 cases for every 100,000 inhabitants, in the last 14 days.
Overall, Valencia is still the region with the highest number of Covid-19 deaths in Spain; in the last 7 days 285 deaths were recorded there. Nonetheless, by now, other regions, such as Andalusia which registered 166 deaths, have come close to the 200-death mark for the first time.
Pressure rises on hospitals: ICUs at 35%
As the number of cases continues to rise, the pressure on hospitals will inevitably increase. Currently the ICUs occupancy rate is 35% throughout Spain, and according to the Ministry of Health it will rise in the coming days.
The situation, however, is especially serious in some regions. In fact, seven autonomous communities are above the average occupancy rate, with Valencia also at the forefront. Over 55% of all available ICU beds are already taken up by the region’s Covid-19 patient, as well as 38% of the remaining hospital beds. In Catalonia, the ICUs are close to a 50% occupancy rate (47.29% today).
The concern about the situation in hospitals and the rise in the number of cases is shared by all governments, as stated by Salvador Illa. However, the Interterritorial Council has not reached an agreement to implement new measures, such as bringing the time of the curfew forward. " Already very drastic measures have been taken in all regions," argued the Minister of Health, who urged people to wait to see how restrictions have affected each region. However, he warned that “there are still hard days ahead”.