Spain surpasses 700 daily infection cases per 100,000 individuals, establishing a new pandemic high for daily infections
Spain is currently grappling with a resurgence of COVID-19 cases, as the sixth wave of the pandemic sweeps across the country. Here's a look at the current situation in some of the most affected regions.
The Basque Country and Navarra
In the Basque Country and Navarra, septuagenarians are at high risk, and the 14-day incidence rate is alarmingly high. The Basque Country reported 2,711 new cases in the last 24 hours, while Navarra recorded 921 new cases. Both regions are awaiting decisions from the forum for potential individual measures.
Madrid
Madrid's regional leader, Isabel Díaz Ayuso, acknowledges the presence of the omicron variant in homes and its increased contagiousness. Despite this, she has ruled out expanding restrictions, advocating for a health policy without restrictions. Madrid reported 9,518 cases in the last 24 hours, its highest figure since the start of the pandemic. The global incidence in Madrid exceeds 800 cases per 100,000 inhabitants.
Catalonia
Catalonia, with the highest number of infections in this sixth wave, has agreed on restrictions, including a curfew, limit on gatherings, and capacity reductions in certain places. Catalonia's President, Pere Aragonès, urges other autonomous communities to adopt similar measures.
Valencian Community
In the Valencian Community, COVID-19 cases have doubled in a week, reaching 117.4 cases per 100,000 people, the highest in a year. Hospital rates have also increased from 0.6 to 1.9 per 100,000 people.
Andalucía
The incidence rate in Andalucía was 25.2 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, with a new variant (XFG) circulating. Despite an increase, the rates remain low compared to previous seasons.
National Overview
At a national level, the 14-day incidence rate stands at 432.85, while the current positivity rate is 13.9%. The national rate of acute respiratory infections in primary care is 250.9 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, with a slight increase but still below epidemic thresholds.
ICU Occupancy
The ICUs of the four communities (Basque Country, Navarra, Madrid, and Catalonia) are around 20% occupied. It's important to note that specific data on ICU occupancy for each region was not available in the search results.
Moving Forward
The Public Health Commission has decided that infected individuals with the omicron variant will no longer have to quarantine. There is no consensus among the most affected regions on how to tackle the pandemic resurgence during the Christmas holidays. The autonomous governments will meet tomorrow at the Conference of Presidents to decide on new measures. Spain's Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez, has summoned autonomous presidents for a discussion on potential pandemic restrictions.
For the most accurate and up-to-date information specific to the Basque Country, Navarra, Madrid, and Catalonia, it would be best to consult local health authorities or official public health reports.
The current situation in the Basque Country and Navarra is dire, with septuagenarians at high risk and alarmingly high 14-day incidence rates. Meanwhile, in the realm of health-and-wellness, the average age group most affected by this resurgence appears to be the elderly. In Catalonia, the average number of infections has reached the highest in this sixth wave, leading to the agreement on restrictions, including a curfew and capacity reductions. This suggests that average citizens in Catalonia are taking the pandemic more seriously, possibly due to the increased threat to health-and-wellness.
