Covid: Spain hit by fourth wave of infections

THE fourth wave of the Covid-19 pandemic is taking hold across most of Spain as nearly 10,500 new cases and a further 131 death were reported on Wednesday.

The 14-day cumulative number of coronavirus cases has risen to 201 per 100,000 across the country – yet rates continue to fall in Valencia, Murcia, Galicia, the Balearic Islands, and the Canary Islands, where the epidemic remains under stricter control.

Health minister Carolina Darias admitted: “We have been seeing a rising trend, a slow but continuous rate of growth.”

Currently, Navarre has the worst infection rate on the mainland. Using the same benchmark scale, it stands at more than 433 – and is only behind the north African enclaves of Ceula and Melilla, which are both at 522 cases per 100,000 – while Madrid stands at 347 and the Basque Country at 345.

At the other end of the scale, Valencia stands at just under 35 infections per 100,000 people, Murcia at 65.6, the Balearics at 59, and Galicia at 77. Despite the good data, these regions have maintained stricter measures to combat the spread of covid.

Darias wants all regions to continue with health restrictions aimed at reducing the incidence of the pandemic to below 50 cases per 100,000 residents across the whole country.

And despite the fall in numbers of hospital patients, she remained “concerned” about pressure on the health service as one in five patients in intensive care is occupied by a coronavirus patient.

Jack Troughton

Jack Troughton is a professional journalist and broadcaster living on the Costa Blanca.