COVID-19

Jet2 has suspended all holidays to Alicante and Malaga airports until February 2021. Leading British tour operator Jet2 said 'uncertainty' due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic forced the move. Flights to the Algarve, Portugal, are also suspended from 1st November to 10th February 2021. Please see the below link for more info: https://twitter.com/jet2tweets/status/1315668296377741312/photo/1

This story has been updated. Click here. The Health Ministry wants to clarify the four different alert levels – including the numbers that define them – as well as recommending emergency measures. The system will still leave lockdown powers devolved to regional governments. Spanish daily EL PAÍS has seen a draft of the system – the four tiers are low, moderate, high and extreme. Under the plans, five regions will […]

For more international health news, listen to Jeremy Kenton's Medical Minutes show between 3pm-4pm every Thursday on BayRadio. People with blood type O may be at less risk of serious COVID-19 complications, according to two studies published Wednesday. A Danish study found that among 7,422 people who tested positive for COVID-19, only 38.4% were blood type O – despite 41.7% of the population having this blood type. By contrast, 44.4% […]

The Canary Islands have over-taken the Valencian Community as the region with the lowest COVID-19 caseload in Spain. The Valencian Community's 25-day streak with Spain's lowest COVID-19 caseload has come to an end. The Valencian Community's Accumulated Incidence (AI) dropped to 44.11 over a 7-day period on 17th September – and remained the lowest in Spain until last weekend. (Accumulated Incidence measures cases per 100,000 inhabitants in a particular area […]

Cases of intoxication by hand-sanitising gel have rocketed this year alongside the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic in Spain. The Spanish National Toxicological and Forensic Institute (INTCF) said intoxications from gels are at 874 so far this year. This number is a 900% increase on all reported cases of 2019, some 90 cases. Children, especially toddlers, accounted for nearly two-thirds of the cases. Concretely, 585 cases were in children, with 368 younger […]

Cataluña in the latest region in Spain to introduce lockdown restrictions following a spike in COVID-19 cases. Cataluña's health authorities have announced the closure of all bars and restaurants for 15 days. Shopping Centres will have capacities reduced drastically to just 30%, while gyms can operate at 50% capacity. The Catalan government today announced university classes must be conducted remotely while sporting events are suspended for the 15 days. The […]

Tourist accommodation on the Costa Blanca enjoyed 70% occupancy over the October long-weekend – the best figures since end of lockdown. The annual 'puente' long weekend in October has brought Spain's Costa Blanca the best occupancy statistics since the start of lockdown. Campsites filled up to 82% of capacity from 9–12 October while hotels showed 71% occupancy. In Benidorm, tourists filled 41% of available beds. These are the best figures […]

At least 5 seriously ill COVID-19 patients at hospitals and clinics in Alicante have been cured with the blood of those already recovered. Antibodies in the blood plasma of Spaniards who have recovered from coronavirus are being used to treat their seriously-ill compatriots across the province. The Sant Joan hospital – just off the N-332 driving south to Alicante city – was the first of 10 health centres to begin […]

London Heathrow Airport will this week begin trialling quarantine-free international flights to New York and Hong Kong. Passengers on United Airlines and Cathay Pacific flights have been given a new app that provides a certified negative COVID-19 test result. The app – called CommonPass – will function as a valid 'passport' for anyone who has recently tested negative for coronavirus. Non-profit trust Commons Project Foundation, part of the World Economic […]