ARCHIVED - Covid incidence rates soaring across Spain as young adults spread contagion
Unvaccinated partygoers propagate the spread of coronavirus as the summer begins
The lifting of the obligation to wear facemasks outdoors, the spread of the Delta variant and the proliferation of university end-of-year parties is proving to be an unfortunate and potentially lethal combination of factors leading to an alarming surge in the rate of Covid infection in Spain, with infection rates soaring especially among young adults, most of whom have not yet been vaccinated.
The latest data published on Friday by the Ministry of Health report a nationwide 14-day incidence rate of 152.8 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, rising back above the “high risk” threshold of 150. The figure rose by 13.8 per cent in just 24 hours, with the upward movement accounted for largely by a startling increase in the age groups of 12 to 19 and 20 to 29.
In different age groups of the national population the latest rates calculated per 100,000 of population are as follows:
Age 0-11: 86
Age 12-19: 406
Age 20-29: 450 (with figures of over 1,000 in the regions of Cantabria and Catalunya)
Age 30-39: 193
Age 40-49: 118
Age 50-59: 58
Age 60-69: 50
Age 70-79: 21
Age 80+: 26.5
It also remains the case, though, that there is a significant amount of variation in the situation among Spain’s 17 regions. According to the latest update, the highest figures are to be found in Catalunya (297) and Cantabria (242), with the former having climbed above the “extreme risk” threshold of 250, and in consequence both have been placed on the list of “high risk” travel destinations by the national government of Germany.
At the other end of the scale are Ceuta (23.7), Castilla-La Mancha (59), the Region of Murcia (68) and Galicia (72), but in these areas too the latest figures are higher than on the previous day.
With the 7-day rate standing at 101 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, it appears certain that the 14-day indicator will continue to rise in the immediate future ( the 7-day rate is 101 and the 14-day rate 152, so therefore the cases in the last 7 days have been higher than in the previous 7 days, so the rate is going up).
However, there are also some far more positive aspects included in the latest data, including the low number of Covid patients receiving hospital treatment. They now account for just 1.99 per cent of all occupied beds, while in intensive care units the equivalent figure has dropped to 6.39 per cent.
Vaccination data
The number of people to have received the full dose of immunization vaccines in Spain has risen to 18.47 million, equating to 38.9 per cent of the population (well on the way to reaching the target of 70% set by the government to achieve “herd immunity”).
The 25.95 million to have received at least one vaccine dose represent 54.7 per cent of the entire population.
The Friday evening update reports a further 765,399 vaccine doses administered, the highest figure achieved since the immunization campaign began at the end of December.