MADRID – Spain is getting the corona pandemic under control. This is apparent from one of the most important indicators – the corona incidence. On Wednesday, it fell below 100 cases per 100,000 population for the first time since August 2020.
One of the best indicators to see how the corona situation is in a country over a longer period of time is by measuring the corona incidence. On Wednesday, the Ministry of Health reported there has been an average of 98.78 corona cases per 100,000 inhabitants in the past 14 days.
Big contrast in corona incidence from the last corona wave in Spain
With this figure, Spain officially falls under an ‘average risk’. There is a low risk when the corona incidence falls below 50. This is in stark contrast to the end of January 2021, during the highest corona wave in Spain. At that time, 899.93 cases per 100,000 inhabitants were reported. In mid-August 2020, the corona situation – in terms of incidence – was the same as it is now.
Differences between Spanish regions
However, the state of health is not the same everywhere in Spain. Andalucia and La Rioja are the only regions in Spain that averaged more than 150 cases per 100,000 in the past 14 days. As a result, these regions still fall under ‘high risk’.
In Murcia, Galicia, Balearic Islands, Valencia and Ceuta, the situation is very different: these regions report on average less than 50 cases per 100,000 inhabitants and therefore these areas are classified as ‘low-risk’.
Decreasing number of infections and hospital admissions in Spain
With the decreasing number of infections, Spain is also showing less hospitalisations and deaths. On Monday, an average of 3,832 people tested positive in Spain. A week ago that figure was 4,427. This week, an average of 337 people have been hospitalised with a corona infection, which is 15% less than a week ago.
Average IC occupancy in Spain now officially falls under ‘low risk’
The IC departments are also receiving less corona related admissions in Spain. The average ICU occupancy of corona patients does not exceed 10% nationally. Only in Madrid is there still a high risk because the IC occupancy in this region exceeds this percentage.
The Basque Country, La Rioja and Aragon left this level of risk on Monday. They managed to get the IC occupation below this limit. In Cantabria, Valencia, Extremadura, Galicia and Murcia, there is no longer even a risk indication. In these areas corona patients take up less than 5% of the IC capacity.
Almost half of the Spanish population received at least one shot
The successful vaccination campaign in Spain appears to be one of the main factors in the success. On Wednesday evening, Health Minister, Carolina Darias reported 46.5% of the population has had at least one shot. Furthermore, 28% have now been fully vaccinated against Covid-19.
