In Spain in the last 24 hours they were recorded 10,799 new coronavirus infections and 241 deaths. The death toll is the highest in what can be called the country’s “second wave”. While not all of them are for the last 24 hours and numbers have been added that were not previously counted, the progression worries, despite being far from the sad record of 950 deaths in one day.
–
The alarming data
What is happening in Spain? The country has a notable surge of new positives also compared to countries such as the USA, India, Brazil (see GRAPH 1 below). In absolute numbers the fifth fastest growing state in the world (obviously it also depends on the individual days) and in terms of new cases per capita the second after Argentina and before Brazil.
–
GRAPH 1 – new daily cases in yellow and deaths in red (Source worldometers)–
–
First wave and cases
The daily numbers of the first wave have practically been reached
(see GRAPH 2 below, with the new daily cases from February), even if they are not comparable, given that (as happens in Italy) now the tracking systems identify many more people (even asymptomatic) than before and therefore the number of the infected is closer to the true epidemiological spread of the disease.
–
GRAPH 2 – new daily cases (Source worldometers)–
–
The feared consequence
The numbers of deaths are significantly lower than the first wave, as happens in many other countries and as we see in GRAPH 3 (below). The reasons are many: greater ability to intercept the sick first and bring them (if necessary) to hospital, greater timeliness in therapy (even if there is still no specific cure), greater protection of frail people from the virus.
They are worrying, however, not only for the value of each life, but – at the level of the management of the Covid crisis -, because they highlight what is an almost inevitable consequence of the increase in the number of positives: a virus that circulates in a widespread way in the population, sooner or later also affects weak subjects, causing a consequent increase in hospitalizations and – secondly – of deaths.
–
GRAPH 3 – daily deaths since February (source worldometers)–
–
Le terapie intensive
According to data released by the Spanish Ministry of Health, 9.6% of hospital beds are currently occupied by patients with coronavirus. 16.8% per cent of ICU beds. In La Rioja they are 56.7% and in Madrid 36.3%. All the other districts exceed 10%, taking into account that the percentage calculated is not with respect to the “basic” capacity that the hospitals had before, but with respect to the extensions they have made to deal with the health emergency. The virus moved among the younger sections of the population in the summer. Then it gradually affected the other age groups, as happened in the rest of Europe. With the increase in infections in the 20-29 and 30-39 age groups, the incidence among the elderly also began to increase: with the passing of the weeks and with the constant increase in infections, all age groups are affected (we had talked about it WHO).
–
GRAPH 4 – new cases by age group (source FT-Ministry of Health Spain)–
–
Incidence for age groups
L‘evolution of the incidence rate by age group can be seen clearly in the graph above relating to Spain (GRAPH 4) and dating back to 17 September (according to data from the Spanish Ministry of Health). The cases are the new weekly ones (in relation to 100 thousand people), by age groups. Soft colors represent low incidence, dark reds represent high incidence. The most marked increase (red) in incidence begins in week 30 in the 15-29 range, but after 5 weeks all the age groups have “adapted”, fortunately with some numerical differences, but in any case the virus reached the weakest. When intensive care units become saturated, authorities have no choice but to resort to restrictions. the reason why even in Italy the Deputy Minister of Health, Pierpaolo Sileri, said he was “worried about family lunches”, because the contagion risks reaching the elderly and therefore weaker people. What happens in intensive care units, therefore, is a reflection of the progress of diagnoses. Although they are much more positive than in March – many are asymptomatic and a good number slightly symptomatic -, with the increase in cases detected, the number of people requiring hospitalization or intensive care also increases.
–
Madrid is the most affected city
Spain is running for cover, despite the protests from some sections of the population against the new restrictions and some political problems. However, the incidence in Madrid is impressive and the worst: 746.2 cases per 100,000 inhabitants in the last 14 days. The average in Spain 287.7. To make a comparison in Germany of 24.9, in Italy 32.1, in the United Kingdom 69.1 and in France 182.9 cases per 100,000 inhabitants. In Madrid there was an obvious anomaly compared to the other Communities. In many of them there were serious problems, such as in Aragon or Catalonia, but there the decisions of partial or local confinement were made very quickly because the presidents of the Community paid attention to the advisers and technical teams, writes the newspaper The country.
–
Reduced quarantine
In Madrid Daz Ayuso, president of the Community, opted for what his team called “surgery” to try to save the economy: circulation was restricted in six districts of the capital and in six cities in the Madrid region. where they registered more than 1,000 infections per 100 thousand inhabitants. It will therefore be possible to leave the house only for very specific reasons, all the premises will have to close at 22, the restaurants and hotels will work at fifty percent, while the tables will have to respect a distance of at least one and a half meters and will not be able to seat more than six people in a group at a time. The executive is now putting pressure on Daz Ayuso to agree to impose stronger measures and above all to leave key decisions in the hands of the health minister and his technicians. Despite the increase in coronavirus deaths and cases, Spain has decided to reduce the quarantine from 14 to 10 days for those who have come into close contact with an infected person. However, nothing changes for those who test positive for Covid-19: the period of isolation remains from 10 to 14 days depending on whether they are symptomatic or asymptomatic and depending on the Regions in which they are located, because in this area they can decide independently.
–
–
23 September 2020 (modified on 23 September 2020 | 12:57)
© REPRODUCTION RESERVED
– .
