VIRUS UPDATE: Xàbia goes green for the first time in a month

Friday 18th June 2021 – Compiled by MIKE SMITH

The total number of positive coronavirus cases detected by PCR test in Xàbia remains at 1,507, according to the latest update from the regional health ministry, meaning that no new cases have been reported in a week. The number of cases detected in the past 14 days has reduced to 7, which means that the municipality’s 14-day IA rate, a measure of the speed at which the virus moves through the population, has also dropped to to 24.99 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, which means that the town has dropped back into the ‘New Normal’ category for the first time since the middle of May. There have been no new deaths in Xàbia since late March and the number for remains at 12.

In the Marina Alta region, there have been 28 new positive cases detected in the past 14 days whilst the total number of positive cases since the pandemic began has been confirmed as 10,165 since the last update, a rise of 8; Calpe 3, Pego, 2 and one each in Benissa, Orba and Pedreguer. The region’s 14-day IA rate has dropped to 16.41 cases per 100,000 inhabitants and the region remains in the ‘New Normal’ category and can boast one of the lowest infection spread rates in the Comunidad Valenciana. There have been no new deaths since the last update and the region’s toll remains 203.

Pedreguer (63.44) is the only municipality in the Marina Alta at the ‘Medium Risk’ level whilst two municipalities are in the ‘Low Risk’ category: Orba (44.80) and Benissa (44.29). The rest of the municipalities in the region are at the ‘New Normal’ level, with 24 of them showing no infection spread over the last 14 days.

Spain

Spain’s 14-day IA rate is 96.64 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, the lowest it has been since August last year, and the country remains in the ‘Medium Risk’ category. The rate has dropped by 18.30% in the past two weeks, whilst the Positivity Rate, the measure of how many coronavirus tests return positive, is 4.28%; a value of 5% or less indicates that transmission of the virus is more or less under control.

Across Spain, all autonomous regions and cities are now below the 200 mark for cases per 100,000. Andalucia leads the way (177.39) and it is joined only by La Rioja (155.25) at the ‘High Risk’ level. Ceuta (36.82) is the region with the lowest rate of infection in the whole country with the Comunidad Valenciana (39.53) just above. Both regions continue at the ‘Low Risk’ level along witht he Baleares (40.03), Galicia (40.45),  and Murcia (48.30). In general, across the region, infection spread has dropped by 19%; only Ceuta, Canarias and the Comunidad Valenciana currently its rates above those of two weeks ago.

The newspaper El País has reported that Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez is confident that the mandatory wearing of face masks outside will be lifted soon now that the country’s vaccination campaign has reached what he called “cruising speed”. The objective is for 70% of the population to be fully immunized by the end of the summer. Many health experts has been calling for an end of the wearing of masks outdoor for some time, claiming that there is little evidence that their use is effective when there are no crowds.

The newspaper El País has reported that the European Commission has approved Spain’s 69.5 billion euro coronavirus recovery and resilience plan and will receive 37 billion euros over the next 18 months. EC president Ursula von der Leyen said that “his plan will deeply transform Spain’s economy, make it greener, more digital, more resilient.”

Vaccination (18.06.21)

Spain has administered 34,845,346 doses of vaccine, which is 92.7% of those which it has already received. A total of 13,641,091 people have completed the recommended course, which is 34.0% of the total of the population which is to be vaccinated (40,129,822).

According to the latest data provided by the health authorities, 92.5% of people aged 50 and over in Spain have received at least one dose, with 60.2% having completed the recommended course.

The Comunidad Valenciana has administered 3,844,220 doses of vaccine, which is 90.9% of the total which it has received. A total of 1,364,147 people have completed the recommended course, which 32.0% of the population which is to be vaccinated (4,289,305).

According to the latest data provided by the health authorities, 91.4% of people aged 50 and over in the Comunidad Valenciana have received at least one dose, with 59.2% having completed the recommended course.

The newspaper El País has reported that the Spanish Public Health Commission has ruled out opening up the vaccine campaign – for now – and is opting to continue with descending age group. The over-40s are currently being called up for their shots and the Ministry of Health has reported that almost 46% of the population have had at least one dose of vaccine.

LINKS

• Actualización nº 399. Enfermedad por el coronavirus (COVID-19). 17.06.2021
• GIV COVID-19 Gestión integral de la vacunación COVID-19
• COVID-19 C. Valenciana: Monitoratge de la situació