VIRUS UPDATE: Xàbia infection spread drops to lowest rate since mid-May

Tuesday 22nd 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 11 days. The number of cases detected in the past 14 days has reduced to just a single case, 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 3.57 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, the lowest since May 16th and town remains in the ‘New Normal’ category. 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 27 new positive cases detected in the past 14 days whilst the total number of positive cases since the pandemic began has been confirmed as 10,176 since the last update, a rise of 12; Calpe 6, Pedreguer 3 and one each in Benissa, Gata de Gorgos and Pego. The region’s 14-day IA rate has dropped to 15.82 cases per 100,000 inhabitants – the lowest since March 24th – 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 three municipalities are in the ‘Low Risk’ category: Orba (44.80), Calp (42.87), Pego (29.61) and Benissa (26.58). 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 92.46 cases per 100,000 inhabitants – it has been consistently falling since April 27th – and the country remains in the ‘Medium Risk’ category. The rate has dropped by 19.82% in the past two weeks, whilst the Positivity Rate, the measure of how many coronavirus tests return positive, is 4.15%; 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 inhabitants. Andalucia leads the way (173.53) and is currently the only region at the ‘High Risk’ level. The autonomous city Ceuta (15.44) is the region with the lowest rate of infection in the whole country and is the only area in the ‘New Normal’ category. Four regions remain in the ‘Low Risk’ zone: Murcia (49.63), Comunidad Valenciana (42.41), Baleares (40.97) and Galicia (40.09). Of particular note is the fact that the infection rate in Canarias has risen by 39% in the past two weeks.

The newspaper El País has reported that the delta strain of coronavirus is not yet officially considered a “variant of concern” in Spain, accounting for less than 1% of new cases in the country. However, experts believe that the variant will be the dominant strain in Spain in less than a month. Early information has concluded that although it causes more hospitalizations, the delta variant is not more lethal, although studies in the UK have found that vaccines are less effective against it when only one shot has been administered. With the UK having prioritized first dose jabs, this could be why the delta variant has been more prevalent in the country.

Vaccination (21.06.21)

Spain has administered 36,357,745 doses of vaccine, which is 92.6% of those which it has already received. A total of 14,431,683 people have completed the recommended course, which is 34.3% of the total of the population which is to be vaccinated (40,129,822).

According to the latest data provided by the health authorities, 80,2% of people aged 40 and over in Spain have received at least one dose, with 44.9% having completed the recommended course.

The Comunidad Valenciana has administered 3,607,658 doses of vaccine, which is 89.6% of the total which it has received. A total of 1,396,630 people have completed the recommended course, which 32.5% of the population which is to be vaccinated (4,289,305).

According to the latest data provided by the health authorities, 76.0% of people aged 40 and over in the Comunidad Valenciana have received at least one dose, with 42.6% having completed the recommended course.

LINKS

• Actualización nº 401. Enfermedad por el coronavirus (COVID-19). 21.06.2021
• GIV COVID-19 Gestión integral de la vacunación COVID-19
• COVID-19 C. Valenciana: Monitoratge de la situació