Cristina Hodgson
ANDALUCIA has seen record highs of COVID-19 cases during the month of August.
Primary Care throughout Spain’s southernmost region has registered an eight-fold increase in the number of infections recorded in August compared to the previous month.
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At the end of June there were 1.2 cases of coronavirus per 100,000 inhabitants, this rose to 16 cases per 100,000 inhabitants in July and has shot up to 96.6 cases per 100,000 Andalucians in August.
The figure is however below the national average of 183 cases per 100,000 inhabitants.
Last Friday, the maximum number of infections confirmed by PCR in Andalucia was 909, a record high.
At the peak of the pandemic on March 30, the Ministry of Health confirmed 723 cases.
The major difference between the dates is that despite exceeding historical maximums, current hospital pressure remains low.
In March there were 2,708 patients admitted to hospitals, of which more than 400 occupied ICU beds, last Friday the Andalucia Health Service had registered 392 hospitalisations with 54 in ICU.
In March, daily admissions were over 200, in August the highest figure reached, last Thursday, was 63 hospitalisations.
The numbers are a reflection that the asymptomatic positives have increased and the average age of those affected has decreased during this period.
Health authorities blame the recent increase of positive cases in Andalucia on the fact that the region was the first tourist destination in August and that most cases were generated before the restrictions on nightlife were applied.
Despite the low hospital admissions, experts warn that the following months will continue to see a rise in numbers as people return to work and the school year starts.
Respiratory pathologies typical of autumn will also put pressure on the health system.
