Laurence Dollimore
SPAIN’S second wave of COVID-19 could already be stabilising, health leaders have said.
It comes as figures released by the Ministry of Health today saw a record 10,764 cases registered, 4,137 of which were diagnosed in the past 24 hours, also an all-time record.
But according to head of health emergencies Fernando Simon, the peak could be around the corner.
“We have the feeling that the ascent phase is softening,” Simon told press today.
“Spain remains with similar figures, but it seems to be stabilising with some areas seeing a decline… half the provinces are stabilised or in a declining phase.”
Most importantly, added Simon, the worst hit areas, such as Catalunya, Navarra, the Basque Country and Aragon are all showing ‘clear signs of a decrease in incidence.’
Meanwhile, added the epidemiologist, the impact of cases in healthcare systems is becoming less and less.
“The number of mild cases is increasing a lot because we are doing a lot of screening,” he said, “Spain is the country, along with Germany, with the lowest fatality rate in Europe with only 0.6%.”
While Simon is optimistic, there have still been 766 new outbreaks in the past week, up from 589 on the week before.
Madrid continues to be embattled by the virus, with signs of stabilisation potentially set to be mired by a delay in registering cases.
In the past 24 hours, the region accounted for 37% of the new cases in the country.
And while the national health system is coping, there were 2,132 admissions in the past week, a new record in the ‘new normal’ era.
The 171 additions to intensive care units also set a new post-lockdown record.
