Laurence Dollimore
ANDALUCIA has recorded 5,104 cases of coronavirus by PCR and antibody tests in the past 24 hours.
It is the second day in a row that the southernmost region has counted more than 5,000 cases in its daily intake.
Yesterday saw a record of 5,202 cases detected.
Meanwhile, according to the Andalucia Institute of Statistics and Cartography (ACEI), there have been 39 deaths in the region over the past 24 hours.
Sevilla has reclaimed the top spot in terms of daily cases, clocking 1,496 on Friday, the highest any province in Andalucia has counted over a 24 hour period since the pandemic began.
It is followed by Granada which counted 1,063, Jaen 743, Cordoba 554, Malaga 497, Cadiz 295, Almeria 229 and Huelva 227.
Meanwhile the hospital pressure continues to mount with 126 coronavirus patients being added to Andalucia health centres over the past 24 hours, with 29 being added to ICUs.
It means the total number of hospitalised patients stands at 2,471, of which 325 are in ICUs.
At the peak of the pandemic on March 30, there were 2,709 patients, with 438 in ICUs.
The region now has an incidence rate of the virus of 423 cases per 100,000 inhabitants.
The Spanish average is currently 452.
COVID-20A.EU1 is the virus that affects around 80% of Spain currently. It would explain the higher infection rate here and throughout Europe, especially over the summer period when lockdowns were eased (big mistake). Lockdowns will slow the virus a bit, but alas the virus really beat us on day #1. In the UK, when Boris Johnson first met with SAGE, you can bet your money that they told him that there was no way to beat the virus and that it had to take its course. Herd immunity was therefore always part of the governments plan, albeit in the sense that they could not defeat the virus. Vaccines may help but mutation is the biggest issue. If COVID mutates as much as HIV then the world is at massive risk. So far, the slow mutation of COVID has been its weakest aspect. Fingers crossed.