Laurence Dollimore
ANDALUCIA has recorded its worst coronavirus figures since November after detecting 2,391 cases on Wednesday.
It is the highest daily count since November 26 and represents a significant increase from the 1,366 cases detected on Tuesday.
According to the regional health ministry, Cadiz is yet again the region with the most cases detected in the past 24 hours, clocking 482.
It was closely followed by Malaga with 409, then Sevilla with 367, Granada with 309, Cordoba with 217, Almeria with 276, Jaen with 223 and Huelva with 108.
It comes after Andalucia closed down the perimeters of eight towns in Cadiz, all of which border Gibraltar, where the more contagious UK strain was first detected on the Peninsula.
Meanwhile, a total of 18 people lost their lives to the virus in the past 24 hours, 24 fewer than yesterday.
Cadiz led the daily death toll with five, followed by Malaga and Granada, both with four, Sevilla with three and Huelva with two.
Almeria, Cordoba and Jaen counted no deaths from coronavirus on Wednesday.
In the region’s hospitals, there have been 18 more people admitted with the disease, bringing the total number to 1,072.
Of these, 201 are in intensive care units, 17 fewer than yesterday.
A total of 335 people overcame COVID-19 in Andalucia on Wednesday.
Despite increasing infection rates, Andalucia still has the third-lowest incidence rate of the virus out of the country’s 17 regions.
As of yesterday, the latest data made available, it stood at 154.73 cases per 100,000 people.
It is beaten only by the Canaries and Asturias, with rates of 130.72 and 126.91 respectively.
The national average is 296.29 cases per 100,000 people, with Extremedura, the Balearics and Madrid topping the charts, with respective rates of 638.5, 530.7 and 407.6.
The Junta de Andalucia will meet with the so-called committee of experts on January 8 to decide whether or not the current restrictions will remain in place.
It means the ability to travel between provinces and the opening of bars and restaurants in the evening are among the freedoms at stake.
