The incidence is close to 2,000 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, although the situation in hospitals remains stable
All municipalities in the Region of Murcia are already at a very high risk level due to the explosion of infections, according to the latest update from the Ministry of Health. The cumulative incidence over fourteen days is close to 2,000 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, and everything indicates that this threshold will be exceeded. It is a figure that breaks all the records seen so far in the pandemic. The peak of the third wave, last winter, was about 1,500 positives per 100,000.
The number of infected has grown by 6,000 in a week, to stand at 19,552, and the incidence increases another 60%. With these data on the table, the Minister of Health, Juan José Pedreño, recalled this Monday that we are facing a “worrying situation.” The virus has been transmitted at an unusual speed in Christmas celebrations: 57% of infections have occurred in the family environment, and another 27% in social gatherings.
During the past week 31 people died from the virus, compared to 18 deaths from the previous week
However, since day 1 the progression of the sixth wave has slowed down, although everything indicates that it is a mirage as a result of the lower number of tests on holidays. Thus, Health yesterday notified 949 positives corresponding to Sunday, a figure very far from the more than 3,000 cases detected daily before New Year’s Eve. It will be from today when you can see how the situation evolves. Pedreño defended that “the measures adopted in December – closure of non-essential activity at 1:00 – are taking effect”, since the Region of Murcia has fallen below the national average in incidence.
Measurements are maintained
These restrictions will remain in effect for one more week. Although all municipalities are at level 4 (very high risk), the regional alert level is 3 (high risk). This is due to the fact that the virus has not yet collapsed hospitals thanks to vaccines, although the pressure is already very important in intensive care units. 353 people remain hospitalized for Covid, of which 78 are in the ICU, according to data provided by Health. These figures represent a slight decrease compared to Wednesday of last week, when there were 368 hospitalized.
However, the saturation is complete in Primary Care, with a flood of infections unprecedented so far. Madrid and Catalonia have introduced changes in the protocols to approve the positives of antigen tests acquired in pharmacies, without the need for a confirmatory test. In the Region of Murcia there are currently no traffic jams in conducting tests and PCR, Pedreño said yesterday. The counselor stressed that Primary has been reinforced with Covid equipment, and 116 military trackers are gradually being incorporated.
Pedreño defends that the restrictions “are taking effect”, since the Region is below the average in infections
Omicron hides behind the dizzying acceleration of the sixth wave. Health estimates that more than 50% of the cases detected in the Region already correspond to this new variant. The spokesperson for the Covid Monitoring Committee, Jaime Pérez, stressed that Ómicron “is progressively replacing the rest of the variants” that, nevertheless, “continue to circulate.”
Scientists around the world are analyzing the extent to which Omicron produces a lower proportion of severe cases than Delta. The progression of hospitalizations and deaths in the coming weeks will shed light on this.
Health notified this Monday two new deaths from Covid in the Region. They are two men aged 61 and 71 from the Cartagena area. In the last week, 31 people in the Region have lost their lives due to the virus, compared to 18 the previous week.
The Ministry continues to support vaccination. Last week 5,100 first doses were administered in mobile units, although there are still some 80,000 people who have not wanted to protect themselves against the virus. The Region has received another 30,000 pediatric doses for children ages 5 to 11.
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