Catalonia reports 359 deaths and 28,600 new cases in just seven days

The rate of contagion drops and hospitalizations stagnate, but Salut calls for caution

Ara
2 min
L'UCI de l'Hospital del Mar durant la pandèmia del covid-19.

BarcelonaThe increased spread of the coronavirus translates, days later, into increased hospital admissions and, also, increased fatalities. Now the second wave begins to show its toughest data, and in just seven days Catalonia has reported 28,600 cases (confirmed by PCR or antigen test) and 359 deaths related to the virus. For example, on Friday, funeral homes reported 69 deaths throughout the country, when until now between 30 and 40 deaths per day were reported. In total, covid has caused 14,274 deaths, according to data published daily by the health department.

Care homes, one of the areas that the health authorities are most concerned about due to the aggressiveness of the virus and the elderly's vulnerability, are also beginning to suffer. In just one week 84 elderly people have lost their lives, many of them due to outbreaks declared in care homes - last week there were 48. One example is the outbreak at the municipal home for the elderly in Ribes de Freser (Ripollès), where seven residents have lost their lives. Or the two deaths attributable to an outbreak at the Minipark care home in Pineda de Mar (Maresme).

Hospitalisations also continue to test the health system: there are 2,671 patients admitted and 490 patients in intensive care units (ICU). Although patients continue to arrive, it seems there are fewer serious or semi-critical patients: on Monday there were 160 new hospitalisations and 18 critical patients, while on Tuesday only 16 admissions in conventional beds and 9 in intensive care beds were reported. The data invites optimism, but the health authorities remains cautious.

The indicator that does improve is the rate of spread, or R number, which continues to decline: it has gone from a rate of infection of 1.63 to 1.02. Therefore, if two weeks ago every 100 infections generated 163 more, now they generate a 102. Thus, Catalonia is witnessing a certain slowdown in the pandemic, as was anticipated yesterday by the Department of Health. Effective Potential Growth also decreased, after reaching a peak in the week of October 16 (with 1,036 points), and is already at about 785 points.

Rate of contagion or R number

Measures the speed of reproduction of the virus in the last 7 days

Although the restrictions now begin to take effect (10 days later), the cumulative incidence offers the picture of 14 days ago. Thus the diagnoses per 100,000 inhabitants continue to climb; currently, 804 infections are detected. In fact, only between 17 and 30 October, 523,005 diagnostic tests have been made in Catalonia, of which 11.8% were positive.

stats