NO LOCKDOWN FOR VALENCIA REGION
Situation is currently ‘under control but not satisfactory’
VALENCIA president Ximo Puig would ask for a state of emergency declaration for parts of the region ‘if it was necessary’.
This was the Valencia government’s reaction on Wednesday to the revelation by PM Pedro Sánchez that regions could apply for this procedure ‘in all of or part of their territory’ if their request was based on ‘clear and well-founded health reasons’.
Sr Puig stated that the Covid-19 ‘situation’ in the region is not satisfactory but it is ‘under control’ so there is currently no cause to ask for the measure.
He added: “If it is necessary to guarantee the health of the Valencian people, then we will take the steps that are needed.
“That could be a state of emergency to set up selective confinement or to limit mobility.”
The measure would have to be approved in the national parliament and so far this week only Madrid and Cataluña have indicated that they are considering the move. Sr Puig said the measure would give legal cover to limit basic rights of residents if they needed to introduce confinement in some areas.
Currently Valencia is the worst hit province in the region, although figures are on the rise in Alicante province.
VALENCIA region health workers diagnosed 1,601 new cases of coronavirus in two days this week – the highest numbers since the start of the pandemic.
On Tuesday councillor for health Ana Barceló reported 772 cases in the previous 24 hours, with Wednesday’s figure reaching 829.
Sra Barceló noted that Wednesday’s number was produced after carrying out 9,403 PCR tests during the previous 24 hours.
She added that 40% of people being diagnosed with Covid-19 were asymptomatic.
Valencia province is bearing the brunt of the surge with 469 positives reported on Tuesday and 520 on Wednesday.
Alicante province recorded 209 and 220 respectively on the two days.
In the region there are now 4,825 active cases – up from 3,263 on Wednesday, August 19 (the figure stood at 299 on July 15).
A total of 13 people have died from Covid-19 in the last week in the Valencia region, with the death toll since the pandemic started now reaching 1,503.
Sr Barceló stated: “A sustained growth in cases is occurring as we have a greater capacity to detect infected people.
“This is helping us to have greater capacity to halt contagion as is shown by the number of asymptomatic cases which are being detected.”
Hospital cases
A total of 335 coronavirus patients are now being treated in hospitals in the Valencia region – an increase of 108 in the previous seven days.
Of these, 39 are in intensive care wards – an increase of six on last week.
In Alicante province 89 people are being treated in hospital, with 14 in intensive care.
The health authority has reported cases in 37 residential care homes around the region and one death this week.
Flare-ups
On Tuesday and Wednesday the health authority reported a number of flare-ups in Alicante province.
The largest of these outbreaks was recorded in Pilar de la Horadada, where 21 people were diagnosed with Covid-19 after catching the virus through a local bar.
Commenting on the case, Pilar mayor José María Pérez Sánchez stated that ‘the majority of the customers who tested positive are residents of Murcia region’.
He noted that all of the people affected have been traced and are following the instructions of the authorities.
Sr Pérez added that the council has not been told the name of the establishment.
He stated that there was not a high incidence of Covid-19 in Pilar but residents should not let their guard down and should continue following the guidelines.
A flare-up was also reported on Tuesday in Torrevieja, where nine people tested positive – with the outbreak also linked to local bars/nightlife.
Outbreaks were recorded in Benidorm on Tuesday and Wednesday – the first being of social origin with five cases and the second connected to a place of work with four cases.
Also on Tuesday flare-ups of social origin were reported in Benilloba (five cases) and Alcoy (five cases).
On Wednesday in Alicante province small outbreaks were reported in Dénia (seven cases – workplace); Hondón de las Nieves (seven cases – social origin); and Orihuela (six cases – social origin).
PCR tests over the last 14 days identified 107 cases in Dénia, 74 in Benidorm, 17 in Jávea, 130 in Elche, 64 in Orihuela, 78 in Torrevieja and five in Rojales.
In La Safor (Valencia) new diagnoses largely remained stable this week, except for a rise in Oliva and Gandia.
The nine new cases in Oliva are all of 'social origin', according to health authorities.
Sra Barceló highlighted the effectiveness of their track and trace system, which is successfully bringing these new cases to light.
However, she urged people to follow the regulations to prevent the situation from worsening.