Covid cases spike in Valencia region
Number of coronavirus patients in hospitals shoots up
THE NUMBER of active cases of Covid- 19 in the Valencia region has risen sharply in the last six days.
Last Wednesday ( December 16) the department for health recorded 12,872 cases, which had risen to 16,797 in Tuesday’s report. On Tuesday councillor for health Ana Barceló noted that 2,421 new cases of the virus had come to light in the previous 24 hours, with 641 patients making complete recoveries.
Valencia province is continuing to drive the increase, with 1,505 cases reported on Tuesday, as well as 616 in Alicante and 300 in Castellón.
The spike in cases has had a knock- on effect for hospitals and admissions of coronavirus patients have shot up.
On Tuesday Sra Barceló reported that 1,405 people were being treated compared with 1,161 six days earlier.
Most of these are in Valencia province ( 928), with 353 in Alicante ( up by 47) and 124 in Castellón. The number of patients being treated in intensive care units has gone up from 222 to 231. On Tuesday the regional health department reported 34 deaths from Covid- 19 in the previous 24 hours.
Sra Barceló reported that 2,772 patients have died of Covid- 19 in the Valencia region, with 337 of them passing away in the last two weeks.
Marina Baixa
Rosa Cereceda, director of Villajoyosa’s Marina Baixa hospital gave a TV interview on
December 19, where she warned that the hospital resources were beginning to be stretched. There were daily admittances of seriously affected Covid- 19 patients and nine ICU beds were occupied.
Sra Cereceda placed the blame on Black Friday and the December bank holiday, as cases shot up seven days later.
Since giving the interview, Covid figures for the Marina Baixa area have shot up to 250 new positives in one week and 18 ICU beds are now occupied, with another six being prepared. A complete ward of the hospital is dedicated to 40 Covid patients and another one is being opened to prepare for a new influx. Holidays have been cancelled for medical staff, and non- Covid hospital procedures have been cancelled.
Local figures
On Tuesday the regional health department reported 83 small outbreaks – with nine in Castellón province, 26 in Alicante province and 48 in Valencia province.
In Alicante these were in Catral ( seven cases – social origin); Almoradí ( seven cases – social origin); Jávea ( eight cases – school origin); Callosa de Segura ( 12 cases – social origin); Bigastro ( eight cases – workplace origin); Callosa d’En Sarrià ( six cases – social origin); Villajoyosa ( 15 cases – social origin); Castalla ( 11 cases – school origin); Dolores ( nine cases – social origin); Orihuela ( 13 cases – social origin); Gata de Gorgos ( five cases – social origin); Cocentaina ( six cases – social origin); Callosa de Segura ( five cases – social origin); Elche ( five cases – social origin); Elche ( six cases – social origin); Aspe ( five cases – social origin); Aspe ( three cases – workplace origin); Almoradí ( eight cases – social origin); Rafal ( four cases – social origin); Callosa de Segura ( five cases – social origin); Villajoyosa ( five cases – social origin); San Miguel de Salinas ( three cases – social origin); Elche ( three cases – social origin); Elche ( four cases – social origin); and Denia ( four cases – workplace origin).