“We cannot let our guard down”
Health councillor reports small decrease in cases – but warns against complacency
THE NUMBER of active cases of Covid- 19 is still coming down in the region – but Valencia’s health chief Ana Barceló has warned against complacency as the figures continue to rise around the country.
The health councillor said this week: “We cannot let our guard down.
“We have made an enormous effort as a society but if people start to forget to follow the norms then we could have a situation in which we have to take decisions that people will not like.
“For that reason, I call on everyone to act responsibly.”
On Tuesday Sra Barceló reported that there were 5,569 active coronavirus cases in the region compared to 5,639 six days earlier.
She noted that 589 patients had tested positive on Tuesday and 638 had made recoveries.
Giving a provincial breakdown, Sra Barceló stated that 98 of the positive tests were in Castellón, 197 in Alicante and 294 in Valencia.
However, the number of people being treated in hospital has risen – with 424 reported on Tuesday compared with 389 six days earlier.
Of these 56 are in Castellón, 123 in Alicante ( down by six) and 245 in Valencia.
Despite this, fewer patients are being treated in intensive care wards – 64 compared to 71 ( and four fewer in Alicante).
A total of 31 people have died of Covid- 19 in the last six days in Valencia region, taking the overall total since to pandemic began to 1,674.
Small flare- ups were reported on Tuesday in Elda ( seven cases – social origin); Dénia ( three cases – workplace origin); Elche ( four cases – school); and Pilar de la Horadada ( five cases – social origin).
Sra Barceló noted that they are dealing with a serious outbreak at Valencia polytechnic university linked to a party – and a total of 168 students have tested positive.
Local figures
In the south of Alicante province figures are continuing to rise in Elche up from 328 last week to 350 on Tuesday.
Orihuela has seen an increase of six to 99; Torrevieja is up by seven to 57; and Rojales remains the same on six.
In the Marina Alta, Dénia continues to make progress, plummeting from 75 to just
27. All the patients in Beniarbeig, Benidoleig, the Vall de Laguar, Orba, Parcent, Pego, and Jalón have now recovered, leaving these towns virus- free.
Ondara, Calpe and El Verger are now down to three each, from 13, six and eight last week respectively, whilst Pedreguer and Benissa, with three each a week ago, are now down to one and two and Jávea’s 14 is down to
12. There has been a rise in Gata de Gorgos from six to eight in a week.
L’Atzúvia and Els Poblets, with one case each, Benitatxell with two and Teulada with eight remain unchanged.
In La Safor, Gandía’s progress has slowed – a week ago, numbers had shrunk from 84 to 53, but this week, 49 were still active in the town.
In Oliva last week’s 14 has risen to 23.
Murcia region has a total of 8,451 active cases, with 376 in hospital and 78 patients in intensive care.
Most cases are in Murcia city, Lorca, Cartagena and Totana.