The covid is leaving a new increase in cases in the middle of summer, and experts predict that they will continue to rise for a few more weeks, although the vast majority are mild cases that are showing “some” in primary care, but hardly “nothing” in hospitals and even less in ICUs.
Hospital admissions for coronavirus have grown in Catalonia to 440, according to the latest update of the information system for infection surveillance in Catalonia (Sivic). This number of admitted exceeds those of the end of May, when 369 were registered, and of the end of January, with 381; the lowest level occurred the week between June 26 and July 2, with 223 hospitalized.
In this sense, according to the latest Sentinel Surveillance Report on Acute Respiratory Infections in Primary Care (ARIs) and in Hospitals (ARIS) Influenza, COVID-19 and other respiratory viruses from the Carlos III Institute, in one week the incidence of covid in primary care has increased 13 points, from 75 cases per 100,000 inhabitants to 88. At the beginning of July it was 29.
By age groups, the highest figures continue to occur in children under five, who are over 180. Meanwhile, the hospitalization rate stands at 2.04 (in the previous report it was 0.75).
According to Salvador Peiró, a specialist in preventive medicine and public health, “we have had outbreaks every summer” and “what is to be expected” is that every 5-6 months, which is when the protective effect of vaccines and natural immunity acquired after a infection begins to wane, such spikes occur.
If all this is added to the increase in mobility and social interactions typical of summer, the first of the last four that also takes place completely without a mask, “the upturns are sung.”
In any case, during the month of July the sale of antigen tests in Spanish pharmacies skyrocketed, growing by 100% compared to the month of June. In Catalonia, more than 46,000 units were sold, which means 148% more than sales at the end of the previous month, according to Eleconomista.es.
For its part, the World Health Organization (WHO) warns of a new variant of the covid virus that could spread rapidly throughout the world. It is about eris, and the organism warns that the cases are increasing and it is already the predominant one in 17% of the patients. In fact, eris already circulates in 51 countries, especially China. The first case was reported on February 17, and on July 19, the WHO designated it as a variant under surveillance.
Spain is the eleventh State on the list, with 107 cases, representing 1.5% of the total. No case has yet been registered in Catalonia. The WHO ensures that the risk it poses to public health is low, but says that its growth and characteristics may make it end up being dominant in some countries or even worldwide.
This body does not currently have any evidence that this variant is causing an increase in hospitalizations.
