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Date Published: 24/01/2023

Drop in Covid infections and other respiratory illnesses eases hospital pressure in Murcia

Murcia hospitals are almost out of the woods, with previously stressed emergency rooms seeing far fewer cases of flu and Covid

The incidence of respiratory infections is decreasing in the Region of Murcia, which is translating into less pressure on hospitals. The relief is noticeable both in the emergency services and on the ward, according to data collected in different hospital centres.

During the past week, 913 cases of acute respiratory infections per 100,000 inhabitants were recorded in the Region, according to the latest epidemiological surveillance report of the Regional Ministry of Health, a decrease of 15% compared to the previous week.

There is also a further decrease in influenza, by 36%, leaving the incidence at 41 cases per 100,000. Bronchitis and bronchiolitis are also down by 20%. The transmission of respiratory infections is reduced in all age groups except in children under 15 years of age.

Enrique Bernal, Head of Infectious Diseases at Murcia’s Reina Sofía hospital, said, “The situation has improved quite a lot; cases are clearly decreasing” but also warns that it is “a time of uncertainty” due to the cold snap that may bring more respiratory diseases to the general population.

However, the forecasts of a new pandemic wave in January, which would come after the decline in the flu numbers, have not yet come to pass and, barring a major new super-variant that would be able to bypass the immune system of people who are already infected or vaccinated, it is not foreseeable that there will be waves of the magnitude of those recorded in the worst moments of the pandemic.

Coronavirus infections

The Region of Murcia has registered a total of 228 cases of coronavirus in the latest update, a decrease on the 413 infections recorded a week ago.

This brings the overall number of infections since the beginning of the pandemic to 464,490.

Of the total cases, 91,265 have been diagnosed in people over the age of 60, which is 226 more than in last week’s report.

Cumulative incidence rate

The 14-day cumulative rate has registered another significant drop this week, falling from 125.59 infections per 100,000 inhabitants to 74.99. Crucially, the corresponding 7-day figure has also dropped once again to 26.22 cases, underscoring the dramatic improvement in the direction of the development of the pandemic.

Hospitalisations and fatalities

After dropping slightly last week, hospital pressure has once again eased off with 32 patients currently admitted for Covid (a decrease of 25 since last week), 3 of whom are being treated for more serious symptoms in the Region’s ICU (one less).

Unfortunately, six more Covid-related fatalities have been registered, twice as many as last week and bringing the overall death toll in the Region since the start of the health crisis to 2,511.

Covid testing

The Region of Murcia has carried out 3,267,704 PCR and antigen coronavirus detection tests.

Vaccination data

According to Spanish Ministry of Health data, 94% of the population of the Murcia Region over the age of 12 has had a least one dose. In addition, 93.60% of people are now double jabbed.

Data at a glance from Monday January 23:

Total of positive cases to date: 464,490

Total positives diagnosed in over 60s: 91,265

Hospitalisations FOR Covid: 32

Patients in intensive care FOR Covid: 3

Total fatalities to date: 2,511

Antigen/PCR tests carried out: 3,267,704

Image: Wadim/Wikimedia commons

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