No Covid deaths for two days, 3 million residents fully vaccinated, but cases still surge

The Covid-19 situation in Catalonia is intensifying in various aspects. 

For starters, Saturday’s update on the latest figures showed over 5,000 cases confirmed for the third straight day, levels not seen since the heights of the second wave last October. 

Saturday saw 5,379 newly confirmed cases in Catalonia, leaving the total since the pandemic began at 726,544.

This has led to the outbreak risk increasing from 79 on June 18, to 438 by July 2, the most recent date for which data is available. In tandem, the transmission rate has jumped from a low of 0.74 on May 18, to 2.07 in the latest update. 

The outbreak risk is considered to be low at 30, moderate at 70, high at 100 and very high at 200. It is calculated using an iEPG index - found by multiplying the average spread of the virus over the past seven days by the cumulative incidence over the past two weeks. 

This figure is the average number of other patients each Covid-19 positive case will transmit the virus to. 

However, so far at least, these surging figures are not translating into significantly increased hospitalizations or patients requiring intensive care. 

These two key pandemic indicators have remained stable largely due to the fact that the vaccination rollout plan has already protected the most vulnerable of the population, and the recent spike in cases are largely among younger demographics. In response to this, the vaccination scheme was opened up to all people over the age of 16 this week. 

There are currently 473 people hospitalized with Covid-19 in Catalonia, down from over 1,000 in the first half of May. 

Equally, the number of patients requiring intensive care has also remained stable. There are currently 120 people in ICUs with the coronavirus as of July 2, whereas a month earlier on June 2 there were 231, and a month before that on May 2 there were 479. 

The vaccine rollout strategy has now seen more than three million Catalan residents fully immunized against Covid-19. 

As of July 2, 2021, 4,276,019 residents have been given the first dose of the vaccine, 54.5% of the total population. Out of those, 2,757,739 have also been administered a second dose (35.2% of the total population).

3,063,751 residents are considered to be fully immunized (39%). Under 65s who have already had the virus are only required to have the first dose, and others have received a single-dose jab. Therefore, the % of two doses administered and % fully immunized do not match.