Spain is starting to experience the seventh wave of the coronavirus. The current virus is significantly different from the original, according to the Madrid deputy health minister. “It’s a different disease, so we can talk about COVID-22,” said Antonio Zapatero, the regional deputy minister of health.
- In Spain, the numbers talking about coronavirus-related infections and hospitalization are rising again
- According to the regional deputy minister of health, we are currently dealing with a different disease than the original COVID-19
- In Spain, there are more and more voices to return to wearing masks indoors
- More information can be found on the Onet homepage
No longer COVID-19, but COVID-22
– The current covid is a disease caused by other viruses, caused by mutations different from the original – these are variants of the Omicron BA.4 and BA.5. Their transmission is very high – said Zapatero, the regional deputy minister of health from Madrid responsible for the so-called Covid plan in an interview with the specialist online journal of the health sector “Redaccion Medica”.
He named the current disease COVID-22 to distinguish it from previous years.
Experts consulted by the daily talk about a quiet seventh wave of the coronavirus in Spain – lighter than the previous ones, but whose symptoms can be intense. Symptoms of the new Omikron variants are fainting, hypotension, cough, fever, headache and muscle pain. There is a small but growing number of hospitalizations in the country.
Seventh Wave in Spain
The latest data published by the Ministry of Health in Madrid on the epidemiological situation show that the incidence is increasing especially among people over 59 (841 cases), and the occupancy rate in hospitals is 7,79%. Deaths dropped to 3,9 percent.
According to Zapatero, the incidence of the current variant of the virus can be up to ten times higher than officially known. “Thanks to vaccine protection, most cases are asymptomatic,” he said. – Research is being carried out on new vaccines that are very effective from an immunological point of view. The pandemic as we know it has probably ended, but the coronavirus remained with us, he stressed.
In Spain, official data on infections are provided twice a week: on Tuesdays and Fridays. Data from July 1 says about 28 thousand. 48 infections and 69 deaths. On June 28, these numbers were respectively 13 thousand. 53 and 26. Last Friday (June 24), the health ministry informed about 22 thousand. 728 illnesses and 65 deaths.
At the end of last week, the Spanish Health Minister Carolina Darias – in the face of rising numbers of sickness and hospitalization – called on the Spaniards to be cautious and recommended a return to wearing masks indoors. She also called on those who have not yet taken a booster dose to do so as soon as possible, as this is the best protection against severe disease. Soon, a decision is also made to give seniors a fourth dose of the vaccine.
Madrid’s vice president, Enrique Ossorio, also spoke about the return to wearing masks. In his opinion, this step should be taken by people susceptible to infections, those with reduced immunity, and pregnant women.
According to ECDC data, 87% of the vaccine was taken by one dose of the vaccine. Spaniards. After two doses, it is 78,9 percent. citizens of this country, and the third received 53,6 percent.
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