The Government of the Canary Islands has agreed this Wednesday, after analyzing the evolution of the epidemiological data and at the proposal of the General Directorate of Public Health and the Ministry of Health, to raise the island of Tenerife to alert level 3 from 00.00 hours this Saturday due to the rapid increase in infections, which have grown exponentially in the last six days.
This has been reported in the press conference after the Governing Council by the Minister of Health, Blas Trujillo, who has appeared before the media accompanied by the general director of Public Health, José Juan Alemán.
The counselor indicated that Tenerife has registered in recent weeks “a continuous upward transmission, and although it has not presented an excess of progressivity, it has undergone a very important change in relation to the situation of last week.
In this sense, Blas Trujillo explained that the island of Tenerife has a Cumulative Incidence (AI) of 98.64 cases per 100,000 inhabitants at 7 days and from 170.58 to 14, figures that almost double those of the Canary Islands, with an AI of 7 days from 53.72 and from 99.08 to 14, according to today’s data.
To this must be added other indicators, such as that the prevailing variant in the entire archipelago is the British one, which has a higher level of transmission. Likewise, although the most important focus of infections is in people over 45 years of age, AI in people over 65 years of age is also a worrying indicator in Tenerife, standing at 36.49, well above the 19.08 regional average. ; However, the COVID occupation in Tenerife hospitals, for the moment, is stable and at low risk.
A “SUSTAINED AND RAPID” GROWTH.
The general director of Public Health, José Juan Alemán, pointed out that the island of Tenerife has been experiencing in the month of June some increases in the AI to 7 days that “have not been consistent” and have shown a growth “slow and discreet” . Also the average percentage of AI variation has been “quite inconsistent” until last week, varying between 7% and 25%.
However, he pointed out that the behavior of the indicators in Tenerife has shown a very significant difference in the last week, in such a way that although throughout the month all the indicators had been in a range of ‘medium risk’, even ‘low ‘, and some of’ new normal ‘, in this week the AI to 7 days has been placed in more than 75%, which supposes a’ high risk ‘. This percentage of variation of the AI also shows a significant behavior that heralds a growth in the number of “sustained” and “rapid” infections.
At the same time, the cumulative incidence at 7 and 14 days is increasing in those over 65 years of age. Although this indicator remains at ‘medium risk’, both the general director of Public Health and the Minister of Health consider that it is acting “in an anticipated way” with the decision to raise the island to level 3.
“EXTREMELY WORRYING”
José Juan Alemán stated that the situation in Tenerife is “extremely worrying” not because of the accumulated incidence, but because of the context in which it is occurring, in which there is a “real gap” between the AI of Tenerife with respect to the other islands and with other national territories. According to the CEO, this situation requires the adoption of measures commensurate with the risk that is being avoided, which is community transmission.
He added that this week other indicators have also increased that indicate that if additional measures are not taken, the number of infections will continue to grow on the island of Tenerife. One of these indicators is the positivity of diagnostic tests, which has gone from 3.8% of positive cases to 7%. In terms of traceability and the work of trackers, it is still above 70%.
In this regard, the general director clarified that the tracking system in the Canary Islands has been “one of the flagships” and has always been “at the forefront” in terms of case management, “always above 70% and 80%, Tenerife included “. In this sense, he ruled out that the increase in infections on this island is due to a weakness in the tracking system, since its situation “is due to multiple causes” that have been analyzed.
Of all the factors that may be contributing to the advance of COVID-19 in Tenerife, José Juan Alemán highlighted the dynamics that the pandemic is having in the population under 45 years of age. Thus, the island has a population under 45 years in relation to that of Gran Canaria of 48,000 people and the incidence of the coronavirus in them is becoming the “prow” of AI in the rest of the population.
MODIFICATION OF RESTRICTIONS
The restrictions at level 3 will be modified in some points to adapt to the current pandemic and vaccination reality. The main changes are related to nursing homes, playgrounds and public activity schedules. The rest of the measures continue as set for alert level 3.
The restrictions that usually affected residences for the elderly and centers for disabled people in terms of their closure and control of visits will only affect people who have not completed their vaccination schedule or the islands that, if the case arises, will enter the phase Four.
Likewise, public administrations must intensify communication campaigns that reinforce the message about the importance and validity of non-pharmacological measures in all sectors and areas of action in the Public Administration departments of the Autonomous Community, as well as in the different local administrations of the Archipelago.
In addition, the agreement requires the reinforcement of surveillance activities and controls for compliance with measures, including informational measures, by the different agents of the authority and security forces.
The agreement also eliminates the limitation of hours for activities on the islands at alert level 1. At alert level 2, the total closing hours are maintained between 00.00 and 06.00; at alert level 3, total closure between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m., and at 4, between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m.
At level 3, hotels and restaurants must be kept closed indoors and outdoors there can only be a maximum capacity of 50%, with four people per table.
In general and for all activities, priority will be given to the development of activities in outdoor spaces over indoor spaces. In addition, adequate ventilation of the interior spaces must be guaranteed during the development of the activities and between consecutive uses.
In the case of natural ventilation, cross-ventilation of the spaces will be facilitated by opening doors or windows, if possible. In the case of the use of mechanical ventilation, the ventilation rate (outside air / recirculated air) must be increased, the supply of outside air must be ensured and the indoor air recirculation function must not be used exclusively.
The gaming and betting venues will be closed on levels 3 and 4.
The municipalities may allow the use of children’s furniture, machines for practicing sports on public roads, skateboards and other similar outdoor spaces for public use, provided that the general prevention measures provided for in this Agreement are respected and extreme measures are taken. cleaning and disinfection. This type of furniture will only be sealed at alert levels 4, and not at 3, as was currently established.
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