Lanzarote and La Graciosa lower to Covid alert level 1

Fuerteventura rises to level 3, while the rest of the islands remain at the lowest level

December 2 2021 (15:13 WET)
Updated in December 2 2021 (19:56 WET)
A healthcare worker administers the Covid 19 vaccine
A healthcare worker administers the Covid 19 vaccine

The Ministry of Health of the Government of the Canary Islands announced this Thursday that Lanzarote and La Graciosa are lowering to alert level 1 for Covid, "given the evolution of their epidemiological indicators."

Following the Public Health report, the Ministry of Health has established that Fuerteventura rises to level 3, while the rest of the islands remain at alert level 1, identified as a "green light."

The change of level in Fuerteventura comes into effect at 00:00 on Monday, December 6, and is subject to periodic re-evaluations, even before the indicated date if necessary.

In the whole territory of the Autonomous Community, between November 23 and 29, 2,141 new cases of COVID-19 were reported, which represents an increase of around 26.2% in the daily average of new cases compared to the previous week, in which 1,696 cases were registered.

The average of the 7-day IA rate in the Canary Islands as a whole and by islands increased by around 21.2%, so that, from a daily average of 81.2 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, it rose to 98.4 cases in this last week. The largest increase is observed on the island of Fuerteventura, although in general the growing trend is maintained in the last week for this indicator. All the islands are at medium risk level, except Fuerteventura, which is at high risk level, while La Gomera and El Hierro are at low and very low risk level.

The daily average of the 14-day IA rate increases in greater or lesser proportion in all the islands and, therefore, in the Autonomous Community as a whole, and rises to high risk. Gran Canaria, Fuerteventura and Lanzarote are at high risk level; Tenerife, La Gomera and La Palma are at medium risk and El Hierro is under controlled circulation.

The evolution of the accumulated incidences responds to the general relaxation in the maintenance of non-pharmacological prevention measures (mask, physical distance, ventilation, hand washing) despite the fact that they have amply demonstrated their effectiveness. Therefore, the Ministry of Health insists on the need to maintain prevention measures to avoid risks of transmission of COVID-19: use of a mask perfectly covering the nose and mouth when indicated, especially indoors; respect for social distance; maintain cross ventilation and hand hygiene.

 

Care indicators

Regarding care indicators, the daily average of conventional hospital beds occupied during the last week by COVID-19 patients increased by 22.7% compared to the previous week, with an average of 173 beds occupied, although the percentage of occupancy is at a low risk level in the islands, except in La Palma and El Hierro, which are at very low risk.

The number of ICU beds occupied maintains the upward trend that began three weeks ago, with an average in the Autonomous Community as a whole of 35 beds occupied in the last week, an occupancy percentage of 7% and low risk. Most of the islands continue at a very low risk level in ICU bed occupancy, except Tenerife and Gran Canaria, which are at low risk and Fuerteventura, which is at high risk.

The median age of the total number of people hospitalized for COVID-19 in the last 14 days is 65 and a half years.

 

Change in indicators for risk assessment

The report also details that in the case of Tenerife and Gran Canaria, both islands are at alert level 1, since on November 23 the Public Health Commission approved the document of Indicators for risk assessment and alert levels of COVID transmission, which modifies upwards the thresholds in the indicators of block I, related to the spread of the virus in the community, and gives greater prominence to block II of indicators, related to care pressure.

In this way, although for 4 weeks both islands have experienced a constant and progressive increase in all the indicators of both blocks, especially block I, they do not exceed the thresholds established for block II in that document. Therefore, although Gran Canaria and Tenerife are the islands that would be closest to an increase in level, they do not yet meet the criteria for it and the data indicate that both can continue at alert level 1, although they point to an increase in level in the next evaluation if the upward trend of the indicators is maintained.

 

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