Lanzarote and La Graciosa rise to alert level 2 due to the evolution of their epidemiological indicators, as decided by the Ministry of Health of the Government of the Canary Islands. The rest of the islands continue for another week at the alert level they had: Fuerteventura at level 2 and Gran Canaria, Tenerife, La Palma, La Gomera and El Hierro at level 1, identified with the “green light”.
Lanzarote's level change comes into effect at 00.00 hours on Monday, November 22, and is subject to periodic re-evaluations, even before the indicated date if necessary.
The report details that in Lanzarote in the last two weeks there has been a significant increase in the IA7d, which increases by 93% between November 9 and 15, being less than 6 points from high risk. This increase is even more marked in the population aged 65 and over, which increases the IA7d by 150% in that age group in the last two weeks.
With regard to healthcare occupancy, the impact of the increase in incidence on healthcare pressure indicators is not yet apparent, but it is expected to manifest itself from next week, given that severe cases take an average of 14 days from the onset of symptoms to hospital admission. Since the island is in a situation of high transmission risk, due to a sudden worsening of the epidemiological situation, it was proposed to raise the alert level to 2.
Archipelago
In the Autonomous Community as a whole, between November 9 and 15, 1,125 new cases of COVID-19 were reported, which represents an increase of around 23.4% in the daily average of new cases compared to the previous week, in which 912 cases were registered.
The average IA rate at 7 days in the Canary Islands as a whole and by islands increased by around 60.6%, so that, from a daily average of 31.2 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, it went to 50.1 cases in this last week. The largest increase is observed on the island of Lanzarote and all the islands are at medium risk level, except Fuerteventura which is at high risk level and La Palma which remains at low level.
The daily average of the IA rate at 14 days has increased to a greater or lesser extent in all the islands, so the Autonomous Community as a whole remains at medium risk, except Fuerteventura which is at high risk, and El Hierro and La Palma which are at low and very low level, respectively.
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 more than demonstrated their effectiveness. Therefore, the Ministry of Health insists on the need to maintain prevention measures to avoid risks of COVID-19 transmission.
Healthcare indicators
Regarding healthcare indicators, the daily average of conventional hospital beds occupied during the last week by COVID-19 patients increased by 19.3% compared to the previous week, with an average of 105 beds occupied, although the percentage of occupancy is at a low risk level in all the islands, except in Lanzarote and La Gomera, which are at very low risk.
The number of ICU beds occupied maintains the upward trend that began last week, with a total of 28 occupied last week, although most of the islands are at very low risk, except Tenerife and Gran Canaria, which are at low risk.
The median age of all people hospitalized for COVID-19 in the last 14 days is 65 and a half years.
50% of the people admitted to critical units diagnosed during the last 2 weeks had not received the full vaccination schedule and 52.8% of the people admitted for COVID and diagnosed in the last 14 days had no previous pathologies, this percentage increases in unvaccinated patients in whom 70.2% had no other known pathologies.
Accumulated incidence in unvaccinated people
The accumulated incidence rate of COVID-19 cases in the last week is 2.7 times higher in the population that has not received any dose of vaccine compared to the rate in the population that has received the full schedule.
Situation in Gran Canaria and Tenerife
The report also indicates that Gran Canaria and Tenerife continue at alert level 1, although in the last two weeks there has been an increase in the average number of cases and there is also an upward trend in the accumulated incidence at seven days, although in both islands this indicator remains at medium risk level. In addition, occupancy continues its upward trend in the last week in both islands. Therefore, the data indicate that they can continue at alert level 1, but point to an increase in level in the next evaluation if the upward trend of the indicators continues.
