More Freedom in Spain’s Madrid but Positives for Coronavirus in Hospitals Skyrocket

By Tony Winterburn • Published: 22 Aug 2020 • 9:21

Nightclubs remain open as positives for coronavirus in Madrid hospitals continue to skyrocket.

One in five tests carried out in large centres returns a positive result. The Community in Madrid has now asked the residents of the most affected areas to stay at home. “One in five, 20%, tests now done in large hospitals is positive when just two weeks ago it was 18.8%, a 1.2% rise ”, explains a senior health official who requests anonymity. At the Hospital Clínico, between eight in the morning on Thursday and the same time on Friday, 591 PCRs were performed, of which 111 —18.8% – were positive. These figures include both patients who came to the emergency room with symptoms compatible with the coronavirus and samples sent from primary care health centres.

Businesses across the community have reported steady growth in revenues in recent weeks, however, it seems that the financial gain has had a detrimental effect on the health of the population and the contagion is spreading rapidly again.

A judge in Madrid recently became the ‘peoples champion’ as he annulled what many thoughts were draconian measures of confinement as the federal government wanted a ban on smoking in streets and the closure of all nightlife bars and clubs. Over 2,500 protesters staged a rally last week to express their anger and resentment of the measures, a protestor who attended the event is still in intensive care in Madrid after becoming ill shortly after the protest ended.

“We are worried” – Antonio Zapatero.

A spokesman for the Ministry of Health admits that the increase “registered in some areas” of the Community can already be described as a “second wave“, although he did argue that the regional government “is monitoring the evolution of cases in each health area of Madrid and it has a team of 560 trackers and public health technicians “to contain the outbreaks.

The Community of Madrid, which accounts for a third of the new infections in Spain, is also studying imposing new restrictions back on to the hospitality industry. “We are worried”, summarized Antonio Zapatero.