The Andalusian Health minister, Jesús Aguirre, said on Thursday that the authority was “very worried” about the increase in the Covid-19 infection rate in the region.

Positive PCR test results have “doubled” in the last two weeks, he said, revealing that the authority is prepared to lock down specific zones or districts to contain the spread of the virus. This would be done when the origin of new cases cannot be traced, when it is considered that there is “community transmission” and when the positive tests are “out of control”.

“When we don’t know who has infected who, we’ll automatically close off the district for as long as necessary,” said Aguirre, stating that permission would be sought from the judicial authorities to be able to bring in the restrictions.

He also pointed out that 56% of cases of infection took place at parties and family get-togethers.

In Andalucía gatherings of more than ten people would not be banned as they have been in the Basque Country, Aguirre added, but this would remain a recommendation.

New case figures

Aguirre’s words came just after Thursday’s official Covid-19 cases figures for Andalucía were reported: 586 new positive PCR tests in the previous 24 hours, once again the greatest increase since April. This confirms the trend of the last week, with day-on-day figures being around the 500 mark.

Numbers for the province of Malaga and the Costa del Sol were slightly more optimistic on Thursday, when 143 new cases were reported in the previous 24 hours. This is 40 cases fewer than those reported on Wednesday, the first fall in a week since the daily figures first hit the 100 mark.

Hospitalisation numbers also seemed to have stabilised in Malaga province on Thursday when two more patients with Covid were admitted (there were six on Wednesday) taking the total in Malaga province to 59. A more worrying figure is the three patients who were moved to intensive care on Thursday, taking the number in ICUs from four to seven.