The number of new coronavirus infections continues to skyrocket in Malaga province. This Tuesday (27 July) some 1,594 positives have been reported, the highest number in Andalucía by far, and the incidence rate continues to climb.

Malaga city (1,006.1), Marbella (1,041.8) and Estepona 1,073.6) have already exceeded 1,000 infections per 100,000 inhabitants in the last 14 days. If these figures do not drop, the Junta de Andalucía could request a curfew in the three municipalities between two and seven in the morning. The measure, if requested, must be authorised by Andalucía’s Supreme Court (TSJA).

Any introduction of a night-time lockdown would be serious blow to the image of a major tourist area in the middle of high season.

In addition to the cumulative incidence rate of the last 14 days, experts will have to assess other factors including the occupancy rates of hospital beds and intensive care units, the percentage of positivity of PCR tests and the vaccination coverage. Malaga is the currently the Andalusian province with the most Covid patients in hospital, the one with the most patients in an ICU and, at the same time, the one with the lowest percentage of the population vaccinated in Andalucía.

Health districts

The rise in the number of infections has coincided with an increase in deaths when it was confirmed that six people have lost their lives to coronavirus in Malaga province in the last day bringing the death toll for the month to 35.

The incidence rate for the province, as a whole, stands at 855.2. The health district with the highest rate is Malaga (976.3), followed by the Costa del Sol (883.2), Guadalhorce Valley (897.4), Serranía (885.5), La Vega (644.1) and Axarquía (576). All six present a rate higher than the Andalusian average (536.1).