Although the coronavirus cumulative incidence rate in Malaga province remains high, it has dropped by 70.6 points in the last four days, suggesting that the worst of the fifth wave is already behind us.

It has gone from a rate of 576.1 on Friday to 505.5 cases per 100,000 inhabitants in the last 14 days, this Tuesday (17 August).

The positive news has come on a day when the Junta de Andalucía’s Ministry of Health has notified five Covid-19 deaths, 761 new positive tests and 840 people who have overcome the disease in Malaga province.

The decrease in the cumulative incidence rate shows that infections, although still high, are in remission, which will give a welcome respite for health services that have been overwhelmed by the significant growth in cases since the beginning of the fifth wave on 26 June. Another indicator that shows that the pandemic situation in Malaga has improved is the fact that it is no longer the Andalusian province with the highest rate. Both Huelva (529.5) and Jaén (510.2) are above, while the average incidence rate in the region is 457.3 per 100,000 people in the last 14 days.

And, if Malaga province’s incidence rate for the last seven days is analysed, it can be seen that it now stands at 195.3, down 32.4 points compared to last Friday.

Health districts

Of the six health districts in Malaga province, the city has the highest rate (600.8 cases per 100,000 in the last 14 days), followed by Valle del Guadalhorce (499.7), La Vega (491), Costa del Sol (458.8), Serranía (370.9) and Axarquía (318). There are no municipalities with more than 5,000 inhabitants exceeding 1,000 cases per 100,000 people, so they are not in danger of the Junta de Andalucía requesting a night curfew.

The reduction in infections is also reflected in lower pressure on the healthcare system. There are 409 patients with Covid admitted to Malaga hospitals, almost 100 fewer than the 505 there were on 4 August. Some 66 coronavirus patients are receiving intensive care, 33 fewer than on 5 August, when the highest number of the fifth wave were admitted to an ICU.

In the Andalusian region, as a whole, there are 1,397 people in hospitals with an infection caused by the virus, of which 231 are in intensive care units.