COVID-19: Spain counts 31,400 infections over weekend

By Alyssa McMurtry

OVIEDO, Spain (AA) - Spain’s Health Ministry reported a total of almost 670,500 coronavirus infections on Monday – a jump of more than 31,400 since data was last reported on Friday.

Despite a patchwork of measures aimed at curbing COVID-19, the virus shows no sign of retreat. During the same period last week, confirmed infections surged by 27,400 – around 15% less than this weekend.

In consequence, doctors are seeing an influx of COVID-19 patients. On Friday, these patients occupied 8.7% of all the hospital beds in Spain, but on Monday they now occupied 9.5% of all beds.

In the capital Madrid, where nearly 50,000 infections have been diagnosed in two weeks, 25% of all hospital beds are being used to treat COVID-19 patients.

On Monday, Madrid Premier Isabel Ayuso held a meeting with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez to address the worrying situation.

Sanchez said he supported Ayuso’s new measures and they agreed to create a working group to address the problem.

Still, on Monday Catalan President Quim Torra advised locals to avoid travel to Madrid.

Controversial new measures took effect in the capital on Monday that limit movement in and out of some of the city’s worst-hit areas while reducing capacity in places like bars and concert halls.

Schools and businesses remain open, while parks have been closed.

On Sunday night, an opera performance was halted in Madrid’s Royal Theater because audience members began protesting a lack of social distancing.

Since Friday, another 168 people in Spain were confirmed to have lost their lives to the pandemic.