As Lanzarote and the Canaries registered large increases in new cases over recent weeks, the fear was that many of those cases would deteriorate, involving hospitalisations and deaths.
However, the amount of hospitalisations has remained fairly stable for weeks now, and the second wave on the island has seen just one death so far. Meanwhile, large numbers of patients are recovering from the virus, which has caused a considerable drop in active cases this weekend.
On Saturday, a total of 86 people were given the all-clear by health professionals, meaning that the amount of active cases on the island dropped considerably to 507, 73 fewer than Friday’s total. 13 new cases were reported.
Of the 933 cases that Lanzarote has had since the beginning of the pandemic, 420 (45%) have recovered from the virus, while well over half (53%) are currently in quarantine at their homes because they are not suffering from severe symptoms.
Fewer than 1% are currently in the Dr José Molina Orosa Hospital, two of them in Intensive Care, and 0.75% (7) have died (according to the Canarian Health Council’s figures. Lanzarote’s Cabildo reports 12 in hospital and zero in Intensive Care).
Over the coming weeks, it’s likely that many more of these mild or asymptomatic cases will test negative and be given an alta (medical discharge). But it’s also possible that more new cases will be detected as health authorities carry out screening programmes in Arrecife.
Screening of children is scheduled to be carried out in Arrecife schools using the “pooling” method. This involves testing samples taken from around 20 subjects at the same time. If the result is negative, all members of the group are deemed to be free of Covid; if the test is positive, individual tests on group members are conducted.
Restrictions extended
As Lanzarote continues with an infection rate of over 100 people per 100,000 in the last seven days, the Canarian Government has extended current restrictions for another two weeks, until 26th September. The restrictions – which include the closure of bars and restaurants at midnight, a ban on gatherings of more than 10 people and the shutting of day centres – also apply to Gran Canaria.
