Madrid Infection Rate Peaks But No Mardi Gras This Year
The Madrid regional health minister, Enrique Ruiz Escudero, has announced new 19 Basic Health Zones (ZBS) in the capital and 5 regional municipalities who have infection rates of over 1,000 cases of coronavirus per 100,000 inhabitants.
In a separate announcement, the regional government cultural department announced that the planned Mardi Gras street events including the Masked Ball at the Ciruclo Bellas Artes are cancelled.
The announcements comes as the central government’s figures show that the third wave appears to have peaked in the region with Madrid registering 5,938 new infections yesterday. Thursday, 28th January, compared with 7,274 infections registered the same day the previous week.
The number of regional Covid-related deaths is also down with 63 fatalities compared yesterday to 78 the previous day.
The figures nationally also indicate the peak has been reached with last week’s record-high 44,357 new coronavirus cases down to 34,899.
It is also time this year that the national incidence rate has fallen: the 14-day cumulative number of cases per 100,000 inhabitants now stands at 890, down from 900 on Wednesday.
In Madrid there there are currently 71 basic health areas in the capital and 30 more in muncipalities in some form of lockdown, representing 30% of the total population with many where the cumulative rate exceeds 1,000 cases per 100,000 inhabitants.
However, the regional government have also announced some improvement with Barajas, Hortaleza, Fuencarral-El Pardo, Las Rozas and las Matas being taken off the list from Monday 1st February.