03 April – Ibiza Covid19 Update

Covid19 figures for Ibiza & Formentera on 02/04/20 were as follows:

101 cases in total
44 in hospitals being monitored
17 in hospitals in intensive care
32 under surveillance at home
5 discharged
3 deceased

In addition to these 93 ‘active cases’ (92 cases in Ibiza and 1 in Formentera) there are also 7 health workers at home being controlled by UVAC plus another 40 under ‘active surveillance’. These figures are updated daily at 1pm by Balearic Health Office.

Local press has reported that the high increase of infections maybe down to the new testing station for medical professionals now installed at Can Misses. The tests are sent to Son Espases Microbiology Laboratory in Palma and take 48 hours for results.

There has been 573 tests with the PCR technique since the start of the pandemic. This includes those collected by 061, UVAC’s, Can Misses and Formentera Hospitals and those collected at the new fixed point for health professionals at Can Misses.

For Covid19 patients Can Misses Hospital has 33 places available in Intensive Care. 15 in the ICU and 18 in converted operating rooms.

Javier Arranz, the Balearic Health spokesman says that by the middle of next week we should know if the peak of the crisis has passed. He also estimates that there may be up to 300 unidentified cases in Ibiza.

The Spanish government said in a press conference on Tuesday that when the current State of Alarm comes to an end, authorities will gradually ease the confinement measures that are keeping people at home and holding back economic activity.

In his weekly conference Vicent Mari, President of the Ibiza Island Council, said that without a vaccine he has serious concerns for the summer season and that the best case scenario may be to open in July and lengthen the season, then opening as normal in 2021. He said that if there is no tourist activity this summer, the consequences will be disastrous as the island depends on tourism. He also recognised that the island will most probably require exceptional measures and ‘extraordinary support’ from central government.

Mari also announced that his government will bring in a new social and economic plan (ISE), with an initial budget of 4 million euros to allocate to projects and social measures related to the fight against Covid19 in the island. This is possible due to a new directive from central government. Mari said that the recipients will be groups and people who are especially vulnerable or at risk of social exclusion, and there will also be aid to municipalities for the same objectives. “Work is underway to finalise the projects and measures,” he said.

Carmen Costa, a doctor at the medical centre in Ibiza Town said that they are taking up to 200 phone calls per day and after nearly 3 weeks the system of separating the patients with respiratory symptoms from the rest and trying to resolve as much as possible by phone is working ‘better than anticipated’.

Now for the least surprising news – shoppers in Spain have been buying more alcohol since the start of the State of Alarm according to a study from the consumer magazine Inforetail. Sale of beer rose by 77.65% while wine jumped by 62.7% and alcoholic drinks by 36.58%.

While the demand for toilet paper has stabilised, other products have seen a spectacular rise in sales, such as olives (+93.83%), potato chips (+87.13%), chocolate (+79.04%) and ice cream (+76.19%). According to figures from the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, the sale of flour has also shot up by 196%. It would appear that the public have decided that the best way to cope with the lockdown is to set up a home bar and bake a cake .

The situation is constantly evolving however the message is very clear – please stay at home and keep a cool and calm head. By following these guidelines, together, we will beat this disease and get on with the rest of our lives.

Best Regards – Stay Safe and Stay Home

With special thanks to Lesley Donald, Tricia Templeton and Julian Cobby

VERY IMPORTANT: INFORMATION TAKEN FROM CREDIBLE PRESS AND GOVERNMENT SOURCES HOWEVER THE SITUATION IS CHANGING VERY QUICKLY. THIS BLOG IS WRITTEN FOR INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY AND I TAKE NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY ERRORS GIVEN IN GOOD FAITH