Covid19 figures for Ibiza & Formentera on 04/05/20 were as follows (via local press)
· 161 cases in total
· 33 Active Cases
· 20 in hospitals being monitored
· 6 in hospitals in intensive care
· 7 under surveillance at home
· 116 Discharged from hospital
· 12 fatalities
· 2 health workers at home being controlled by UVAC
· 11 health workers ‘active surveillance’
· 27 days without any new cases admitted to intensive care
These figures are updated daily at 1pm by Balearic Health Office
Since the start of the health crisis Can Misses hospital has almost doubled its capacity from 240 to 435 with intensive care spaces increasing from 12 to 44 beds, 22 dedicated to Covid19 patients.
Formentera entered phase 1 of the de-escalation process yesterday, one of the first areas in Spain to do so. To keep potential new cases to a minimum all ferry passengers underwent a temperature control, had a rapid antibody test and completed a questionnaire. Some passengers had to stay ashore after testing positive in this rapid test and are awaiting the results of a PCR that will tell them whether or not they have the disease or have already passed it. Formentera is the first place in Spain where these controls are being carried out.
Formentera Consell President Alejandra Ferrer said that the Island is now in “a very, very important” phase where “individual and collective responsibility is required”.
Balearic Mobility Minster Marc Pons has asked central government in Madrid for an increase in inter-island flights from 11 May when the 3 main islands will most likely enter Phase 1 of de-escalation process.
A police agent was attacked on Talamanca beach on Sunday morning when confronting an adult swimming in the sea at 11.30am. The accused, an Argentine national, was arrested for attempted murder and is reported to be an expert in marshal arts. The officer received injuries to his neck and the incident was filmed on a mobile phone and went viral appearing on Spanish national news.
Carmen Planas, the President of the Balearic Business Associations has said that 90% of companies able to open in phase 0 of the deescalation have chosen not to do so because of “confusion, doubts and the inability to be profitable”. Many businesses are waiting until phase 1 starts to open their doors.
Spanish PM Pedro Sanchez faces a challenge to extend the current state of alarm that ends on 9 May. Minority leader Sanchez has indicated that he wants to extend for a further 2 weeks but some opposition parties and regional leaders are fundamentally against the plan. Popular Party (PP) leader Pablo Casado, said that “prolonging the state of alarm beyond a 60-day period makes no sense” but Sanchez responded that if the state of alarm is no longer in effect, “some people will have to go back to work, others back to their studies and the ERTE scheme, that guarantee jobs will be maintained, will no longer have a force majeure reason to justify them”.
The Spanish government is working with the regions to establish a maximum limit for classrooms for the upcoming school year in order to minimise the risk of contagion, the likely limit is 15. Some regions allow for as many as 28 children in primary school classes and up to 40 in high schools but the Education Ministry and the regional governments say that splitting classes is impossible due to teacher numbers so the likely solution will be a morning and afternoon shift system or alternate days or weeks, studying from home for the rest of the time.
Fake news stories are still appearing especially over the new phases of deescalation but local government websites and credible press/social media pages are the best places to gather important information.
The situation is constantly evolving however the message is clear – please follow the guidelines and together we will beat this disease.
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 FLUID. THIS UPDATE IS WRITTEN FOR INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY AND I TAKE NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY ERRORS GIVEN IN GOOD FAITH
"MAN IN SAN AN" by Martin Makepeace 
It would be very handy if somebody at the SOIB office would answer the phone.I’m still awaiting benefit payment.constantly ringing but nobody answering.not had any benefit since March 10th.
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Appreciate the updates Martin, uts getting harder to dodge the “fake news”
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