Dr Fernando Simón, Director, Centre for Coordination of Health Alerts & Emergencies

Dr Fernando Simón, Director, Centre for Coordination of Health Alerts & Emergencies | EFE

Majorca Daily Bulletin reporterMajorca-International28/07/2020 09:35
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Belgium is the latest country to add to the misery in Spain's Tourism Sector. The Belgian Government has recommended that its citizens do not visit Spain. The announcement comes hard on the heels of the British Government's 2 week mandatory quarantine on everyone arriving in the UK from Spain.

But Dr Fernando Simón, Director of the Coordination Centre for Health Alerts and Emergencies, says they’re doing us all a favour.

"From a health point of view these decisions help us because it is a risk that they take away from us," he said.

He also pointed out that not all areas of Belgium or the UK are in the same situation regarding the transmission of coronavirus, nor are the different regions of Spain.

Around 100 imported Covid-19 cases are being detected every week and in the last two weeks 195 positive cases of coronavirus were registered in Spain from 140 flights.

“Most of the 140 flights brought one infected person with them, but in some cases there were more. The flights that generated the most cases are those that came from the areas with the highest incidence of the virus, such as Latin America, the UK, Germany and France."

Dr Simón warned that coronavirus is still circulating around the World and in Europe, and that there are travellers who are boarding planes with symptoms.

"This can also happen with Spaniards who are travelling to other countries, so we call responsibility," he stressed.

Outbreaks

Dr Simón confirmed that there are currently 361 active coronavirus outbreaks in Spain, with 4,100 associated cases.

The outbreaks are occurring in several Autonomous Communities. The one in Castilla y León has produced other small clusters, but it is reported to be very much under control and there are currently no large Covid-19 outbreaks.

"There are outbreaks in all the Autonomous Communities and we must gradually control them," said Dr Simón, who warned that these clusters show that the virus is still circulating and we must not lower our guard."

He also said that the possibility of a second wave is being studied, but that what is being detected is different than in previous months and it is not possible to confirm whether a second wave of coronavirus has already begun.

"I don't think we are in a second wave, but it is difficult to assess," he admitted.