After weeks of rising graphlines, the situation of the coronavirus pandemic in Catalonia has been stabilized. Catalan public health secretary Josep Maria Argimon announced this on Monday at a joint press appearance with the coordinator of the Covid-19 monitoring unit in Catalonia, Jacobo Mendioroz. “We’ve reached stabilization, and that’s a first achievement,” Argimon explained.
Now, the goal for the Catalan health ministry is to "get the curve down” again in the weeks ahead. “The descent of the curve is key, and that’s why everyone’s effort is absolutely necessary, starting with the health department,” Argimon urged. However, the secretary also noted that one of the key indicators used, the EPG (effective potential growth) index which assesses the risk of an outbreak expanding, remains at a high figure (70).
Catalonia: new Covid-19 cases (yellow bars), and the rolling seven-day average (blue trend line) of new cases
Massive screenings
In recent weeks, Catalan health authorities have made a "change in strategy" which, according to Argimon, is serving to ensure that municipalities take responsibility for compliance with measures to protect, detect and isolate cases. “If we are proactive, we will avoid imposing restrictions,” the secretary summed up. His department has been carrying out massive screenings with a total of 8,275 PCR tests carried out in over recent days in towns in different parts of the Barcelona metropolitan area: Granollers, Sabadell, Santa Coloma de Gramenet, Ripollet, Terrassa, and Vilafranca del Penedès.
Locals queueing for PCR tests in the town of Vilafranca del Penedès on the first day of the mass screening campaign. / ACN
Meanwhile, Argimon denied that measures such as those enforced in Lleida and Barcelona are planned for the containment of the Covid-19 resurgence in the Vallès county, immediately inland from Barcelona city, as "the situation is very different" and the new strategy of mass screening is working. "We are satisfied," said Argimon of the results in the Vallès. With regard to the Lleida area's continuing restrictions on cultural events and sport, the secretary announced that in the coming days these will be eased to the same level as applies to the Barcelona metropolitan area.
Covid case follow-up
To monitor contagion, Catalonia is also to make use of the Spanish ministry of health's mobile application, although the public health secretary considers it a tool but "it is not the solution".
For now, tests are being carried out on everyone who has been in close contact with a known case, and these people are being required to quarantine for between 10 and 14 days regardless of the test result to “break the transmission chains,” said Argimon, while also admitting that “neither the local world nor society at large has the means to know if someone is carrying out their isolation properly or not.” Individual responsibility was essential, he reiterated.
The coordinator of the Covid-19 unit, Jacobo Mendioroz, in this Tuesday's appearance. / ACN
"We are acting earlier now and that is why such a high number of asymptomatic patients are being detected," explained the coordinator of the Covid-19 unit, Jacobo Mendioroz. This Tuesday, Catalonia reported 830 positive coronaviruses and 2 deaths in the last 24 hours.
Main image: Catalan public health secretary Josep Maria Argimon. / ACN