Covid incidence rises in Spain after ending mandatory use of face masks

Covid-19 infections in Spain have risen sharply following the elimination of the mandatory wearing of face masks indoors, data published by the Ministry of Health showed.

The Ministry on Tuesday reported that the 14-day incidence of the virus rose from 555.47 cases per 100,000 inhabitants to 608.16 in people aged 60 years and above between April 22 and 26, Xinhua news agency reported.

The Health Ministry now only publishes the 14-day incidence for those above 60 years and not the population as a whole.

This was accompanied by an increase in hospital occupancy by Covid-19 patients to just more than 5 per cent, although the number of intensive care beds occupied by Covid-19 patients increased only slightly to 4 per cent.

Authorities attributed the increase to the greater social interaction during the Easter holidays and the end of the mandatory use of face masks indoors, which came into effect on April 20, just after the Easter break.

--IANS

int/khz/