Gran Canaria goes to Level 2, no Covid deaths for first time since July 26th

As expected the Governing Council moved Gran Canaria from alert level 3 (red traffic light) to 2 (amber traffic light) yesterday, due to the decrease in infections on the island which has lead to its health indicators all falling to medium risk for the last 10 days. This was the only change in the levels approved yesterday, so Tenerife and Fuerteventura remain at level 3, and Lanzarote, La Palma, El Hierro and La Gomera remain at level 1.

The drop to Level 2 in Gran Canaria means that, as of today, meetings of a maximum of eight people are allowed in public or private, and that businesses can stay open until 2.00am, with maximum capacities in hospitality venues of 75% outdoors and 50% indoors.

Among other measures, in theatres, cinemas, museums, auditoriums and other ‘cultural’ places, the capacity is limited to 55%, and public shows that take place in venues other than the usual ones may be held outdoors with the public seated, with a capacity of 33% if food or drink are consumed and 50% if not.

The Deputy Minister of the Presidency, Antonio Olivera, highlighted the positive evolution of the epidemic in the Canary Islands, where infections have fallen by a daily average of 28% between September 1st and 7th compared to the previous week. This favourable trend suggests that next week levels will continue to drop in other islands, and Tenerife is expected to go to Level 2 as well.

More good news yesterday was that it was the first day for 45 days, since July 26^th, that there were no Covid deaths in the Canary Islands, during which period there have been 145 deaths, just over three a day reported. Another positive in the data was the 2,078 people medically discharged, the highest in one day since the pandemic began, which has reduced active cases in the Canary Islands to 7,412.

The Canary Islands registered 146 new infections yesterday, 17% less than those recorded last Thursday. Gran Canaria added 65 new cases; Tenerife, 59; Fuerteventura, 13; Lanzarote, 8 and El Hierro, one.

Finally, the drop in healthcare pressure in the archipelago has been consolidated this week, with a drop of four ICU beds in Tenerife and eight in Gran Canaria compared to the previous week, according to the Public Health report. The average age of those hospitalized for Covid in the last 15 days has also decreased, which stood at 50 years old, 9.5 years less than in the previous period.