The Canaries have “without a doubt” passed the peak of the COVID 19 crisis and some restrictions on the lockdown could be relaxed during April, according to the scientific committee advising the Canarian Government on coronavirus.
Lluis Serra, professor of Preventive Medicine at the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and spokesman for the scientific committee advising the Canarian Government, made the statements on Canarian radio, while warning caution and saying that, right now, “the battle is not yet won”.
“We’ve passed the peak of new contagions,” said Serra. “There will be fewer patients with COVID 19 being admitted into our hospitals and intensive care wards all the time.”
Nevertheless, the Canarian health service is predicting several more deaths and admissions to intensive care this week, as the disease progresses to its later stages in the worst-affected patients.
Serra also considered which of the lockdown restrictions may be relaxed first, saying that “Taking children outside, even if for just an hour a day, is important as they need vitamin D from the sun for their immune systems,” he remarked. Other measures that could be lifted soon include re-opening certain workplaces and permitting individuals to leave their homes alone to exercise.
Nevertheless, although the opinion of regional experts will be taken into account, any relaxation on the lockdown is a decision that will be taken on a national, rather than regional basis.
Serra also predicted a rise in positive test results in the coming days, following the arrival of new testing material on the Canaries. However, he said that many of these positive results are likely to reflect older infections rather than new transmissions.
Meanwhile, 102 patients have made a full recovery from the coronavirus on the Canary Islands – three of them on Lanzarote.
Latest statistics: 2nd April , 20:00
Increase on previous day’s figures in brackets.
Total Canarian Cases: 1564 (+74)
Cases on Lanzarote: 68 (+1)
Deaths (Canaries): 78 (+5)
