The new Omicron variant of the coronavirus is spreading rapidly in Spain, which is one of Europe's most popular tourist destinations.
In the capital region of Madrid, the strain already accounts for more than 30% of all new infections, the newspaper El Pais reported on Friday, citing doctors.
In the tourist metropolis of Barcelona, the figure is 25%, regional Health Minister Josep Maria Argimon told the newspaper La Vanguardia. Omicron is expected to be the dominant strain there by Christmas.
Similar developments were also reported in other areas of Spain.
"It's shooting up like foam," said Carlos Artundo, director general of public health in Navarre in the north of the country. There, the seven-day incidence of new infections per 100,000 inhabitants is the highest in Spain at 720.
Mallorca, Ibiza
On the popular holiday islands of the Balearics, which include Mallorca and Ibiza, it is over 300, while the national average is still just below that.
More and more regions are introducing the requirement for people to prove they have been vaccinated, recovered or have a recent negative test in order to enter restaurants and other leisure facilities.
Meetings in private are currently limited to between six and 12 people only on the Canary Islands.
High vaccination rate
However, due to the comparatively high vaccination rate of around 90% of all citizens over the age of 12, the situation in hospitals is not as dramatic as in other countries with lower vaccination rates, like Germany for example.
A total of almost 1,300 patients were treated in intensive care units because of a coronavirus infection, occupying about 14% of the capacity of these units.
In the past seven days, a total of 195 people died nationwide in connection with the coronavirus.
