The Balearic Government has appealed to the entire population to be vaccinated against influenza, given the forecast that the peak of incidence is reached during the Christmas holidays, in a context in which Ibiza is the island with the highest rate of infection of the archipelago, according to the latest official data. This is what the spokesman of the Autonomous Executive, Antoni Costa, said this Thursday after the meeting of the Consell de Govern.
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Costa warned that the incidence rate has almost doubled in the last week, which places the Balearic Islands in an epidemic scenario of medium intensity, and has insisted on the need to strengthen prevention measures. Among them, he stressed the use of masks when there are symptoms of respiratory virus, especially in hospitals, residences, public transport and enclosed spaces with large numbers of people, such as shopping centers.
Ibiza, the island with the highest incidence of flu
Data released by the General Directorate of Public Health, through the Sentinel Surveillance System of Acute Respiratory Infection, confirm that Ibiza leads the incidence of influenza in the Balearic Islands, with about 120 infections per 100,000 inhabitants, twice the average for the whole archipelago. This information has been advanced by IB3, which details that the regional incidence stood at 64.9 cases per 100,000 inhabitants between December 1 and 7, compared to 37.3 the previous week.
The forecasts of the Conselleria de Salud indicate that the peak of the flu will arrive during Christmas, several weeks earlier than usual, which has led the Govern to intensify its preventive message. In this sense, the Executive recalls the importance of vaccination, hand hygiene and ventilation of enclosed spaces, in addition to the responsible use of masks.
Hospital pressure on the rise, but no critical situation
The spokesperson of the Govern pointed out that the pressure of care in hospitals is increasing, although he specified that this is not a worrying situation at the moment. As he explained, the Balearic health system has a contingency plan that provides for the provision of up to 215 additional beds if the evolution of the flu so requires.
The regional government insists that vaccination is the main tool to reduce infections and complications, especially among the most vulnerable groups, in a context marked by the sharp increase of cases in Ibiza, which is the most affected territory in the Balearic Islands at the beginning of the flu season.
