Spain's Covid-19 incidence rate rises but officials see signs of hope

Despite the rise, officials say the situation is improving in some of the hardest-hit areas

A bar worker looks at the EU Covid certificate of a customer in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, in the Canary Islands, Spain, on July 26. EPA

The number of new Covid-19 cases in Spain continued to increase on Monday, with the 14-day incidence rate reaching 700 infections for every 100,000 inhabitants.

But officials said the situation was improving in some of the hardest-hit areas.

The total number of cases in Spain reached 4.3 million amid the spread of the more contagious Delta variant, while deaths totalled 81,268, 47 more than in the last Health Ministry report on Friday.

"It looks like we are starting to observe a deceleration in the incidence's rhythm of growth," deputy health minister Silvia Calzon said.

Ms Calzon said more than 65 per cent of new cases were among people below the age of 40 as Spain has given priority to vaccination by age groups.

Monday's incidence rate was the highest registered in Spain since February 5, Europa Press news agency reported.

The north-eastern region of Catalonia continued to have the highest incidence rate in the country – 1,145 cases for every 100,000 people – but it was slightly lower than on Friday.

Catalonia was one of the Spanish regions that recently reimposed a night curfew to try to curb the spread of the virus.

In a what could be a blow to the tourism-dependent country, Germany on Friday classified Spain as an area with a high incidence of coronavirus, meaning unvaccinated travellers returning from there have to stay in quarantine for at least five days.