Nearly three-quarters of people testing positive for coronavirus on the Balearic Islands are asymptomatic, new data from health officials in Spain has revealed
Almost 70 per cent of people testing positive for coronavirus on the Balearic Islands are asymptomatic – meaning they do not show any symptoms but have the virus.
The Balearic and Canary Islands were taken off the ‘safe’ travel list on July 25, along with mainland Spain, after the government announced that all returning travellers must self-isolate for 14 days.
But the Foreign Office only changed its advice warning against non-essential travel to the Spanish Islands on July 27, causing confusion to holidaymakers set to jet overseas.
Now a report in UH News says that almost 70pc of people who have tested positive for Covid-19 are asymptomatic.
Public health officials say that the number of infections has risen – with 449 active cases currently recorded on the island.
On Tuesday, the Balearic health ministry’s reported 128 new cases of coronavirus over the past 24 hours.
The Monday figure given by the ministry – which covers cases recorded over the weekend – was 67.
Local media reports that until May 11, only 20% of coronavirus cases were diagnosed but now an active track and test scheme shows that 70pc of the people testing positive have no symptoms. This means less people are being admitted to hospital – but prompts fears that the virus could be more easily spread.
On Monday, Spain’s tourism minister said quarantine measures could be dropped for the Balearic and Canary Islands after officials sent over new epidemiological data to the UK government but a government source said the popular destinations would remain on the on the UK’s “red list” for now.
They told the Mirror: “There is no decision made and it’s certainly not happening in the immediate future.”
Spain now has 123,940 active coronavirus infections – with 5,760 recorded on Monday, the biggest jump since the country ended lockdown.
George Morgan-Grenville, the founder and chief executive of Red Savannah, said the reintroduction had been “catastrophic” for its bookings.
He said: “The problem is that it is not quite as straightforward as stopping people from travelling to Spain. I think it has had a real diminishing on people’s confidence about travelling in general. A lot of people are saying it’s too difficult, it’s too worrying, let us just defer travel to next year, let us just wait to see things calm down.”
