The mayor, Emilio Bascuñana, held a meeting this Wednesday with the Valencian Minister of Health, Ana Barceló, in Orihuela. Also present at the meeting were the Councillors for Health and Emergencies, José Galiano and Víctor Valverde.
Following the meeting, Bascuñana reported that he had made a number of important points to the Minister.
He said he was told that the situation in Orihuela with respect to COVID-19 is improving and although “it is good news, we cannot lower our guard, we have to be responsible if we are to avoid another spike in infections.”
The mayor said that he also raised the issue of hospital transfers to Barceló arguing that the current transfer of patients from the Vega Baja Hospital to Villajoyosa is not working in anybody’s best interests when it would be much easier and efficient to move them to the nearest hospital.
He said that another of the issues discussed was the expansion of the Vega Baja Hospital “which we have been waiting for. He said that we must be allocated the necessary budget so that it can be carried out as soon as possible.”
Bascuñana and this councillors of Health and Emergencies, demanded once again her commitment to the construction of a new Orihuela Costa Health Centre, “because Orihuela needs it”, while the extension was also demanded again of the SAMU ambulance service on the coast in order that it provides a 24 hour emergency service.
He added that “we have asked the Minister Barceló to support and expedite all these requirements of our municipality that we have been demanding for years.”
COVID-19 data
The Councillor for Health, José Galiano spoke of the latest data from the municipality of Orihuela, provided by Public Health. He said that from November 9 to 15, the Orihuela Health Department has had 556 new cases, which is 25% less that the numbers compared to the previous week, when it stood at 728.
The Orihuela centre and districts have registered 130 new cases, which represents a considerable decrease, falling from 270 in the last three weeks.
The Torrevieja Health Authority has registered a rise with 379 new cases, compared to 288 the previous week.
The cumulative incidence in central Orihuela currently stands at 226 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, while in Orihuela Costa it is 300 per 100,000 inhabitants.
