NEW COVID-19 cases have gone up by 50% across the Valencian Community over seven days.

2,189 new positives were reported by the regional health ministry last night(December 18) compared to 1,460 a week earlier.

The case figures are 80 more than on Thursday evening and the fifth-successive day that infections have passed the 2,000 mark.

Alicante Province, which includes the Costa Blanca, recorded 567 new infections, compared to 474 a week earlier and down by 44 over a 24-hour period

The upward case trend has led to the Valencian Community introducing a tougher curfew from this Monday and rolling back on all of the relaxations planned for Christmas.

The death rate has marginally risen from 16 to 18.

Hospitalisations in Alicante Province has shown their first rise this month.

Last night’s report showed 312 patients in local hospitals, up from 302 since Thursday evening, and 12 more over seven days.

ICU patients have also risen over a day from 71 to 75, but the figure is still lower than the December 11 number of 84.

45 new outbreaks have been reported in the Valencian Community, with 11 of those in Alicante Province.

The biggest one, by far, is a 20 case outbreak in Elche caused by socialisation.

Other outbreaks have been declared in Villajoyosa, Sant Vicent del Raspeig, Alcoy, Orihuela, Alicante, and Torrevieja.

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