Spain is continuing to report record-high numbers of new coronavirus cases, while the country's health system is struggling to cope with the strain. Intensive care units in 26 provinces are now at high-risk levels, and in five regions, hospital admissions are now the highest they have been since the vaccination drive began a year ago. That said, up to 40% of the Covid-19 patients included in the figures are being treated for other illnesses.
As infections keep rising, identifying and reporting each case is becoming increasingly difficult. To address this problem, Spain is finalizing a new surveillance strategy that would monitor the virus like any other respiratory illness. The government has also approved booster shots for the over-18 population and set a €2.94 price cap on antigen tests.
Meanwhile in political news, Spain's Minister of Consumer Affairs Alberto Garzón found himself in the midst of controversy for comments he made about so-called "macro pig farms" in The Guardian. Opposition parties have accused the minister of damaging the reputation of the Spanish meat industry, while his supporters say the debate has been whipped up to win votes ahead of the regional election in Castilla y León.
And finally, we looked at the incredible story of a retired Spanish couple who found themselves unwittingly living with a "former KGB spy."
We hope you enjoy this selection of articles from the EL PAÍS English Edition.
Thanks for reading and please stay safe.
MELISSA KITSON
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