The deputy director of the Centre for Coordination of Health Alerts and Emergencies, María José Sierra, has said that 12,298 healthcare professionals have tested positive for coronavirus since the start of the epidemic in Spain, which represents 14.4 percent of the total number of those infected (85,195).
Having replaced Fernando Simón at the daily press conference, Sierra said that the number of infected among the health workers is “high”, but he has pointed out that the “vast majority “,” about 85 to 90 percent “, are recovering at home and “in general are progressing well”.
Given these figures, Sierra thanked all those healthcare workers who are on the front line in trying to defeat the virus. He said they “are setting an example of dedication and commitment.”
According to the figures provided by Fernando Simón last Saturday, 8.8 percent of infected professionals require hospitalisation, a percentage “much lower” than that of other patients, which is above 40 percent.
He said that the difficult situation in hospitals across the country would be alleviated if more health staff did not have to go into quarantine due to contagion. “We have a very large number of affected health workers, compared to other countries,” although he added once again that the rate of hospital admission is much lower, so he believes that the cases are milder.
