Coronavirus receding in the Balearic Islands. | M. À. Cañellas

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The Balearic Islands is one of the eight autonomous communities nearing the end of the coronavirus epidemic, according to the latest data from the National Epidemiology Network.

The Carlos III Health Institute averages the number of new cases based on the so-called basic reproduction number, or R0.

When it is greater than 1, the infection is still spreading and when it is lower, it means that the infection has receded.

The number of new cases in the Balearic Islands continues to decrease and on Friday its basic reproduction number was 0.86 compared to 0.94 on Thursday.

The Canary Islands, Cantabria, Extremadura, Murcia, the Basque Country, Navarra and Asturias are all also below 1, compared to the national average of 1.05.

There was only a 4.4% increase in the number of new coronavirus cases in the Balearic Islands on Friday, 53 more people tested positive for Covid-19 and most of them were in Residence Centres.

The total number of infections has reached 1,257 and 375 people have already been discharged and no longer have any signs of the virus.

According to data from the Carlos III Health Institute the rate of fatalities is 4.61%, compared to the national average of 8.5%.

That rate is calculated based on reported cases of coronaviruses, which is about 15% of the actual number that exist and if the diagnostic test was performed on most of the population, the rate would drop.

Public Health and IB-Salut yesterday verified the death of up to 12 people with coronary artery disease, who are awaiting validation.

On Friday, there were 5 fatalities, including a 64-year-old man and a 91-year-old woman in Inca; a 47 year-old man with a previous illness at Son Llàtzer, a 77-year-old patient in Minorca and a 67-year-old woman in Ibiza.

Between Sunday and Wednesday the victims included, a 72-year-old man at Son Espases; two men aged 78 and 82 at Son Llàtzer, an 80-year-old woman in Inca; a 73-year-old man and an 82-year-old woman at the Juaneda Clinic and a 69-year-old man at Palmaplanas Clinic.

Dr Arranz, Spokesman for the Regional Infectious Diseases Committee, said that people who died at home were not tested for a COVID-19.

"There may be people who died at home from the infection," he said.

1,257 people have been infected with coronavirus and 813 of them are active cases.

158 cases have been detected in nursing homes; 142 of them were residents, 16 were staff and 8 people have died.

There are 195 Healthcare Professionals with Covid-19 and 411 others are under surveillance.

"I want to apologise for the lack of sanitary equipment, especially last week," said Health Minister, Patricia Gómez, who acknowledged that "numerous workers have been exposed or are at risk."