COVID-19 Hospitalizations in Spain Have Risen by 250 Percent When Compared to Same Period Last Year
Nikhil Prasad Fact checked by:Thailand Medical News Team Nov 15, 2026 21 minutes ago
Spain is witnessing a significant resurgence of COVID-19 infections, with new surveillance figures revealing that coronavirus-related hospitalizations have increased by an alarming 250% compared to the same period in 2025. The latest findings from the Carlos III Health Institute indicate that COVID-19 infections have more than doubled over the past year, raising concerns about the continued circulation of SARS-CoV-2 as Spain enters the colder months.
Spain records a 250% year-on-year increase in COVID-19 hospitalizations as coronavirus infections more than double
and respiratory illnesses rise nationwide
Although health authorities emphasize that overall respiratory disease activity remains relatively low, the sharp year-on-year increase in COVID-19 hospital admissions highlights the virus's continuing ability to cause serious illness.
COVID-19 Infections More Than Double Across Spain
According to the Acute Respiratory Infection Surveillance System (SiVIRA), Spain's estimated COVID-19 incidence increased from 24.4 cases per 100,000 inhabitants during the corresponding period in 2025 to 53.8 cases per 100,000 in epidemiological week 44 of 2026.
This represents an increase of approximately 120.5%, demonstrating that coronavirus infections are occurring at more than twice the rate observed a year earlier.
The findings are based on respiratory infection surveillance conducted through healthcare centers and hospitals nationwide.
Health officials are monitoring these developments alongside changes in influenza, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and other respiratory infections.
COVID-19 Hospitalizations Surge by 250 Percent
The most concerning development involves hospital admissions associated with COVID-19.
The estimated hospitalization rate increased from 0.4 admissions per 100,000 inhabitants in 2025 to 1.4 admissions per 100,000 during the corresponding period in 2026.
This represents a 250% increase, meaning the hospitalization rate is now 3.5 times higher than a year ago.
Another important finding concerns COVID-19 positivity among hospitalized patients undergoing testing for respiratory infections.
Approximately 15% of these patients currently test positive for SARS-CoV-2, compared with just 3.5% during the same period last year.
This substantial increase suggests that COVID-19 is accounting for a considerably larger proportion of respiratory infections identified among hospitalized patients.
However, the surveillance findings also provide an important distinction. Despite the dramatic annual increase, estimated COVID-19 hospital admissions remained stable compared with the immediately preceding week.
This indicates that the current figures do not necessarily represent an accelerating weekly hospitalization trend.
Pneumonia, Intensive Care Admissions, and Deaths Remain Significant
Beyond infection numbers, the latest surveillance findings provide
important insights into the severity of COVID-19 among hospitalized patients.
Among patients hospitalized with COVID-19 since the beginning of the surveillance season:
- 23.4% developed pneumonia, indicating substantial respiratory complications among admitted patients.
- 2.2% required intensive care unit treatment, reflecting the proportion experiencing illness severe enough to require critical care.
- 7.2% died during the analyzed surveillance period, demonstrating the continuing seriousness of COVID-19 among hospitalized populations.
These percentages apply specifically to hospitalized COVID-19 patients and should not be interpreted as risks for everyone infected with SARS-CoV-2.
This
Thailand Medical News report highlights that the increase in hospitalizations, combined with substantial pneumonia and mortality figures among admitted patients, reinforces the importance of monitoring COVID-19 severity rather than focusing exclusively on infection rates.
Overall Respiratory Infections Also Increasing
COVID-19 is not the only respiratory illness showing increased activity.
Spain's overall acute respiratory infection incidence reached 475.9 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, compared with 442.9 during the corresponding period in 2025.
This represents an annual increase of approximately 7.5%.
Hospitalizations associated with severe respiratory infections also increased by 10.6% compared with the previous autumn.
Nevertheless, the Carlos III Health Institute continues to classify respiratory disease circulation as relatively low intensity, despite epidemic-threshold activity having been identified since late September.
These findings suggest that COVID-19 is experiencing a particularly pronounced year-on-year increase within a broader rise in respiratory illnesses.
Influenza Activity Doubles Within One Week
Influenza surveillance presents a different picture.
Compared with the corresponding period in 2025, estimated influenza incidence remains 36.2% lower.
However, recent weekly developments indicate rapidly increasing transmission.
Estimated influenza incidence climbed from 13.4 to 27.7 cases per 100,000 inhabitants within seven days, representing an increase of approximately 107%.
Influenza-related hospital admissions have also increased compared with the preceding week, although they remain below last year's corresponding levels.
These developments suggest that influenza activity is beginning to intensify even as COVID-19 accounts for a substantially greater hospitalization burden than during the previous autumn.
Bronchiolitis and Bronchitis Increasing Among Young Children
Respiratory illnesses affecting children younger than five are also increasing.
The estimated incidence of bronchitis and bronchiolitis reached 273.8 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, compared with 244.7 during the corresponding period in 2025.
This represents an increase of approximately 11.9%.
Interestingly, estimated RSV incidence remains approximately 60% lower than a year earlier.
This contrast indicates that increasing bronchitis and bronchiolitis diagnoses are occurring despite reduced estimated RSV activity, although the surveillance figures do not establish which other pathogens are responsible.
Overall Mortality Remains Below Last Year's Levels
Despite increasing COVID-19 hospitalizations, Spain's overall mortality figures remain comparatively reassuring.
Data from the MoMo mortality surveillance system recorded 8,024 deaths during week 44 of 2026, representing 369 fewer deaths than during the corresponding week in 2025.
This amounts to a 4.4% reduction.
Recorded deaths were also below the expected mortality level for that week.
However, these figures represent deaths from all causes and cannot establish how many fatalities were directly attributable to COVID-19 or other respiratory infections.
Continued Surveillance Remains Essential
Spain's latest respiratory surveillance findings demonstrate that COVID-19 continues to impose a meaningful hospitalization burden despite relatively low overall respiratory disease activity. The 250% annual increase in COVID-19 admissions warrants continued attention, particularly given the documented pneumonia, intensive care, and mortality outcomes among hospitalized patients. However, stable weekly COVID-19 admissions and lower overall mortality emphasize the importance of interpreting these developments carefully rather than assuming that every indicator is worsening.
References:
https://docsivira.isciii.es/Informe_semanal_SiVIRA_202644.html
https://repisalud.isciii.es/entities/publication/faff7ac9-7ae0-44ad-b589-9956d70c388a/full
https://momo.isciii.es/panel_momo/
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