PAHO warns that the coronavirus pandemic does not end in America

More than 918,000 new cases of covid-19 were reported last week in America, which represents an increase of 27.2% in the incidence of infection compared to the previous period and confirms the trend, after 4 weeks it shows constant increases, warned the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO).

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“Hospitalizations increased in 18 countries and admissions to intensive care rose in 13 territories,” said PAHO director Carissa Etienne of the Dominican Republic during the virtual press conference that the agency organizes every two weeks to report the progress of the pandemic. pandemic in the region.

According to the data provided by Etienne, Central America was the region with the highest increase in infections with 80% more than the previous week, and Argentina the country where the number of cases increased the most, registering almost 34 thousand positives, which represents an increase of 92%.

Likewise, Etienne stressed that more than 3,500 deaths were reported, with special incidence in Venezuela, Paraguay and Brazil, countries where there was an increase in the number of deaths.

In this sense, the director assessed that the virus “is not going to disappear very soon” and that “it is on the rise again” in the region.

Etienne stressed that the lessons learned in these years are key for the pandemic to subside and recalled that “only 14 of 51 countries have reached the goal of vaccinating more than 70% of their population.”

The health expert also appreciated that, although in periods of lower transmission many countries lifted the measures of distancing, use of masks and entry of tourists, the current increase in cases should be a “wake-up call” and health officials should continue to “closely monitor” the increase in incidence.

He also warned that the structure for testing must be maintained, after detecting that in some countries the levels of testing decreased, since diagnoses are the “eyes and ears” to make informed decisions and know the progress of the pandemic.

He also urged countries to maintain hospital and intensive care capacity, in addition to increasing testing and contact tracing capacity, as well as encouraging the population to “get vaccinated.”

In this sense, the deputy director of the agency, the Brazilian Jarbas Barbosa, clarified that new waves linked to the suspension of measures or the appearance of new variants are expected and that vaccines continue to be highly effective in preventing serious cases and deaths.

In America, more than 1,800 million doses have been supplied, which is equivalent to more than 698 million people having their complete regimen.

Regarding the variants of the virus present in the region, the predominant one in the continent is the omicron, with special incidence of types BA.1 and BA.2, while BA.3 was detected in the Caribbean, the Andean region and the Southern Cone; and BA.4 and BA.5 identified in Canada and USA.

Source: Elcomercio

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