With 24 positives and 27 suspicions, Ecuador confirms that the omicron is community-based

The Ministry of Public Health of Ecuador reported this Monday that it detected 24 positive cases of the omicron variant of covid-19 and that it is studying another 27 suspected cases, and confirmed that the contagion of this mutation is community-based in the country.

According to statistics from the Ministry, the coastal province of Guayas (whose capital is Guayaquil) is the one in which the most cases of this variant of concern have been detected, with 18 patients confirmed with omicron and 8 suspected cases, still under study.

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In the Andean province of Pichincha (whose capital is Quito) 6 positive cases of omicron and 14 suspects have been confirmed; while on the coast of Manabí there are 4 cases to be confirmed and in the Andean coast of Chimborazo one under suspicion.

“All cases, both confirmed and suspected, are under epidemiological fence”, Specified the source.

The announcement about the community contagion (cases that have not arrived from travelers from abroad) of the omicron variant came at a time when the Ecuadorian health authorities have warned of an upturn in the number of covid-19 cases, including all the variants that circulate in the country, especially in the province of Guayas.

In epidemiological week number 50, which corresponds to between December 12 and 18, 675 new cases of covid-19 were registered in Guayas, while in the following week (number 51, from December 19 to 25) the this figure almost doubled to 1,022 positives.

According to the Ministry, since epidemiological week number 48, a sustained increase in contagion has been observed in Guayas, and it is presumed that the crowds and social events registered in recent weeks, around Christmas and New Years, have influenced this increase in cases.

For this reason, the Ecuadorian health authority called on citizens to avoid meetings and strictly follow the established security protocols.

In Ecuador, vaccination is mandatory and public and private places such as restaurants, shopping centers and markets must request the immunization card or certificate to allow the entry of citizens.

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Deshawn