Ecuador reduces to 50% capacity in public institutions due to the increase in coronavirus cases

Ecuador It reduced to 50% the capacity of public institutions due to an increase in cases of covid-19, with which from this Tuesday partial teleworking in the offices of the Executive will be resumed, authorities reported on Monday.

“By virtue of the health situation, the Ministry of Labor supports the decision to establish a capacity of 50% in the entire public function until January 23”, said the head of that portfolio, Patricio Donoso, in statements released by the national Emergency Operations Committee (COE), in charge of managing the pandemic.

The measure, which will be in force from Tuesday, does not apply to “strategic sectors”, the COE’s resolution specifies. Areas such as oil and electricity, for example, are considered strategic by the State.

“We urge the private sector to do something similar to take care of the health of our families and the health of our co-workers.”Donoso expressed.

The Minister of Health, Ximena Garzón, asked in turn that teleworking be a priority for people suffering from aggravating illnesses.

He explained that in Ecuador, with 24 provinces, an increase in coronavirus cases has been detected in the coasts of Guayas and Manabí, in the Andean Pichincha (whose capital is Quito) and Tungurahua and in the Amazon Pastaza.

In December, 24,287 cases were registered, more than double the number reported in November (9,513) and triple the number in October (7,556).

The minister recalled that although the omicron variant, detected in the country in December, is more contagious and has been declared of community transmission, the delta is the predominant variety in the Andean nation.

With 33,683 deaths, Ecuador remains the seventh Latin American country with the most deaths from the pandemic, according to an AFP count.

The country has reported 552,324 cases of covid-19 (3,120 per 100,000 people) since February 2020, when the first infected was detected.

Ecuador, with 17.7 million inhabitants, has completed the vaccination scheme for 79% of the population over five years of age and since February plans to start immunizing those under that age.

Ecuador is providing a first reinforcement to those over 50 years of age, already reaching almost 1.1 million people.

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