Panama exceeds 5,000 coronavirus cases in a day in a dizzying pandemic wave

Panama registered 5,043 new cases of the covid-19, a figure that shows the dizzying momentum of the fourth pandemic wave that, however, is not reflected in the same way in the number of deaths, four in the last 24 hours.

Thus, and after almost 22 months of pandemic, the Central American country of 4.28 million inhabitants and where the contagious omicron variant is transmitted in the community, already accumulates 517,445 confirmed infections and 7,453 deaths from the disease.

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The new cases reported this Friday by the Ministry of Health (Minsa) are close to the record number of 5,186 registered a year ago, on January 6, 2021, when Panama was at the peak of a second pandemic wave and had not yet started. vaccination (January 20, 2021).

That day a year ago, 45 deaths were reported, 229 patients in intensive care units (ICU), 2,128 in the general ward, 49,015 in home isolation and 681 in hotels. 19,830 tests were performed that yielded a positivity of 26.1%.

Those figures contrast with those of this Friday: 4 deaths, 36 patients in the ICU, 285 in the general ward, 29,583 isolated at home and 381 in hotels. And 24,475 tests were applied, with a positivity of 21%.

Panamanian health authorities and experts have warned that the peak of this fourth wave has not yet been reached, which could cause more than 8,000 daily cases in the coming days, and they have been emphatic that the most important thing in this scenario is to observe the figures of hospitalized and deaths.

VACCINATION FROM THE AGE OF 5

They have also argued that people vaccinated, preferably with three doses, are much more likely, if infected, to develop a covid mild, with a quarantine of 10 days, as established by the Minsa two weeks ago after a review that reduced that isolation, which was 14 days.

The authorities are betting on vaccination and measures such as the use of a mask and physical distancing to combat this fourth pandemic wave. They have not established restrictions on mobility, although they have suspended public activities that involve crowds.

Thus, as of Saturday, January 8, three doses will be considered a complete vaccination scheme, not two as before, and the Ministry of Health announced that officials must be vaccinated or, otherwise, present a negative test of covid-19.

This Friday began the vaccination of children between 5 and 11 years old, a total population of 522,198 people, giving priority to minors with chronic diseases, immunosuppressed and severely disabled.

The Minsa, which currently has 60,000 of the 1.5 million doses ordered from Pfizer, expects to immunize 25,400 children between 5 and 11 years of age in the next two weeks.

The idea of ​​the authorities is to vaccinate as many children as possible before the start of classes on March 7, which will be face-to-face after having been developed remotely or in person during 2020 and 2021.

As of this Friday, 71.1% of the target population, people 5 years of age and older, have received two doses and 78.9% one dose. In addition, 481,987 booster injections have been applied, authorized for those over 16 years of age, and 7,793 third doses to immunosuppressed patients.

With respect to the total population of Panama, about 35% have yet to be vaccinated, said the Minister of Health, Luis Francisco Sucre.

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Deshawn