RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The Panamanian Ministry of Health (Minsa) reported on Wednesday 969 new cases of covid-19 and 10 deaths from the disease 432,523 confirmed infections and 6,791 deaths in 16 months of the pandemic.
Those hospitalized with the new coronavirus in Intensive Care Units (ICU) total 114 and 469 on the ward. Those who remain isolated in their homes total 11,840 and 315 in hotels, for a total of 12,738 active cases.
Minsa’s daily report also details that the number of patients who have recovered is 412,994 since March 9, 2020, when the first case of infection occurred in Panama, which has a mortality rate of 1.6% for covid, one of the lowest in the Latin American region.
In the last 24 hours, 10,375 tests were applied to detect cases of covid, with positivity of 9.3%. In Panama, 3,333,808 tests have been applied to date.
The Ministry of Health (Minsa) reported that as of Wednesday, 2,327,152 doses of Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines had been administered as part of the national immunization program that began last January 20.
Pfizer is the main supplier in the country and has delivered 2,944,750 portions of its preparation, which is applied to priority groups, including minors aged 12 years and older who suffer from chronic diseases. In contrast, AstraZeneca has dispatched 518,400 doses that have been administered to those over 30 years of age.
This Wednesday, the vaccination process began to 563,461 people in 10 circuits and one indigenous district. The sweeping technique (search) to those over 12 years of age in difficult access and citizens from 16 years of age indicated the Minsa.
Health authorities warned on Tuesday of the “imminent” arrival in Panama of the delta variant of the coronavirus, at a time when the country is experiencing a third pandemic wave which it is facing by accelerating the vaccination process.
The Panamanian Minister of Health, Luis Francisco Sucre, reminded the population that the delta variant proliferates “more and more” in neighboring countries. He recommended continuing with the established biosecurity measures.
“We are a high transit country, so the arrival of this variant is becoming more and more imminent”, which, Sucre remarked, is “more contagious and more aggressive”.
The delta variant, identified for the first time in India and according to studies 60% more contagious than its predecessors, is present in at least 104 countries and will soon become dominant worldwide, warned the World Health Organization (WHO) on July 12.