RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Health Minister Juan Carlos Zevallos was forced to concede that the correct figure is not the previously estimated 11,000, but rather over 22,000.
The New York Times reports that the number of people who have already died as a result of Covid-19 infection in Ecuador is likely to be 15 times higher than officially estimated and stated, based on a specially prepared study of mortality data.
On Friday, the government reported that the number of deaths was 1,636 instead of 560 the day before, but the Minister of the Interior, María Paula Romo, nevertheless announced that the curfews would be relaxed after May 4th.
Health Minister Zevallos also denied that the second wave of infections was occurring in the country. The correction was solely due to the delay in receiving test results, Zevallos said.
In recent weeks, reports from the city of Guayaquil, in particular, have suggested higher numbers than officially stated. The government of President Lenín Moreno conceded that testing has been insufficient so far, but at the same time refused to admit the true extent of the crisis.
By Thursday approximately 57,000 tests are reported to have been performed, with some 22,000 positive cases. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that in Ecuador’s case, there is a rate of approximately 50 percent of positive cases.
The organization points out that a rate of around ten percent would mean that there is sufficient testing and that the situation is under control. But Ecuador is obviously far from achieving this.
According to WHO, this confirms that so far in Ecuador, mainly patients with severe symptoms have been tested and that the overall rate of infections is likely to be much higher.
In the province of El Oro, according to reports from Pichincha Comunicaciones, the mortality rate is as high as 20 percent according to tests carried out.
There is a first glimmer of hope for increased testing: In a few days, according to the Minister of Health, approximately 20,000 additional rapid tests will be available after a donation from a private company.
However, only medical staff will be tested.
Source: Amerika21