In the latest briefing on the coronavirus covid-19 in Costa Rica, Health authorities reported that the number of people infected increased to 314, on Sunday 19 new cases were reported from the day before.
The age ranges from one and 87; 150 are women and 164 men, of which 290 are Costa Ricans and 24 foreigners.
The patients are spread out in 51 of the 82 cantons of the seven provinces. The cantons with the most cases are Alajuela (55), San José (32), Santa Ana (19) and Escazu (17).
Sunday’s briefing was by Román Macaya, executive president of the CCSS, and Rodrigo Marín, director of Health Surveillance of the Ministry of Health.
Among the infected with covid-19 are 302 adults (22 of which are seniors) and 12 minors. So far three have recovered and two have died.
Likewise, 13 people are hospitalized, six of them in intensive care.
Both Macaya and Marin stressed of the importance of staying home, reminding that stiffer fines for violating the vehicular restrictions and Health quarantine order are on the way.
Between Saturday night (8 pm) and Sunday (5 am), 616 drivers were fined for violating the restrictions, more than double on Friday.
One of the myths surrounding the coronavirus is that it only affects the older. However, Macaya pointed out that the ages of the hospitalized in Costa Rica are 36, 38, 47, 49, 54 and one 66-year-old.
The of the CCSS explained that, although older adults constitute the most vulnerable population, other factors such as hypertension, diabetes, cancer, and asthma also influence.
“In the experience we have had of the six (in intensive care), five are not older adults; we must take note, the young adult population is at risk. We must not only be at home to protect older adults but ourselves. Some of these people do not have identified risk factors, but they are in the Intensive Care Unit,” said Macaya.
The Caja director also was emphatic that if people do not heed to the recommendations of staying home, the contagion will spread and the number of infected will increase exponentially, which presents a serious problem of the health care system being able to cope.
In days past, Macaya explained the CCSS has made purchases of ventilators and other equipment, 311 that are expected to arrive at the beginning of June.
Macaya explained that the country currently has 555 ventilators for adults and 92 for minors.
Psychological attention to health workers
The executive president of the CCSS also reported that the institution formed a technical team, which directs the National Coordination of Psychology, under a program called Cuidar a los que nos cuidan. (Caring for those who care for us).
As of March 27, more than 900 officials have been treated in situations of stress, depression, fear, fear, guilt, insomnia, irritability and all kinds of behavior that could be the cause of the stress that health workers are feeling due to the pandemic.
“What we seek is the physical and mental health of all our health workers, but with an emphasis on centers that will attend to more cases such as Cenare and hospitals in Alajuela, Cartago, San Carlos, Liberia, Nicoya and Monsignor Sanabria,” explained Macaya.
He said that the institution is doing “everything possible” to equip all the professionals that require protective equipment; They are working with global purchases and with local groups and teams to get local production of all kinds of face masks, gowns and other materials working and that on Saturday the Comptroller General approved a US$2 million dollar purchase order.
In addition, Macaya said 53 health care workers (one more than the 52 announced on Saturday) have tested positive for the covid-19 and are in isolation.
