QCOSTARICA – Covid-19 cases rose slightly, but hospitalizations and deaths associated with the disease remained down during the last week, calendar week 50, which runs from December 12 to 18.
The Ministry of Health indicated that in week 50 there were 10 more cases than in week 49, going from 562 to 572, 1.8% more. In contrast, the average number of hospitalized cases went from 184 to 156, 15.2% less. And if we talk about hospital admissions (people who arrived at the hospital at this time), it went from 70 to 55, 21.4% less.
Deaths were the variable that decreased the most, going from 18 to 7, 61.1% less in a matter of seven days. In week 50, only one person on average lost their life due to covid, this value ranged between 0 and 4 deaths a day. 71.4% of the deaths were registered in the age group 65 years and over, 28.6% in those aged 50 to 64 years. There were no deaths in minors.
These data are released two days after the presence of the omicron variant, considered more contagious, was confirmed in the country.
So far, four cases and six suspects have been detected. Health authorities follow up on possible contacts of people, as this variant could have infected more people who do not appear in the analyzes made by specialists in genomic sequencing.
For this Tuesday, the Ministry of Health reported 105 cases and one death in the previous 24 hours. In addition, 129 people remain hospitalized, one in a private center and 128 in the public system. Of the total hospitalized, 49 people are in an intensive care unit (ICU).
As of December 21, there were 7,343 accumulated deaths related to the pandemic disease.
Authorities recall the importance of vaccination and that people complete their schedule and, if they are candidates for the booster, receive it. They insist on the use of a mask in closed places, but in addition to the correct form: it must be well placed, without gaps that allow air to pass through and it must remain fixed, not expose the person’s nose.
Hand washing is still vital in this fight, as well as preferring open and well-ventilated places.
