QCOSTARICA – Following a drop of new cases of covid-19 over the long weekend, the ugly head of the virus resurfaced on Wednesday with 2,555 new cases, as reported by the Ministry of Health in the early evening.
While the number of covid patients in ICU dropped by three, 405 patients required intensive care, the number of hospitalizations grew to a record 1,123, thirty-two more than 1,093 24 hours earlier.
Deaths associated with covid continues in the double digits, on Wednesday 16 deaths reported, for an accumulated total of 3,326 since March last year.
By the numbers
In the last week (April 29 to May 5), there were 12,103 new cases:
- 2,781, a record high, for Thursday, April 29
- 2,609, the second highest so far, for Friday, April 30
- 1,991 for Saturday, May 1*
- 1,839 for Sunday, May 2*
- 1,855 for Monday, May 3*
- 1,304 for Tuesday, May 4*
- 2,555 for Wednesday, May 5
* Denotes long weekend
Historically the number of cases reported has been low during the weekend and the Monday following. This past weekend was a long weekend, so the historical lows followed into Tuesday.
According to the Ministry of Health epidemiological report for Wednesday, May 5, 2021, the country now has a record 260,535 confirmed cases of covid-19 since the first on March 6, 2020, of which 229,933 are Costa Ricans and 30,602 are foreigners.
By gender, they are 130,926 men and 129,609 women, ranging in age from 0 to 113 years, with an average age of 38.1.
There are 209,355 recovered (8%) – 105,566 men and 103,769 women. The active cases is now 47,874 (18%) – 23,294 men and 24,580 women – with an average age of 37.7 years.
On Wednesday, 16 deaths were reported, bringing the total to 3,326 -2,066 men and 1,260 women – ranging in age from 2 to 103 years. The average age is 70.2 years.
Of the total 1,123 people in hospital (average age 54 years), 405 are in an Intensive Care Unit (ICU), pushing the resources of the Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social (CCSS) over its limited capacity.
Hospitals like the San Vicente de Paúl in Heredia reports covid patients in stretchers in hospital corridors waiting for a bed to become available.
In the case of ICU’s, one report puts overcapacity at 114%.
