QCOSTARICA – While the number of new daily cases continues over 2,000, save for drops on weekends (typically Sundays and Mondays), the greater concern is the high level of hospitalizations, in particular patients requiring an Intensive Care Unit (ICU).
This past six days, from Saturday, May 22 to today, May 27, there have been 12,703 new cases and 168 deaths associated with covid-19: an average of 2,117 new cases and 28 deaths per day.
- Saturday, May 22: 2,445 new cases & 32 deaths
- Sunday, May 23: 1,726 new cases & 23 deaths
- Monday, May 24: 1,139 new cases & 29 deaths
- Tuesday, May 25: 2,370 new cases & 32 deaths
- Wednesday, May 26: 2,587 new cases & 31 deaths
- Thursday, May 27: 2,436 new cases & 21 deaths
The accumulated total is now 311,922 confirmed cases since March 2020 and 3,929 deaths.
In hospital, this Thursday, May 27, are 1,438 patients, of which 534 are in ICU.
Contagion rate drops again
The contagion rate continues to drop. According to the latest analysis by the Universidad Hispanoamericana (UH), released this Thursday morning, it showed a reduction from 1.16 to 0.94.
This is good news, and, according to analysts, they reveal that the restriction measures and the care that the population has reinforced are taking effect.
However, they warn that the effect can also be reversed if the guard is lowered.
“The virus stopped its overwhelming pace, but it continues to be aggressive, making hundreds of Costa Ricans sick. It is insatiable and tireless. It goes into every corner and when it does not find an appropriate and welcoming environment, ite looks for other places until it finds more receptive hosts. Hence its transhumant and gypsy character, it does not stay in one place for long,” said doctor and epidemiologist Ronald Evans, coordinator of the analysis.
The contagion rate, R rate or basic reproduction number, is an indicator that reflects how many healthy people, on average, a carrier of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which causes covid-19, would infect.
A rate of 1.16 as seen a week ago indicates that a group of 100 people with the virus would transmit it to 116, on the other hand, a rate of 0.94, as seen today, implies that those 100 people would infect 94.
This information is consistent with the view by the Central American Population Center of the University of Costa Rica (CCP-UCR), reporting on Wednesday a contagion rate of 0.96. The CCP-UCR report indicates that the peak of this pandemic wave had been attained and was beginning to decline.
Vaccinations
On Tuesday, the Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social (CCSS) reported it has applied a total of 1,457,802 doses since the first on December 24, 2020, of which 867,517 people have received their first dose and 590,285 the second dose.
Municipalities and companies inject force into Ebáis to accelerate the vaccination process with campaigns scheduled for this weekend.
One of those is the Oxígeno Mall in Heredia, where 58 years old and over (second group) from that health area do not need an appointment and can show up at any time between 9:00 am and 6:00 pm.
In Tibas, the Municipality organized mass vaccination days, in which it is expected to protect 1,400 residents of that canton.
The first is on May 29 and the second, on June 12, at the Llorente Sports Center, from 9 am to 4 pm. They are aimed at people aged 58 years and over (second group) and those over 45 with risk factors.
The Purdy Motor Paseo Colón, San José, car dealership this Thursday, May 27, and Friday, 28, became a vaccination center for residents attached to the Clorito Picado Clinic.
As reported by the company on its official Facebook page, CCSS staff will apply the doses to people 45 years of age and over with risk factors, from 9 am to 4 pm.
This Saturday, another massive vaccination day is planned in Zapote, San José, for people with risk factors, between 40 and 57 years old.
