MADRID, 30 Dic. (EUROPA PRESS) –
COVID-19 cases in the American continent have increased by 50 percent in the last seven days, while deaths have increased by 11 percent, according to data from the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO).
During the period between December 19 and 25, more than half of the countries and territories in the region reported an increase in cases of more than 20 percent. The omicron variant was reported in 27 countries and territories in the Americas in the last week.
The three nations that reported the highest number of new cases were the United States, Canada and Argentina. The situation in Central America is “one of apparent tranquility,” according to PAHO, since no increase in cases was reported. The exception in that subregion occurred in Panama and Belize, where they rose in some of their provinces.
The increase in cases in the Andean region is led by Bolivia, followed by Colombia, Ecuador and Peru, which also announced an increase in patients with coronavirus. The countries of the Southern Cone that registered the highest growth in incidents were Paraguay and Uruguay, while in Brazil the cases decreased.
In the Caribbean, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic and Jamaica posted significant increases compared to the previous week. In contrast, Trinidad and Tobago saw a decline.
In line with these figures, PAHO warns that the combination of two important factors such as the increase in the circulation of the virus in several countries, together with the greater contact between people associated with the holidays and vacations season, “may cause during the next weeks an increase in cases, hospitalizations and deaths. “
For this reason, the health agency continues to recommend accelerating vaccination coverage against COVID-19 and continuing with public health measures to reduce the transmission of the disease, such as “the use of well-fitting masks, physical distancing, ventilation of indoor spaces, avoid crowds and practice hand hygiene “.
LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN ARE CLOSE TO 60 PERCENT VACCINES
On the other hand, according to PAHO records up to December 28, 57 percent of the population of Latin America and the Caribbean is fully vaccinated, and more than 1,400 million doses have already been administered in the American continent.
The COVAX mechanism, led by the World Health Organization (WHO), has delivered more than 76.2 million doses of vaccines in 33 countries in the Americas, many of them donated by other countries, through the Organization’s Revolving Fund.
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