With nearly 17 million inhabitants, in Guatemala only 5.6 million people have the complete vaccination scheme against the coronavirus, which means that the numbers of infections and deaths continue to be among the highest in the region, according to data published this Tuesday, March 1, by the Ministry of Public Health and Social Assistance.
According to the latest update of the covid-19 board of the Ministry of Health, 33 people died from the disease, although it is clarified that they are from previous days, But with that, Guatemala has already exceeded 17,000 deaths from covid-19. In total, 17,010 people have died in the country since March 2020.
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In addition, the dashboard reveals that a total of 780,815 Guatemalans have been infected with the disease, of which currently 40 thousand 124 are active. Of the total number of infections, according to Health, 723 thousand 682 people have recovered.
The increase in coronavirus cases occurs at a time when more than a million vaccines from the brand Sputnik V expired, According to Salud, due to the rejection that this drug has in the population.
“Unfortunately we have to live with a factor (…) that has to do with a rejection of vaccination by a sector of the population that is important,” Health Minister Francisco Coma said.
The official indicated that one million 62 thousand 412 doses of the Russian vaccine –not yet endorsed by the World Health Organization (WHO)– reached their expiration date due to the resistance of some people to be vaccinated.
According to the authorities, the vaccination campaign in the country has come up against several “myths and rumours” and there were some cases in which health personnel were attacked in some communities.
“The rejection of the vaccine unfortunately occurs in all parts of the world,” Coma said, specifying that they tried to negotiate with Russia to change the doses close to expiration without a favorable response.
The expired doses of the Sputnik V vaccine are part of the 8 million that Guatemala bought from the Russian Direct Investment Fund last April for a cost of some US$79.6 million.
The original contract was for 16 million doses, but both parties agreed that only half of the order would be fulfilled due to the delay in deliveries that caused harsh criticism of President Alejandro Giammattei, including allegations of corruption.
The country keeps the contract with Russia open and one of the “commitments” is to acquire between 2022 and 2023 a batch of 4 million doses of Sputnik Light, as soon as he obtains the emergency registration from the WHO, Coma added.
Before the expiration of the million doses, opposition deputies announced that they will ask the Minister of Health for accountability in Congress, denouncing Government deficiencies in the process to transfer the vaccines.
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