Managua Nicaragua
Nicaragua announced that it will promote, among the population, cleanliness and social distancing, among other measures, to contain the spread of coronavirus, a change in position of a government that refused to apply containment measures against the pandemic.
“We are going to strengthen all the information on hand washing, personal precautionary distance, the use of the mask,” in tune with the campaign in other parts of the world to prevent the spread of coronavirus, said the country’s vice president, Rosario Murillo, during an address in official media.
“We are preparing vignettes and explaining the measures” that will begin to be applied in the country.
The actions will also be accompanied by disinfection in means of transportation, bus stops, markets, study centers, work centers, in houses and neighborhoods, Murillo said.
Nicaragua is the only country in Central America that has not established the quarantine, the closing of borders or the suspension of classes due to the advance of the pandemic.
Instead, until now it has promoted sports activities, fairs, walks to the beaches and tourist places without keeping a safe distance, which has created alarm in international health and human rights organizations.
The Ministry of Health (MINSA) reports 13 cases, including 3 deaths from the coronavirus, since March 18 when the first contagion was reported.
The Minsa, as of Monday, further reduced the scant information it offers in daily statements in which no details are given on the number of tests carried out, the protocols for discharging patients or the number of suspects.
Epidemiological experts have criticized the scarce information from the authorities and consider that the country is in a contagion phase, which added to the lack of preventive measures, they project that after the second week of May there will be a considerable increase in cases.
Murillo called the unofficial reports “false news.”
“Slander, they want to warm the people and they are real lynchings,” the first lady also complained.
“That scheme is repeated today when you want to carry out a coup or kick out a politician, you do this, false news, slander, that is what is in fashion,” he said, words he attributed to Pope Francis.
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