(CNN) — Last week, the Americas reported 1.1 million new COVID-19 infections and 30,000 COVID-related deaths in the region, bringing the total case count to more than 72 million and deaths to nearly 1, 9 million, said the director of the Pan American Health Organization (OPS), Dr. Carissa F. Etienne during her daily briefing on Wednesday.
In North America, cases are declining in the United States, Canada and Mexico, although some Mexican states continue to report an increase in new infections, Etienne noted.
“Many Central American countries, such as Belize, Panama and Guatemala, have registered an increase in new infections in some departments. And in the Caribbean, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, and Saint Kitts and Nevis are seeing an increase in cases.
“The situation in Haiti is also getting worse, as cases are increasing throughout the country and some hospitals are filling up. Cases continue to grow in many South American countries, such as Colombia, Brazil, Bolivia and Uruguay, and hospitals are challenged to continue expanding the capacity of intensive care units. Although infections are decreasing in Argentina, cases are still high, “added the PAHO director in her report.
Vaccination against covid-19 in Latin America and the Caribbean
Only 1 in 10 people in Latin America and the Caribbean has the complete covid vaccination scheme, “an unacceptable situation,” he added.
Over the weekend, PAHO helped deliver 1.5 million doses of covid-19 mRNA vaccines that arrived in Honduras as part of the U.S. government’s commitment to share excess doses with countries.
PAHO expects the US to deliver more than 20 million doses to the countries of our region in the coming days, Etienne said.
Hurricane season
Countries must also take into account the weather of the season and its impact on covid transmission.
“The arrival of summer also marks the beginning of the hurricane season, and this year comes during the worsening outbreaks in the Caribbean and Central America, making preparations for storms especially vital,” said the director of PAHO.
“In the last five years, the American continent has witnessed more than 550 extreme weather events that affected more than 190 million people, and the potential for devastation is even greater in the context of a pandemic,” he added.
In addition, countries should consider equipping hospitals and expanding shelters to reduce the potential for transmission, including among family members, as social distancing and adequate ventilation will be difficult in the context of a storm. , He said.
“More than 13 countries in our region have already started vaccination campaigns against seasonal influenza and more than 80 million people have already been protected. But we still have a lot to do to limit the transmission of covid and other respiratory diseases, “he added.
–
