After the confirmation of the first three cases of coronavirus on the island, Governor Wanda Vázquez reported that she accepted the resignation of Health Secretary Rafael Rodríguez Mercado due to claims for handling the emergency caused by the disease. COVID-19.
“I have learned that there has been a great dissatisfaction in relation to the last incidents of the last days, dissatisfaction that I have also felt. For this reason, at this moment, I want to tell the people of Puerto Rico that I have accepted the resignation of the Secretary of Health”, The president said at a press conference from La Fortaleza.
The Undersecretary of Health, Concepción Quiñones de Longo, will remain in command of the agency on an interim basis.
On the other hand, the president reported that, given the recent confirmations of positive cases on the island, will paralyze the educational system for 14 days, Until the 30th of March. The entry of all cruises, including the ferry to the Dominican Republic, will also be suspended from tomorrow.
Relive the press conference here:
“Tomorrow when we meet with the cabinet, where the Secretary of Education will be, we will work with what will be the materials that we will give to the students so that they can take advantage of this time,” said Vázquez.
The governor indicated that later she will decide – together with the education secretary, Eligio Hernández – what actions she will take when the period of suspension of classes expires.
In the same way, Vázquez Garced commented that after the meeting with the agency heads, he will offer instructions on the action plan for public employees, including first responders, such as firefighters and police.
Vázquez Garced assured that in the next few hours they will receive the results of the three remaining cases. Regarding the six suspected cases in the veterans hospital, he noted that four of them were negative, as he had already confirmed to The new day the press spokesman of the medical institution, Axel Román.
“To all Puerto Ricans we have to be careful not to expose yourself to places that may be the focus of infection … The period of social distancing must be intensified, people of Puerto Rico. We must be careful, we will proceed to establish a total closure of school activities for a period of 14 days. ”
When asked about the alleged incorrect handling of Health when sending the first proof of the Italian tourist to the CDC, Vázquez Garced defended the local management and pointed out that the confusion occurred in federal territory, although he did not give details on what confusion he referred to.
“The handling of this test within the CDC was the one that created some kind of confusion. The handling of the test in Puerto Rico was done in the correct way, the confusion arises in the CDC,” he explained.
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