America registered a 23% increase in new cases of covid-19 in the last week, with the United States and Canada leading the way by having a higher incidence, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) reported today.
This last week there were 880,583 cases and more than 15,000 new deaths from covid-19 in the American continent, which had a "jump" in the number of recent infections, according to PAHO Director Carissa Etienne.
Etienne pointed out that "Most of the new cases occurred in North America, where the US and Canada", register an increase in incidence rates, and, specifically, "The Yukon Territories and Northeast Canada saw a two- to three-fold increase in the number of new infections in the past week".
Cases in the Caribbean are on the rise, as Trinidad and Tobago registers the highest figures since the start of the covid-19 pandemic and at least five of its hospitals have an occupancy of more than 80%.
South America – with the exception of Brazil, Suriname and Venezuela – also had an increase in the incidence of covid-19, with a greater rebound in Ecuador and Paraguay.
Etienne explained the specific case of the Bolivian department of Santa Cruz, where cases skyrocketed by 400% after the "strikes and protests that prevented people from accessing vaccination and testing sites" to detect the virus.
He also highlighted the increase in hospitalizations and the growth of new cases among young people in the Colombian cities of Medellín and Bogotá.
"These trends are quite revealing. Even though the cases of covid-19 have decreased in recent months, transmission continues to be active throughout our region"Etienne declared.
CENTRAL AMERICA TO COUNTERCURRENT
While new cases are increasing across the continent, Central America has seen a decline in infections.
The Central American region had a 37% drop in new infections, with countries like Panama – with just over 4 million inhabitants – on the verge of reaching 80% of the population fully vaccinated.
"In Panama (…) although it is suggested that there is a slight increase in the number of cases, the positivity index remains below 3% (…) in such a way that we are close to the control level", specified the director of Health Emergencies, Ciro Ugarte.
A NEW WAVE?
"Every time we let our guard down, the virus gains momentum", Etienne stressed in reference to "relaxation" of the measures in Latin America.
The director remembered "Europe has been a window to the future" to predict what could happen in America in a short period of time – the dynamics are reflected weeks later – after the countries of the continent registered "record numbers of new cases".
He highlighted the importance of vaccination in this situation, because although 51% of the population of Latin America and the Caribbean are immunized against covid-19, there are 19 countries that have not reached the goals of vaccinating 40% of the population of all countries by the end of this year and 70% by mid-2022.
"The decisions we make in the coming months will mark the following year"added the director, who asked to maintain biosecurity measures before the dates of Christmas and New Years.
Thus, Etienne wanted to emphasize that "the vaccines work" and that public health measures are "fundamental" to control the spread of the virus.
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