Covid-19 infections in Guayaquil increase 75% in a week

The Municipality of Guayaquil warned of an ” exponential increase ” in covid-19 infections in the Main Port. The cases increased by 75%; they went from 800 patients in week number 46 to 1,460 during the last epidemiological week, number 47 of the year. However, only one person has died from the virus in the past seven days.

In the Bicentennial Hospital, the positivity of covid-19 fluctuates between 30 and 50%, but they report cases without seriousness.

The person who died due to covid-19 is an elderly patient. She had two doses of vaccines. She, but she, lacked the reinforcement doses against the coronavirus, as reported by the Cabildo in a statement, on the morning of this Wednesday, November 30, 2022.

The report of the Technical Health Board of the Cantonal Emergency Operations Committee (COE) underlines a “substantial increase in the number of covid-19 infections in Guayaquil.” The Health Table asks the population to maintain biosafety standards, especially the use of masks in closed spaces.

The increase in infected has been registered for three weeks, when only 300 cases per week were registered in the city. But currently, there are no people admitted to the Intensive Care Units (ICU) in the Main Port.

Data on the behavior of the virus are collected in the hospitals of the Ministry of Public Health, Social Security and in private clinics in the city. In addition, the work in the territory of the Municipal Health Directorate is incorporated, which tracks cases in 18 sectors of the city.

Hospital reports increase in covid-19 infections 

In the same sense, the Bicentennial Municipal Hospital reported that up to 30 cases of covid-19 infections are detected daily, out of the 60 patients they treat for respiratory problems. Until four weeks ago, only five daily covid-19 infections were detected in the respiratory triage area.

The percentage of positives is between 30% to 50% of the patients submitted to the tests, explained Andrés Ojeda, intensive care physician and hospital care coordinator. “The characteristics are mild symptoms and not much different from a common cold. They are patients who do not require supplemental oxygen”, he pointed out.

The increase in people with respiratory problems in the city is also due to cases of influenza and syncytial virus, which causes respiratory diseases. Ojeda agreed on the need to wear masks indoors and maintain hand hygiene with alcohol gel or by washing with soap and water. He also called for completing the vaccination schedule, with four doses for adults.