Expansion of spaces for patients with COVID-19 reaches the maximum in Azuay that enters phase 3 of the contingency plan

Cuenca

Due to the high rate of infections and the occupation of beds to treat COVID-19, Azuay entered phase 3 of the contingency plan undertaken by the Ministry of Public Health (MSP). This means that the maximum expansion of spaces for hospitalization and intensive care units (ICU) was reached.

The Zonal 6 coordinator of the Ministry of Health (MSP), Andrea Bersosa, explained that in the last week between Azuay, Cañar and Morona Santiago, 2,100 patients contaminated by COVID-19 were registered, of which 1,200 are in the capital of Azuaya.

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For all this, Bersosa explained that phase three implies that “we have reached the maximum expansion of beds that each hospital allows, both general and basic.” Taking Vicente Corral Moscoso as an example, he revealed that in the first phase they started with five beds for each area, but now they are with 15.

But this is not all, since occupancy is also on the rise and in ICU the occupancy percentage for adults is 75% and in hospitalization it is 45%. For now, he said, it is not necessary to implement waiting lists, which is why he called the attention of citizens to get vaccinated and take care of themselves, because in a while the amount of demand could exceed the supply.

Bernardo Vega, doctor and researcher on the evolution of the pandemic, considers that this phase 3 is understood as the increase in infections, which forced the reopening of spaces that were closed months ago due to the decrease in positive cases.

From this perspective, he anticipated that two scenarios could occur: resuming the waiting list and transfers to other centers connected to a ventilator, which, based on previous experiences, would imply that the person is less likely to survive.

Due to his statistical monitoring, he assured that this fourth wave of the coronavirus began last October, increased in November and accelerated with the presence of the Delta and omicron variant in December.

He compared that in the penultimate month of 2021 the average was 81 weekly cases in Azuay and the second in January rose to 172.

But the risk analysis, in his opinion, not only goes by the number of patients, but also the increase in positivity, because for a person detected as positive after a test there are three or four who are also positive, but are not included in a medical record and therefore can infect more people.

María Eulalia Pesántez was diagnosed with COVID-19 for the second time. She had to perform a second isolation and be confined with her parents and son. He has already exceeded the isolation time so he resumed his normal work and other activities.

This relapse occurred despite having already received both doses of the Sinovac vaccine.

He recalled that in November 2020 he had strong symptoms such as decay, low oxygen saturation, high fever and lack of smell.

On this second occasion, the symptoms were different and she only felt a headache, nasal congestion, and muscle pain. He thought he was going to get a bad flu, but when he learned that a relative tested positive, he decided to take a new test, which finally confirmed his suspicion, and 13 months later he had COVID-19 again.

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In this second contagion, he recovered with medications and drinking many liquids, especially the well-known “old woman waters”, which are nothing more than aromatic of different types of herbs.

With the inevitable increase in cases, the doctor Bernardo Vega asked the authorities and citizens to redouble their efforts to maintain biosafety measures such as the use of a mask, as well as to advance vaccination. (I)