The COVID-19 outbreak triggers care in Ecuadorian hospitals in the first two weeks of 2022

The wave of COVID-19 infections that Ecuador is facing is reflected in the number of patients who go to hospitals daily to receive treatment or the hundreds who go to laboratories to rule out or confirm the disease.

In Machala, a total of 6,234 patients with respiratory symptoms associated with the virus arrived at the hospital of the Ecuadorian Institute of Social Security (IESS) during the first two weeks of 2022, which according to directors of the health house represents an increase of 115% compared to the figures for January 2021.

Likewise, the demand for COVID-19 detection tests was 1,882 in that period. The results were 1,270 positive for coronavirus and 612 that were negative.

The production of the Molecular Biology Laboratory increased by more than 200% compared to December 2021, those responsible for the establishment estimated. Even the demand generated the supply of the necessary supplies to carry out the PCR test.

The authorities of the IESS hospital reported that they made a purchase of supplies in stock critical. Likewise, the Ministry of Public Health (MSP) delivered 1,400 tests for the detection of antigens for COVID-19 to the Machala General Hospital.

Ecuadorian Medical Federation rejects massive requests for PCR tests, asks for more triage points to detect the virus through ‘clinical diagnosis)

In this health house in the capital of El Oro, the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) area for patients with COVID-19 was packed over the weekend, with nine patients. While in the Hospitalization area, occupancy reached 96%, since, out of 27 beds, only one was free.

In the Teófilo Dávila hospital, also in Machala, of 30 beds destined for the intermediate care area for patients with COVID-19, there were 28 occupied, that is, an occupation of 93%.

In the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), of six beds that were destined for critical patients with COVID-19, only one was free.

In the province of El Oro, the Ministry of Public Health (MSP) registers two infections with the omicron variant, considered the most transmissible of all the variants of COVID-19.

Hospital pressure due to the increase in cases is felt in the country in the face of the outbreak of cases.

During the second week of January 2022, the highest number of infections since the start of the pandemic was registered, the Deputy Minister of Public Health, José Ruales, reported yesterday.

While in the week of Christmas 4,000 were registered, in New Year’s there were 8,000; In the first week of January there were 15,000 cases, but this week there were 42,000 infected.

This is a figure that exceeds almost three times the infections of the previous week. All this as a result of crowds, parties, shopping, among others. One of the provinces with the highest number of cases is Guayas.

The occupation of ICU beds at the country level is at 84% and 56% for hospitalization.

Juan Zapata, head of the COE, said that there is a waiting list for patients in IESS hospitals. In Guayas there are 21 waiting and in Manabí, 10.

“Epidemiologically, the country is at a red light,” Zapata said, referring to the fact that 193 cantons are at high risk due to cases.

In Ambato, capital of Tungurahua, the cantonal director of the Health district, René Sanmartín, stated that the last seven days had been the most critical and that it was the week with the highest number of people infected with COVID-19.

“Logically, we have seen how the pandemic is evolving; therefore, when there is a greater number of infections, our situation in hospitals becomes more complex. This week we will have the highest number of hospitalized patients and the highest number of people who come to our services,” he anticipated.

The director of the Nuestra Señora de la Merced municipal hospital, Xavier Gallegos, said that, as of January 9, there was an increase of 521 new cases of COVID-19. He commented that on December 19 there were 24 cases, on the 26th 131 were reported, while on January 2 the record was 231, which showed a significant escalation.

An agreement between the Health District and the Municipality of Ambato to establish vaccination brigades is scheduled for Monday the 17th.

In a forum, Minister of Health, Ximena Garzón, said that the outbreak of COVID-19 generates more than 19,000 confirmed cases in a week

And it was learned that a total of eleven patients with COVID-19 remained in the isolation area, and one in intensive care, at the Ambato General Teaching Hospital until Friday the 14th.

In Babahoyo, capital of Los Ríos, the Minister of Health, Ximena Garzón, called on the population to go to the vaccination points. During her visit to the Martín Icaza hospital, on Thursday the 13th, the official said that, of the 1,083 antigen tests carried out on citizens at the health center, 55% were positive.

“The contagion curve will tend to go down from the first week of February. For now, we must continue to protect ourselves. Vaccination should continue to be promoted in each locality so that they go to the assigned health centers and vaccination points,” Garzón said.

In the MSP hospitals in Los Ríos, of the total of 103 existing beds, 66 were to date occupied by patients with COVID-19; additionally there are 24 beds in the ICU, of which twelve were occupied, according to the minister.

The MSP figures indicate that 83% of the population of Babahoyo already has the first dose of the vaccine and 69% with the second. In what corresponds to the province, those vaccinated with the two doses reach 65%, for which the official maintained that “good coverage in vaccination campaigns” had not been done.

The mayor of Babahoyo, Carlos German, ordered the setting up of vaccination points at the land terminal, Eugenio Espejo shopping center and on the esplanade of the La Unión parish, in addition to seeking to set up another one in the area of ​​the State Technical University of Babahoyo (UTB).

In Esmeraldas, capital of the province of the same name, the zonal coordinator 1 of the Ministry of Public Health (MSP), Paúl Pérez, assured that there are still no official reports of patients with the omicron variant in that province or in Carchi, Imbabura or Sucumbíos. , all on the northern border.

He said that the delta strain predominates, but it could change with the results of laboratory tests to new patients with symptoms associated with COVID-19.

The Delfina Torres hospital kept eight patients in the ICU over the weekend. Two beds were available on Saturday 15, but as many users remained in the recovery room, where there are 37 beds.

In the Esmeraldas canton, the health authorities estimate that 86% of the population is inoculated with the two doses and 33% with the booster.

As of Wednesday the 12th, the province of Esmeraldas registered 10,878 confirmed cases of COVID-19; of that figure, the capital city added 5,957.

In Chone, Manabí canton, the director of the Chone-Flavio Alfaro Health district, María Arteaga Zambrano, indicated that in the first two weeks of January there was a record of 684 cases of COVID-19, above the 90 cases that had in the same period of January 2021.

“In the first week of January we had 594 cases; and in the second week, 51 positive cases; and suspects we have more than 1,000 cases. With regard to patients admitted to the Napoleón Dávila Córdova hospital, they are few: so far this year we have not had intubated patients; Of the nine ICU beds, only two are occupied”, explained the official.

In Chone, in 2021, 129 people died from COVID-19. In the first two weeks of the year, ten people go: six in Chone and four in Flavio Alfaro. (I)