In Machala, cases of the omicron variant are increasing; Hospitals reach capacity

Machala

According to the report of the Ministry of Public Health of the Machala district, in the two epidemiological weeks, 5,171 confirmed cases of COVID-19 have been registered, of which 119 have tested positive for the omicron variant in the capital of Ourense.

“We have received the information from the laboratories that give us these results, we are waiting for the results of the tests and we believe that the figure could increase in the coming days,” explained Priscila Hurtado, head of the Machala Health district.

The figures are collected from COVID-19 patients at the Teófilo Dávila and IESS Machala hospitals. Carlos Quiroz, a doctor at that last care home, mentioned that children with coronavirus have already been admitted.

“We are reaching a breaking point and the hospitals are filling the capacity in hospitalization and Intensive Care Unit (ICU)”, said Quiroz.

The doctor added that in the first days of 2022, thirteen patients have died from COVID-19.

Last weekend, hospital capacity reached 100% occupancy at the IESS Machala and almost 90% at the Teófilo Dávila hospital.

From $15 to $300 is the cost at home if a family member is infected with not so aggressive variants of COVID-19

The situation for these health houses is worsening because more than 150 doctors, nurses and administrative staff have been infected with the virus.

This Monday the 17th, the IESS Machala hospital increased 20 beds to care for patients with COVID-19 in a mild or moderate state.

The governor of El Oro, Fulton Serrano, reported that in Machala vaccination reached 94% in the first dose and 82% with the second dose against the coronavirus.

“We have activated seven health centers and mobile points where we are serving the population, we are carrying out operations in the cantons to avoid parties and crowds,” said the official. (I)