Montecristi, the only Manabi canton at a red light due to its low vaccination

Montecristi, MANABI

Of the cantons of Manabí, only Montecristi is at a red light. It is cataloged in that color because the Emergency Operations Committee (COE) considers that the epidemiological risk is high.

It is not the first time that the Manabi canton is in these conditions. For several weeks, it was among the localities with the least vaccinated population registered.

There are still 21 cantons in the country that are on the red list because they did not meet the conditions to be able to go to yellow or green.

Jessica Barrezueta, director of public health surveillance for zonal coordination 4 of the Ministry of Public Health, indicated that despite the fact that the level of COVID-19 infections is not that high and that there has been a decrease in the incidence of cases, the Montecristi canton within the province of Manabí has ​​very low vaccination coverage.

That is what caused it to be classified as red, something that had already been announced by health authorities at the national level at the end of 2021, the official said.

Montecristi has one of the lowest percentages of vaccination on the Coast

“This vaccination is due to the fact that many people have not been vaccinated in the canton but rather outside the canton, that is why we as a ministry are doing other activities to be able to have real and exact data on how much of the population is inoculated in that canton. ”, referred Barrezueta, who added that currently the level of contagion of COVID-19 has decreased throughout the province.

The population projection for Montecristi is 107,231 inhabitants, the MSP’s target population is to immunize 97,495 people, but as of January 28, only 38.3% of the target population had been immunized, according to statistical data from the coordination zone 4 of the MSP.

In Montecristi, 43,099 have been inoculated with first doses, 37,341 with second doses and 4,857 with booster doses.

From floating and foreign population, to cultural aspects would influence some cantons to be at a red light due to COVID-19

Another reason why there is little vaccination record in Eloy Alfaro’s cradle is the real number of inhabitants of this canton, according to Wladimir Briones, director of the Manta health district, in a radio interview.

The current projection is that there are more than 100,000 inhabitants in Montecristi, but that figure would not reflect the real figure, even in the number of infections, due to various factors such as human mobility.

Montecristi has one of the lowest percentages of vaccination on the Coast

“For us it was also a surprise that Montecristi was classified as a red light, because Montecristi has been one of the cantons where the provisions of table 3 have been complied with, they have even sacrificed the issue of the walk (last November for the holidays of the Virgin of Monserrate), they sacrificed the fair and complied with the provisions”, declared Briones.

Despite the fact that in the current week the number of infections has decreased, in the first weeks of 2022 the numbers of virus infections rose. Thus, according to the statistics of the Manta health district, in week 2 of this year Montecristi reported 56 cases, in week 3 about 92 and in week 4 the infections reached 151.

In general, Manabí adds 50,192 confirmed infections from February 29, 2020 to January 31, 2022. Of that figure, Montecristi accounts for 1,249 infected.

Juan Francisco Núñez, governor of Manabí, pointed out that since this Friday the 4th, a massive vaccination campaign began in Montecristi throughout the canton and mainly in the rural area, where biosafety kits will also be delivered through the Ministry of Economic and Social Inclusion. people in a state of vulnerability to care for the community.

“Manabí has ​​applied more than 173,000 booster doses and respiratory triage was reduced by 50% at the first and second level of care,” explained Núñez.

At the moment, citizens attend the city hall where this Friday some 20 people had already been immunized until 09:30.

Erika Pinargote was the first to be inoculated with a booster dose, while behind her Mauro Mero waited his turn to receive the third application of the immunizer.

Briones pointed out that a sweeping process will begin in Montecristi in sectors with health personnel to find out if the biologicals have been located, and if not, at that moment of the house-to-house visit, they will offer to vaccinate those who do not have or lack the booster. (I)