Santiago Guarderas says that Quito could go on green alert due to the pandemic

The mayor of Quito, Santiago Guarderas, reported on the morning of this Thursday, March 3, 2022 that analyze the change of the epidemiological alert in the city from yellow to green.

This, according to a decrease in infections by COVID-19 in recent weeks and in order to promote the economic reactivation. Guarderas gave the statements in the presentation of the Back to the Center initiative, at a bank agency located between García Moreno and 24 de Mayo streets.

“The COVID-19 pandemic that unfortunately still continues to affect us, thank goodness already in descending levels, which by the way I think will allow us to go to a green light this week, He has left us many life lessons,” he emphasized.

According to the latest report issued by the Secretary of Health of Quito, this Thursday afternoon there is a decrease in cases and hospital occupation in the capital. Until week 8, which corresponds from February 20 to 26, they report an accumulated 277,908 confirmed positive cases, 3,570 confirmed deaths and 381 probable deaths with the virus.

This is the variation of confirmed cases according to this municipal agency:

According to the bulletin of this secretariat, the level of positivity of the virus is 23.7%. In addition, between week seven and eight there were nine confirmed deaths by COVID-19.

The document also states that until February 28, the 49% hospital occupancy and 59% in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).

Vaccination coverage in the MDQ is also a factor that would allow the authorities to change the level of epidemiological alert. According to data from the Ministry of Public Health, the capital has 90% vaccination from 3 years onwards and 48% of the population over 18 years of age have already received the booster dose.

green alert

The change in alert level entails the following:

• Bars and nightclubs, tolerance and nightlife centers, training centers and gyms that carry out contact activities may operate with a restricted capacity of 70% and compliance with the biosafety protocol issued by the Ministry of Health.
• Malls (including food courts), supermarkets and markets with 85% capacity.
• banking agencies and corporate with 80% capacity.
• Restaurants: inside 90% and outside 95%.
• Cinemas and theaters with 80% capacity.
• gyms With the exception of gyms and training centers for sports and/or contact activities, 85%.
• Auditoriums, convention centers, tourist accommodation (in spaces where events are held) and reception and banquet rooms when corporate and academic events are held -MICE: 90% indoors and 95% outdoors.
• Auditoriums, convention centers, tourist accommodation (in the spaces where events are held) and the reception and banquet rooms when they hold social events: interior 80% and exterior 90%.
• Public shows (except fairs and MICE events) with a capacity of 70%.

The decision will be taken in the Emergency Operations Committee (COE) cantonal after analyzing the entire epidemiological situation and taking into account future events that could promote agglomerations. (I)