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A nursing home with 39 cases, transit area and high population density: why Flores is the neighborhood with the most coronaviruses

2020-04-27T20:50:41.477Z


Thousands of people from other districts come to its shopping center and 150 thousand people live. And they also have neighborhoods and popular areas with overcrowded conditions. Dengue is also a concern.


Franco Giummarra

04/27/2020 - 16:57

  • Clarín.com
  • Cities

On March 3, the first case of coronavirus in Argentina was confirmed. Close to completing two months of that day, COVID-19 positives amount to 3,892, with 192 deaths, until noon on Monday. There are foci where the virus attacked with greater force. Undoubtedly, urban centers, where people circulate the most, are the ones with the highest contagions. And the City of Buenos Aires, with 1,007 cases, is the second most affected conglomerate behind the Province, with 1,331. Within Buenos Aires territory, in turn, Flores is the most affected neighborhood: 100 infections.

Part of the phenomenon is explained in that it is the neighborhood where the Beit Sión geriatric is,  where 39 positive cases were confirmed  last week . And although the information about which is the place with the most cases is divided between those who know it and those who have no idea, the day-to-day is similar to that of other Buenos Aires sites with important shopping centers: there are queues at businesses and the People wear masks almost entirely , although the number of people decreases noticeably in the streets that are farther from  Rivadavia Avenue.

Flores has as of Monday 100 cases. It is followed by Palermo (81), Belgrano (68), Balvanera (65) and Recoleta (58) , according to the information published in the Epidemiological Bulletin prepared by the Ministry of Health of the City Government.

It also has the highest transmission rate of COVID-19: six per 10,000 inhabitants. And there is also a lot of concern about dengue. There are 1,221 infected.

Coronavirus at CABA

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Source: GCBA Infographic: Clarín

Roberto D'Anna, director of the newspaper proximity Flores de Papel for over two decades, explains that the neighborhood is one of the most populous of the city. And he adds that due to its geographical location it receives a high traffic of people who come to work both from the West, along the axis of the Sarmiento train and Rivadavia avenue, and from the south of Greater Buenos Aires.

Beyond the nursing home with 39 infections, which represents 40% of cases, for D'Anna there is no less the fact that there are other residences in the area (there are around 50) to which attention should be paid as a focus. potential for new infections. And it also highlights the large number of clandestine workshops that have been running for years. He says that because of the economy, many of those who lived in addition to working there left. And it shows the amount of mattresses that are next to the garbage containers.

D'Anna, who also directs the Museo de Flores, says that areas of high purchasing power coexist with other more popular ones, in which it is more difficult to sustain social distancing and in which there are even overcrowding situations, such as the Padre Ricchiardelli neighborhood (ex villa 1-11-14), which in Bajo Flores has 25 thousand inhabitants and for now with a confirmed case .

"At the same time," D'Anna continues, "the solidarity that exists is valuable. Some factories donate masks and there are also food collections for the poorest areas of the neighborhood."

Pedernera and José Bonifacio, in Flores, the neighborhood with the most cases of coronavirus. The streets furthest from the shopping center have very little movement of people.Photo: Rafael Mario Quinteros

In a tour that Clarín made through the neighborhood, as occurs in other areas, the largest movement of people was around the commercial areas. There, everyone respects the preventive regulations issued by the National and City Government. The prudent distance of at least two meters is maintained and the use of a chinstrap or face mask .

However, there is a postcard that is repeated: the long lines in supermarkets, banks and pharmacies that tend to be up to half a block. This Monday morning, on Ramón Falcón street and Rivadavia avenue, you could see the movement of neighbors shopping. Many of them, consulted by this newspaper, say that they are unaware that Flores is the place with the most cases in the City and say that "they act the same as from day one."

Claudia (46), in line to buy drugs at a pharmacy located in Rivadavia at 6600, said: "I am not aware that we are the ones who have the most cases of coronavirus, but it obviously scares me. That is why I hardly ever go out . I do it every 15 days. I have several acquaintances who do the same thing. "

A few meters away, Horacio Rodríguez (70), who came out of his house to pay the card at Banco Nación and make purchases, told his version. "I see that people go out with masks and walk. Sometimes in the line of the Banks keep their distance and sometimes they don't. But most people respect. There is a lot of movement here, I would like that to change a little . We have to be in our homes, "he said. And about what happened in the nursing home, he added: "The geriatric thing seemed a shame to me. Like Belgrano and others. There is no care, it is a deposit of old people."

The circulation of people decreases and there is practically no movement further from Rivadavia or Ramón Falcon, where there are very few shops. Beit Sión is in Condarco 458. There, unlike downtown areas, silence reigns, caused by the absence of cars and buses. 

In the corner of the residence is the "Pizza Show Flores" pizzeria. Alberto, its owner, told this newspaper that they continue to take precautions. "We are not only hit by the coronavirus, but also by dengue. People respect a lot, but with the news of what happened in the nursing home, everything convulsed, although there was no change in habits."

The same is the opinion of Arnaldo González (50), who is in charge of a parking lot around Beit Sión. "People take good care of themselves here. There is 90% compliance and they stay at home," he said. However, he does see that there is greater concern in people after the cases of COVID-19 were confirmed in the nursing home: "From what I see, people are more scared and take better care of themselves."

SC

Source: clarin

All news articles on 2020-04-27

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