New guide to protect yourself from covid-19 2:29
(CNN Spanish) -
The Minister of Health of Guatemala, Amelia Flores, said this Monday that the intensive care units of the country's hospital network are not in a position to face this third wave of the coronavirus pandemic.
Flores reported 17,000 infections in the last 15 days and expressed concern about the increase in cases in young people, as well as their mortality rate.
The minister affirmed that this increase is due to the fact that the social distancing measures and other health restrictions applied by the government have not been respected.
Flores also assured in a press conference that infections by covid-19 in Guatemala increased in such a way that the country faces a health crisis again.
«Two weeks of sacrifice would have been enough to contain the contagions.
However, it did not happen.
The parties took place and we will see the propagation in another 15 days, ”said the official.
Who is responsible?
President Alejandro Giammattei announced new restrictions on Friday due to the increase in covid-19 cases.
These include the reduction in capacity to 25% in shops and restaurants.
Also the limitation of mass demonstrations and parties.
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The health authorities consider that the population ignored the message.
Minister Flores assured that the attendance to the shops this past weekend was massive.
"We hold the owners or managers responsible who do not respect capacity in restaurants," said the official.
Marta Méndez, owner of a restaurant, showed a contrary opinion to the official.
He says that since the beginning of the pandemic he has adapted to the new situation and that he has implemented measures in his three restaurants.
“There are many of us who, since a year ago, when the pandemic arrived in Guatemala, have made efforts and have learned to deal with this, we know what works.
We all expected this maximum if the Government did not implement the measures in the last vacation, "he said.
The pre-holiday message
On March 26, just before the holidays that year after year are lived in Guatemala, President Giammattei invited the families to leave the confinement and visit the beaches.
"Hopefully instead of seeing beaches full of garbage we can see them full of people, happy, content and enjoying this Easter without confinement," the president had said.
The Secretary of Social Communication of the Presidency, Patricia Letona, told CNN that “in the previous weeks, a call was made to people that if they went out to do internal tourism, they should always keep the measures.
Today we see that there has been little collaboration and discipline on the part of the population, which is translating into illness and death ”.
The situation in Guatemalan hospitals
According to data from the hospital network revealed by the Minister of Health, the San Juan de Dios public hospital, located in the capital, has exceeded up to 225% the occupancy of beds in critical care units for the coronavirus.
The situation is also alarming at the Hospital Regional de Occidente, located in Quetzaltenango, with an occupancy of up to 160%, according to the official's presentation.
A source who works in the most important hospitals in the capital told CNN that the situation is increasingly critical and that many of these cases occur as a result of holidays at this time.
“There are many 17 and 18 year olds in serious condition.
Here we can no longer, there are not enough fans to handle so much case.
This is very frustrating, "the source told CNN.
Regarding vaccination, the minister assured that a batch of Sputnik V vaccines will arrive in Guatemala next week, although she did not specify the quantity.
According to the portal of this ministry, to date 157,800 people who make up phase 1 have been vaccinated in the country. This includes health personnel, first responders, funeral home workers and nursing home workers.
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