06JUL22- 'Covid positivity reaches 42% in Cuenca; These are the recommendations of the experts- In April, positivity in the country reached 3%, however, this value has increased to 40% this week.

After several days with respiratory symptoms, such as sore throat, congestion and cough, Andrés (31 years old) tested positive for COVID-19 after performing a PCR test.

At first, Andrés ruled out the possibility that he was infected because he thought it was a common flu, but last Saturday morning he felt a very strong cough and decided to go to a laboratory.

This is one of the 479 cases of COVID detected in Cuenca the week of June 27 to July 3, 2022, according to the record kept by the medical researcher Bernardo Vega. In the last seven days, 267 infections were officially reported less than the previous week.

But the positivity increased, both in Cuenca and in Ecuador. The Cantonal Health Council confirmed to El Mercurio that in the Azuaya capital it is around 42%. In April, this indicator reached 3% at the national level, however, this value has increased to 40% this week, which is why Vega maintains that Ecuador is in a sixth wave of COVID.

When positivity is equal to or greater than 5%, additional measures must be taken to prevent the number of patients from rising, explains Vega. “Almost half of the tests carried out are positive, which is obviously a criterion of epidemiological risk and requires greater preventive measures,” emphasizes the doctor.

Even this figure may be higher, since many people with no symptoms or mild symptoms do not have a diagnostic test. The doctor explains that this percentage would easily increase if one takes into account that the Ministry of Public Health (MSP) only considers positive cases registered with PCR tests in its statistics.

Andrea Gómez, an epidemiologist, questions the low diagnostic coverage in the country, which influences decision-making: “For each positive case, at least 10 tests must be carried out, but in our country only 3.8 are being carried out. In addition, the notified information is late because we do not have a surveillance system, a file, a single clinical history.

Gómez agrees with her colleagues when pointing out that this new wave could be seen coming, since that “false sense of security” was caused, with the message sent by the National Government about the elimination of the mandatory use of the mask.

"The Minister of Health, who resigned from her position, at the time she did not know how to clarify or contradict this measure, and that is really taking its toll on us today," says the expert.

Whats a girl To do?
Vega emphasizes that the National Emergency Operations Committee has to apply measures based on epidemiological data: "Although the percentage of first and second doses is good, which has prevented saturation in hospitals, however, as there are new cases It can cause greater hospital demand.

But citizens can also act to avoid catching covid or at least suffer less damage during the disease. These are the recommendations of Cuenca experts: Use of mask-
Vega and Gómez recommend resuming the use of the mask, as they have done in other countries. In Spain, where the Ómicron subvariants predominate, for example, re-applying for the vaccination card, COVID-19 tests and the mandatory face mask are being analyzed. "Advantageously in Cuenca this garment is maintained by Ordinance", recalls the doctor.

The epidemiologist urges to use this element again, at least in closed places: "In Cuenca we have seen that citizens are very aware, in Guayaquil there is an increase in cases due to eradicating this measure."

Vaccination-
Andrea Gómez, epidemiologist, explains that, these days, most of the positive cases of COVID-19 are outpatients, they do not require hospitalization, however, in countries like Spain, an increase in people requiring care is already beginning to be seen in hospitals. Hence the importance of keeping up to date on vaccinations.

Jack Abercrombie, [7/6/2022 3:54 PM]
The specialist adds that immunization coverage, at the level of the third and fourth doses (booster), is not the best. "I think the Government stayed in the fact of immunizing 9 million people, which was not less, because it reduced mortality, but from then on vaccination did not improve."

In this context, she advises to be very careful with the most vulnerable people who have not yet been immunized. "I think the vaccine has too much evidence that it works, unfortunately there are anti-vaccine groups."

Vaccination coverage in the first doses reaches 87.28%, which represents 14,627,618 vaccinated; meanwhile, the latter register a percentage of 83.66%, that is, 14,021,270.

Regarding reinforcement 1, a total of 6,511,335 Ecuadorians inoculated is evidenced, which symbolizes 38.85%, and in quarters 743,539..." - https://elmercurio.com.ec/2022/07/06/aumenta-positividad-covid-ecuador/?fbclid=IwAR3pHnOAw8xRGmB2eWkOniEwwpWhRY8vI01_CQfKnmGj2CmSaw8h13zUr1s