Coronavirus In Costa Rica: 347 Sick And Four Recovered
UPDATE ON OUR SITUATION IN COSTA
(Below is an excellent article by my friend Rico at Q Costa Rica about the present state of Coronavirus as of March 31, 2020. I must point out that Costa Rica has always been a resilient country in the face of adversity and will rebound from this terrible malady)
In the daily briefing this Monday afternoon, the Minister of Health, Daniel Salas, provided the latest numbers with respect to the coronavirus covid-19 in Costa Rica: there are 347 confirmed cases, 17 more than the day before, four recoveries and the deaths remain at 2.
The ages of the sick range from 1 to 87. There are 167 women and 180 men, of which 320 Costa Ricans and 27 foreigners, in 52 of the 82 cantons in the country.
The majority are between 18 and 69, 24 are 65 and over and 13 are minors.
As of Monday, 15 of the sick remain hospitalized, 7 of them in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), with ages from 36 to 69.
Some of them have been in ICU for more than two weeks.
Every day, 600 tests are carried out and the number has been expanding. “Each suspected case is handled as confirmed and this involves the period of isolation and the listing of people in direct contact and the moment samples are taken, samples are taken,” he explained.
The value of the samples range from $12 to $35, each.
Salas acknowledged that there is a percentage of people may not have visible symptoms, but they may be infecting others, however, he said, it is a reduced percentage.
“The ability to infect occurs especially when there are symptoms, but transmission by people without symptoms can occur,” he added.
People are staying home
Minister Salas once again reminded the population on the need to stay home, to go out only if necessary, ie the supermarket, pharmacy of an emergency.
For the period between 8 pm Sunday and 5 am Monday, 331 drivers were fined for violating the vehicular restrictions, with a total of 434 tickets issued: 331 for the restriction violation and additional traffic law infractions, including 18 drunk drivers.
“We have called on the entire population to unite so that we are cautious, that we do not act irresponsibly with ourselves and with others, but there is still non-compliance.
“We all know by now not to drive while intoxicated, and yet there are people who continue to do so at this time. The call is for us to have an attitude of humility, solidarity, empathy (…) this humility, this tolerance has to develop because we are under the call to stay at home,” said Salas.
“We know that we will not peak in two weeks, that is clear…we are not close, several weeks more to the highest part, then comes the descent that is also important to monitor, because the majority of the population is susceptible, the possibility of getting sick is latent,” he warned.
