Panama has most Covid-19 cases in Central America as surge looms

On October 11, Panama had t 120,303 cases of Covid-19  the most in Central America and the number  increases daily at a worrying rate.

The country also leads the incidence rate of cases in the region: 2,812 per 100,000 inhabitants, which, according to Francisco Sánchez Cárdenas, a member of the Health Advisory Council, is due to an “intense community infection”, reports La Prensa.

On Friday, October 16   the country registered  615  new cases and deaths.

In accumulated cases in Panama is , followed by Guatemala, with 97,715, and Costa Rica, with 87,439.

Panama also  has  the highest incidence rate: 2,812 per 100,000 inhabitants followed by  Costa Rica, with 1,733, and Honduras, with 961 cases per 100,000 inhabitants.

In this area, Panama not only leads Central America but  the continent,

Mortality

In the second week of October the country registered a mortality of 58.2 per 100,000 inhabitants. This figure exceeds the average rate for America, which is 56.9 per 100,000 people, and puts it in first place among the Central American countries according to figures published this week by the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO).

 Francisco Cárdenas, says that as in other countries, as the Panamanian economy opens, the cases will increase.

Therefore, they are preparing the health system so that it can cope with enough hospital beds, massive tests and isolation.

The country current availability of hospital beds in the ward is 42%, and in intensive care units, 40%. That means that in the ward there are 2,239 beds available, while in intensive care there are 242. In addition, throughout the country, there are 550 mechanical ventilators available, out of 817.

The health authorities have recently carried out an average of 6,000  tests daily in and expectsto reach 10,000 tests per day by the end of December or the beginning of January.