HEALTH ALERT: 17 Influenza deaths, 513 active cases

The number of deaths from influenza in has risen to 17, reports the Department of Epidemiology of the Ministry of Health (Minsa).

According to the entity, to date, there have been 17 deaths from influenza (2 type B and 15 type A), of which 11 are men and 6 women, in the age range between 8 and 82 years.

They also add that, until week No. 24, where 513 positive cases of influenza (399 type A and 114 type B) have been detected throughout the country.

The deaths correspond to the following Health regions: Metropolitan with six; West Panama with four; San Miguelito with two.

One death has been recorded in each of the health regions of Colón, Chiriquí, Panamá Norte, and Veraguas, and one with residence in San Miguelito, but was confined to Panama Este (Chepo).

88% of the deceased (15 of 17) had risk factors such as diabetes, hypertension, obesity, pulmonary, and immunosuppression among other diseases. Of the 17 deceased, 13 were not vaccinated.

According to information provided by the Minsa Nursing team, 686,546 doses of the Influenza vaccine have been applied in Panama and, during the week, they are vaccinating in health and police centers throughout the country, from Monday to Friday.

Likewise, they reiterate that vaccinations will continue during the weekends, in shopping centers and vaccination posts, and reported that they are coordinating with the Panama Metro, to be placed in the Metro stations, as indicated carried out with the doses of vaccines against Covid-19.

The head of Epidemiology of the Ministry of Health, Lizbeth Cerezo, noted that the deceased from the influenza virus are in the age range between 8 and 82 years, and for the most part unvaccinated.