KPC outbreak coming under control

With 94 recorded cases and 61 deaths to mid November, Panama is coming to grips with  the bacteriumKlebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase (KPC) resistant to antibiotics.

A Social Security    release    says  that the  number of patients infected with KPC has dropped to around two cases a week.

The decline indicates that  Panama is reaching the goals set by the Pan American Health Organization to contain the outbreak says the release.

Prosecutor Sofanor Espinoza says, his office staff have participated so far in the removal of the bodies of 58 victims, while two other cases were handled by officials from Panama's ombudsman’s office.

With these details, Espinoza somehow justified the differences in earlier statistics cited by the Justice Department and the Social Security Fund (CSS), which until October 30, admitted only 55 victims.

A prosecution affidavit made by members of the medical commission of the Ministry of Health is awaiting the results of the clinical records of contaminated patients

Meanwhile, the Criminal Chamber of the Supreme Court must decide on more than 16 complaints against the director of the CSS, Guillermo Sáez-Llorens.