The Department of Epidemiology of the Ministry of Health (Minsa) reports that, during epidemiological week No. 27 (corresponding from Sunday, July 2 to Saturday, July 8), 663 new positive cases of Covid-19 were confirmed, which translates into 1,046,515. Total confirmed cases, from the start of the pandemic in March 2020 to Saturday, July 8, 2023.
The epidemiological report highlights that, according to reports from the Gorgas Memorial Institute for Health Studies, the lineages circulating in the country are: XBB.1.5, 57% of the samples analyzed; 14% of XBB.1.9.2.1 and XBB.1.15; 7% circulation of XBB.1.9.1 and XBB.1.5.13.2 each is also reported.
Until the last cut, a total of 8,527 tests were carried out, for a weekly positivity percentage of 7.8%. There are 544 active cases in home and hospital isolation during week No. 27, of which 484 people were reported in home isolation and 60 people hospitalized (59 are in the ward and 1 in the ICU).
The total number of recovered, during week No. 27, was 663 patients, raising the total number of recovered, since the start of the pandemic, by 1,037,325.
During epidemiological week No. 27, three (3) deaths from Covid-19 were registered, bringing the number of deaths throughout the country to 8,646 since the pandemic began in March 2020 until Saturday, July 1, 2023; It is for this reason that MINSA insists that prevention and vaccination are the most efficient weapons to cut the chain of transmission of the virus and thereby continue to counteract the spread of the disease.
The five corregimientos with the most confirmed cases during the entire epidemiological week No. 27 are: San Francisco (Panama) 42 cases; Juan Diaz (Panama) with 23 cases; Chitré with 20 cases; Bethania with 17 cases and December 24 with 17 cases.
For its part, the Expanded Immunization Program (PAI) highlights that, from January 21, 2021 to July 10, 8 million 935 thousand 827 doses of vaccines against Covid-19 have been applied throughout the country.
At the last weekly cut, 182 thousand 883 doses of the bivalent vaccine have been inoculated throughout the country to people over 12 years of age; 10 thousand 643 doses to children from 5 to 11 years old and 440 doses to children from 6 months to 4 years. Making a total of 193 thousand 966 doses of bivalent vaccines applied from 6 months onwards, throughout the country.
The MINSA reiterates that prevention is essential to prevent the contagion and spread of this disease and reiterates that maintaining healthy lifestyles and maintaining biosecurity and self-care measures is vital to counteract the spread of this disease.
