The World Health Organization (WHO) presented the report “Global excess deaths associated with COVID-19, January 2020 – December 2021” where it reveals that a total of 12,095 Nicaraguans died in the country, a number much higher than the reported by the health authorities of the Ministry of Health (Minsa).
Nicaragua accumulates 235 deaths from the coronavirus and 18,695 confirmed cases from March 2020 to May 3, 2022 when the virus was detected in the country, according to official figures released this week by the Minsa in its customary weekly report.
Related news: Infections by COVID-19 have increased by 53.4% in Central America, says PAHO
The number of deaths from COVID-19 in Nicaragua has been frozen at one death per week since October 2020. In the first eight months of the pandemic, the statistics varied every seven days, but now a weekly death is recorded.
Accumulated excess deaths associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the WHO, for Nicaragua could reach a maximum of 15 thousand 517 deaths and a minimum of 8 thousand 128 in 2020 and 2021. «The data set on the excess of mortality associated with COVID-19 provides median estimates of excess mortality for WHO member states.
Official statistics, “scarce, confused and questioned”
The Observatory for Transparency and Anticorruption of Colombia conducted an investigation into the situation of the pandemic in Nicaragua, highlighting that it is practically “impossible” that, during the first 20 months of the pandemic in the country, the Ministry of Health (Minsa) has reported 211 deaths from COVID-19 and 5,947 infections, since “there was not even a plan and measures to help reduce the spread and serious forms.”
They added that it is “unlikely that exactly one citizen has died in Nicaragua every week since October 2020.”
They affirm that in this situation there is “responsibility of the authorities after the denial of the pandemic in Nicaragua, the lack of taking measures, and then a cover-up of mismanagement to sell to the population that the State cared about them and did everything possible to save them. Official statistics are scarce, confusing and questioned by the medical community and the Pan American Health Organization».
The “obstacles” to PAHO
Last March, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) denounced that “it has not been able to carry out an exhaustive assessment of the pandemic” in Nicaragua because the regime of Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo has not provided the necessary information to said organization.
“The information we have received has been succinct and almost exclusively through international health regulation channels. However, following the principles and mandates of the organization to support the countries and protect the health and well-being of the population, in this case Nicaragua, we have continued to support the country to help ensure the continuity of health services remain not only for COVID patients, but for other aspects, including emergency management,” said Ciro Ugarte, PAHO Director of Health Emergencies.
Citizen Observatory Statistics
The COVID-19 Citizen Observatory, a network of independent doctors that monitors the pandemic, reports 5,994 deaths from pneumonia and other symptoms related to the coronavirus, as well as 32,174 suspected cases of contagion.
In Nicaragua, according to the Minsa, 65% of the population over 2 years of age already have the full course of the covid-19 vaccine, while 90% have at least one dose, according to the authorities.
Since the pandemic began, Nicaragua has not applied restrictive measures as part of the fight against the coronavirus, which has earned it criticism from the WHO.
