Ecuadorian authorities have warned of a “very critical” situation due to the pandemic

Ecuador, one of the countries hardest hit by the pandemic in Latin America, is currently facing a “very critical” situation due to COVID-19, the chairman of the National Emergency Operations Committee said on Sunday. (COE), Juan Zapata, while analyzing possible requests for the establishment of restrictions.

“The epidemiological situation in the country, and in particular in eleven provinces, is very criticalZapata said in statements released by the Government House Communications Secretariat.

Due to a new wave of the disease, which claims an estimated 361,000 cases (2,072 per 100,000 inhabitants) and 17,700 deaths, 11 of the 24 provinces which concentrate the vast majority of the population – including the Andean Pichincha, whose capital is Quito – have been in “serious health emergency” for two weeks.

Sectors such as doctors, who demand a full quarantine, argue that there is an under-registration of deaths from the pandemic. Between January 2020 and March 2021, there were around 53,000 deaths from all causes, more than in the same previous period, according to the civil registry.

Possible restraint measures

Zapata pointed out that the technical tables of the WCC meet to “draw up a report” on the convenience of the Ecuadorian government decreeing the state of emergency, raised by doctors and rejected by other sectors, such as the commercial sector.

Added that the plenary session of the WCC, which represents the executive, will be the one that “decides whether or not to ask the President of the Republic (Lenín Moreno) for an executive decree with a new state of emergency”. It is only with this measure that the authorities can order severe restrictions, such as restrictions, by suspending rights.

In January, the Constitutional Court declared unconstitutional the third state of emergency decreed by the executive because of the pandemic a month earlier. The highest court has suggested reforms to several laws to limit rights, without resorting to the state of emergency, to deal with the pandemic.

“Now is not the time to generate collective panic in the community, it is the time to act with order, prudence and responsibility,” Zapata said, indicating that any action taken “will always be based on health and economic balance “. And he asked the citizens not to leave their homes if they do not need it because it is “the best support and help for all the tired Ecuadorian doctors”.

“There is a desperate cry to oxygenate hospitals,” he noted.

“Delicate situation of the health system in the city, no matter how severe the measures, we must take them to reduce the occupancy rate of hospitals, at least for about 15 daysFortunately, all the authorities are aware, we hope for the understanding of the citizens ”, wrote the Mayor of Quito, Jorge Yunda, on Twitter. The mayor did not give further details on his statement regarding the city, where at the moment there is a ban on vehicle traffic from eight in the evening to five in the morning, as well as the capacity check in the stores and malls, among other measures. to prevent the advance of covid-19.

Him too Secretary General of the PresidencyJorge Wated was in favor of tougher measures. To a Twitter user who pointed out that “we need emergency containment,” Wated replied, “I agree, more stringent measures are needed“.

Ecuador, with a population of 17.4 million, lifted the six-month state of emergency last September, with curfews of up to 15 hours a day. The country registers a delayed COVID-19 vaccination. As of Saturday, it has immunized 167,933 people with the two necessary doses, while 377,199 others have received the first, according to the most recent official data.

Ecuador today estimated the cases of covid at 360,546 since the start of the pandemic, as well as 17,703 deaths in total: 12,720 confirmed by the virus and 4,983 “probable” by the disease.

In the absence of powers, the COE has barely implemented since Friday the restriction on the movement of vehicles on highways, under the tutelage of the Ministry of Transport, during weekend nights, which will last until 2 may.

Since the presence of the virus on Ecuadorian territory was declared on February 29, 2020, the nation has maintained the closure of its land and sea borders and the suspension of face-to-face classes.

(With information from AFP and EFE)

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