A coronavirus outbreak has caused 15 deaths in a geri …

A coronavirus epidemic in a nursing home in the town of Fray Bentos has killed 15 residents and put Uruguayan health authorities on alert. The director of the nursing home, Daura garaza, explained that the victims were not transferred to the hospital because “there is no room” in the department of Río Negro. The dramatic situation in the region prompted the visit of the Minister of Health, Daniel Salinas. Uruguay, which exceeded 1,100 deaths from covid-19, is progressing rapidly with the vaccination of its population without crippling the economy or giving up what President Luis Lacalle Pou calls the “responsible freedom” of its citizens, while the opposition demands greater restrictions.

“It’s a tragedy”, he lamented in statements on local television Omar Lafluf, mayor of the department of Río Negro. Lafluf said the house had 75 residents and more than 40 officials, several of whom said they tested positive for covid-19, so “infection may have entered” by any of them. The mayor of the ruling National Party also reported that the outbreak of 25 cases was reported on March 21, one day before the start of vaccination with doses of Pfizer, which had to be suspended due to infections.

The elderly, who were not transferred to intensive care centers, had all the necessary assistance, assured the director of the house Radio Universal, Daura garaza. “They lacked nothing, oxygen, medicine, dedication, hygiene, food,” said Garaza, who was also infected with the coronavirus and decided to go through quarantine to work in the residence, which goes against health protocols. “It seems perfect to me that they are investigating me, that Interpol come anyway. Do you think a person deserves to die alone, intubated?”

Speaking to Channel 4, the Minister of Health Daniel Salinas assured that assistance to the Fray Bentos retirement home was “punctual and continuous” and explained that sometimes it is decided to come on site instead of being transferred to a health center. “They acted in good faith and in a professional manner,” he said. “Sometimes a change of environment requires sedation which can have side effects”, assured the minister.

Salinas arrived in Fray Bentos on Monday to inquire about the situation at the nursing home. Mayor Lafluf, an ally of Lacalle Pou, explained that he himself had asked the president for the Minister of Health to go to the Río Negro department to “justify the work of the health people”, he said. -he says. The Daily.

Río Negro is one of the departments with the highest number of infections per capita in Uruguay. Its mayor was alarmed because the measures taken by the municipality, such as the closure of public spaces and the fact of not circulating in the city, does not work to limit mobility, and referred to the seat as an alternative. “Tell him what you want, but apparently that’s the only thing that’s going to stop, because he’s staying home … staying home …”, assured Lafluf.

Considered for months as an example of good management of the health emergency in the region, Uruguay has 117,757 cases and 1,101 deaths from the coronavirus. The small South American country recorded a record positive COVID-19 on Sunday adding 3,855 new cases.

Although vaccination is progressing at a good rate and is already reaching 20 percent of the population vaccinated with the first or second dose of CoronaVac or Pfizer immunizers, the escalation of infections threatens to collapse the health system. 45% of intensive care beds in Uruguay are already occupied by coronavirus patients.