–Two new shipments of COVID-19 vaccines entered the country today.
“The variation in new confirmed cases at the national level increased by 11% in the last seven days,” said the Minister of Health, Enrique Paris, during the report on the national situation of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In this regard, the Secretary of State said that “we are observing an increase in cases and that obviously worries us in a way and we want to transmit it to society because it is necessary to reverse this situation and continue taking care of ourselves much more.”
Regarding the Metropolitan Region, the highest health authority pointed out that it also has a slightly higher increase in the last seven days. “It is necessary for the population to become aware of the need to take care of themselves,” said Minister Paris.
Price readjustment of Isapres plans
«This Wednesday the Senate Health Commission approved a bill that regulates the price adjustments of the Health plans reported by the Pension Health Institutions, for the years 2020 and 2021 the increases will be without effect and the Isapres will not be able to apply these readjustments “, highlighted Minister Paris.
The authority thanked the collaboration of Isapres and the work carried out by Congress, particularly the legislators of the Health commissions of both Chambers.
The Secretary of State explained that “for the following years a permanent indicator is created by the Superintendency of Health that will establish the increases that the Isapres may carry out.”
COVID-19 immunization campaign
«Today for the first time in a single day, two vaccines entered Chile simultaneously, 272,610 doses of Pfizer-BioNTech and 331,200 doses of AstraZeneca through the Covax Agreement, that is, we received a shipment of 603,810 doses and this weekend more will arrive of 2 million Sinovac vaccines ”, reported the Secretary of State.
To date 9,453,206 people have already been vaccinated against COVID-19, of which 7,625,311 have completed their vaccination schedule. In this way, the immunization campaign against COVID-19 has reached 62.2% of the target population with one dose and 50.2% with two doses.
The Undersecretary of Public Health, Paula Daza, pointed out that during this week people between 30 and 34 years old can be vaccinated, while next week, between May 24 and 30, it will be the turn of people between 26 and 29 years old , and between May 31 and June 6 it will correspond to young people between 23 and 25 years old.
The authority urged the population under 29 years of age to go to the more than 2,500 vaccination centers established throughout the country and to the extramural operations with mobile vaccinations.
“This week in the Metropolitan Region we have settled in the business and industrial sectors of Huechuraba, Pudahuel and Santiago, where there is a significant number of workers who are entitled to the vaccine according to the calendar,” said Undersecretary Daza, who reported that between the Monday, May 17 and Wednesday, May 19, almost 4,000 people were vaccinated.
With regard to hospitalizations, the Undersecretary of Healthcare Networks, Alberto Dougnac, explained that those under 39 years of age “have maintained stability in recent months and today represent the largest number of admissions to Intensive Care Units,” which is why made a call for “young people to come, when appropriate, to get vaccinated, and meanwhile, respect all sanitary measures.”
Step by Step Plan
Undersecretary Daza announced the following modifications to the Step by Step Plan.
As of Saturday, May 22, at 05:00 hours, it goes back to Quarantine, in the Los Lagos region, the commune of Ancud.
They also go back to Transition, in the Antofagasta region, the commune of Combarbalá; and, in O’Higgins, the commune of Peumo.
Meanwhile, as of Monday, May 24, at 05:00 hours, they advance to Transition, in the Atacama region, the Chañaral commune; in the Metropolitan, the communes of Quilicura, Recoleta and Bui; in O’Higgins, the commune of Graneros; in Maule, the communes of San Javier, Molina, Retiro and Colbún; in La Araucanía, the communes of Villarrica, Gobera and Freire; and, in Los Lagos, the commune of Mariquina.
They advance to Preparation, in the Antofagasta region, the communes of Antofagasta and Taltal; in Valparaíso, the commune of Cabildo; in the Metropolitan, the commune of Alhué; in Ñuble, the commune of San Fabián; and, in Biobío, the communes of Florida and Tucapel.
The authority recalled that “from 6:00 pm, the Metropolitan and Valparaíso regions, in Greater Concepción and in Temuco and Padre Las Casas, sanitary cordons will be established until Sunday 23 May.”
Daily report
According to today’s report, reported by the Undersecretary of Assistance Networks, Alberto Dougnac, during this day 7,680 new cases of COVID-19 were registered, of which 5,394 are symptomatic and 1,709 asymptomatic people.
The total number of people diagnosed with COVID-19 in the country reaches 1,308,311, of which 37,901 are active. The recovered cases correspond to 1,241,426 people.
Regarding deaths, according to the information provided by the Department of Statistics and Health Information (DEIS), the death of 172 people was registered, with which the total number of deaths associated with COVID-19, amounts to 28,169 people in the country.
Undersecretary Dougnac pointed out that “to date, the Integrated Health Network has 4,463 enabled critical beds, of which 4,155 are occupied, representing 93%.” Currently the network has 308 beds available.
Of the total number of occupied beds, 2,935 correspond to severe cases of COVID-19, of which 2,429 are supported by mechanical ventilation, which represents 83%.
In this regard, the authority pointed out that “although the vaccination process has produced a decrease in the number of patients who are hospitalized in an ICU bed for Covid-19, we continue to observe an increase in patients with Non-Covid-19 pathologies, a figure which currently reaches 1,220 cases ”.
As for the Laboratory Network, yesterday the results of 68,721 PCR tests were reported, reaching a total of 14,145,000 nationwide to date. The positivity for the last 24 hours at the country level is 10.02% and in the Metropolitan Region it is 12%.
With regard to the Health Residences, we have 210 accommodation facilities, with 15,162 total beds. The real occupation nationwide is 72%, leaving a total of 3,085 beds available to be used. For more information, people can call Fono 800 726 666 or visit the website of the Ministry of Health www.minsal.cl.
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