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As Bodies Accumulate, So Do Fears of a High Coronavirus Toll in Ecuador As Bodies Accumulate, So Do Fears of a High Coronavirus Toll in Ecuador
(2 months later)
QUITO, Ecuador — Guayaquil, Ecuador’s business capital, has been the site of Latin America’s most aggressive outbreak of coronavirus, overwhelming its hospitals and burial system and causing bodies to be left in the streets.QUITO, Ecuador — Guayaquil, Ecuador’s business capital, has been the site of Latin America’s most aggressive outbreak of coronavirus, overwhelming its hospitals and burial system and causing bodies to be left in the streets.
Now, as authorities begin to grapple with the scale of the crisis, they have reason to believe that the toll for the province that includes Guayaquil is likely many times larger than the official government figure of 173 dead. The numbers are skewed because only those who test positive — dead or alive — are counted as coronavirus victims.Now, as authorities begin to grapple with the scale of the crisis, they have reason to believe that the toll for the province that includes Guayaquil is likely many times larger than the official government figure of 173 dead. The numbers are skewed because only those who test positive — dead or alive — are counted as coronavirus victims.
The usually bustling port city of about three million had about 1,500 more deaths in March than it did in the same month in 2019, Guayaquil’s mayor, Cynthia Viteri, said in an interview Monday.The usually bustling port city of about three million had about 1,500 more deaths in March than it did in the same month in 2019, Guayaquil’s mayor, Cynthia Viteri, said in an interview Monday.
The swelling mortality offers a glimpse at the full cost of the virus, underlining both the pitfalls of limited testing and the burden it has placed on an overstretched health care system, Ms. Viteri said.The swelling mortality offers a glimpse at the full cost of the virus, underlining both the pitfalls of limited testing and the burden it has placed on an overstretched health care system, Ms. Viteri said.
“They are not only dying from Covid,” she said, using the name of the virus-borne disease. “People with diabetes, hypertension, heart disease are dying from lack of medical attention, because the hospitals are saturated with the critically ill, because there aren’t places where women can give birth without getting infected.”“They are not only dying from Covid,” she said, using the name of the virus-borne disease. “People with diabetes, hypertension, heart disease are dying from lack of medical attention, because the hospitals are saturated with the critically ill, because there aren’t places where women can give birth without getting infected.”
The virus has stunned Ecuador’s commercial hub, leaving authorities struggling to cope with dead bodies.The virus has stunned Ecuador’s commercial hub, leaving authorities struggling to cope with dead bodies.
In the past two weeks, the government’s emergency team collected or authorized the burial of nearly 1,900 bodies from Guayaquil’s hospitals and homes — a fivefold increase in the city’s usual rate, according to Ecuador’s government.In the past two weeks, the government’s emergency team collected or authorized the burial of nearly 1,900 bodies from Guayaquil’s hospitals and homes — a fivefold increase in the city’s usual rate, according to Ecuador’s government.
To combat the spread of the virus, the city is resorting to some of the strictest quarantine measures in Latin America.To combat the spread of the virus, the city is resorting to some of the strictest quarantine measures in Latin America.
Security forces on Tuesday began cordoning off contagion hot spots for up to three days at a time while medics looked door to door for potential cases and sanitary workers disinfected public spaces.Security forces on Tuesday began cordoning off contagion hot spots for up to three days at a time while medics looked door to door for potential cases and sanitary workers disinfected public spaces.
Ms. Viteri, the mayor, said movement to and from the hard-hit neighborhoods, located mostly in the city’s poor periphery, will be completely cut off. City authorities will provide residents with food while the operation lasts.Ms. Viteri, the mayor, said movement to and from the hard-hit neighborhoods, located mostly in the city’s poor periphery, will be completely cut off. City authorities will provide residents with food while the operation lasts.
Compliance with the lockdown measures in Guayaquil has been patchy until now because many of the city’s poor continued going to work or looking for food.Compliance with the lockdown measures in Guayaquil has been patchy until now because many of the city’s poor continued going to work or looking for food.
“The situation isn’t grave — it’s extremely grave,” Ms. Viteri said. “And we still haven’t reached a high point of infections in Guayaquil.”“The situation isn’t grave — it’s extremely grave,” Ms. Viteri said. “And we still haven’t reached a high point of infections in Guayaquil.”
Ms. Viteri said she had to resort to tough lockdown measures and door-to-door checks because of severe shortages of test kits and other medical materials.Ms. Viteri said she had to resort to tough lockdown measures and door-to-door checks because of severe shortages of test kits and other medical materials.
The most recent batch of test kits, ordered by the city last month, will not arrive until mid-May — too late to make a difference for many who will get sick, she said.The most recent batch of test kits, ordered by the city last month, will not arrive until mid-May — too late to make a difference for many who will get sick, she said.
The relatively late arrival of coronavirus in Latin America has put the region last in line for critical medical supplies, whose stocks are being depleted by nations fighting a more advanced stage of contagion.The relatively late arrival of coronavirus in Latin America has put the region last in line for critical medical supplies, whose stocks are being depleted by nations fighting a more advanced stage of contagion.
The World Health Organization said it will send 1.5 million additional coronavirus test kits to nations in North and South America next week.The World Health Organization said it will send 1.5 million additional coronavirus test kits to nations in North and South America next week.
Updated June 24, 2020
Scientists around the country have tried to identify everyday materials that do a good job of filtering microscopic particles. In recent tests, HEPA furnace filters scored high, as did vacuum cleaner bags, fabric similar to flannel pajamas and those of 600-count pillowcases. Other materials tested included layered coffee filters and scarves and bandannas. These scored lower, but still captured a small percentage of particles.
A commentary published this month on the website of the British Journal of Sports Medicine points out that covering your face during exercise “comes with issues of potential breathing restriction and discomfort” and requires “balancing benefits versus possible adverse events.” Masks do alter exercise, says Cedric X. Bryant, the president and chief science officer of the American Council on Exercise, a nonprofit organization that funds exercise research and certifies fitness professionals. “In my personal experience,” he says, “heart rates are higher at the same relative intensity when you wear a mask.” Some people also could experience lightheadedness during familiar workouts while masked, says Len Kravitz, a professor of exercise science at the University of New Mexico.
The steroid, dexamethasone, is the first treatment shown to reduce mortality in severely ill patients, according to scientists in Britain. The drug appears to reduce inflammation caused by the immune system, protecting the tissues. In the study, dexamethasone reduced deaths of patients on ventilators by one-third, and deaths of patients on oxygen by one-fifth.
The coronavirus emergency relief package gives many American workers paid leave if they need to take time off because of the virus. It gives qualified workers two weeks of paid sick leave if they are ill, quarantined or seeking diagnosis or preventive care for coronavirus, or if they are caring for sick family members. It gives 12 weeks of paid leave to people caring for children whose schools are closed or whose child care provider is unavailable because of the coronavirus. It is the first time the United States has had widespread federally mandated paid leave, and includes people who don’t typically get such benefits, like part-time and gig economy workers. But the measure excludes at least half of private-sector workers, including those at the country’s largest employers, and gives small employers significant leeway to deny leave.
So far, the evidence seems to show it does. A widely cited paper published in April suggests that people are most infectious about two days before the onset of coronavirus symptoms and estimated that 44 percent of new infections were a result of transmission from people who were not yet showing symptoms. Recently, a top expert at the World Health Organization stated that transmission of the coronavirus by people who did not have symptoms was “very rare,” but she later walked back that statement.
Touching contaminated objects and then infecting ourselves with the germs is not typically how the virus spreads. But it can happen. A number of studies of flu, rhinovirus, coronavirus and other microbes have shown that respiratory illnesses, including the new coronavirus, can spread by touching contaminated surfaces, particularly in places like day care centers, offices and hospitals. But a long chain of events has to happen for the disease to spread that way. The best way to protect yourself from coronavirus — whether it’s surface transmission or close human contact — is still social distancing, washing your hands, not touching your face and wearing masks.
A study by European scientists is the first to document a strong statistical link between genetic variations and Covid-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus. Having Type A blood was linked to a 50 percent increase in the likelihood that a patient would need to get oxygen or to go on a ventilator, according to the new study.
The unemployment rate fell to 13.3 percent in May, the Labor Department said on June 5, an unexpected improvement in the nation’s job market as hiring rebounded faster than economists expected. Economists had forecast the unemployment rate to increase to as much as 20 percent, after it hit 14.7 percent in April, which was the highest since the government began keeping official statistics after World War II. But the unemployment rate dipped instead, with employers adding 2.5 million jobs, after more than 20 million jobs were lost in April.
Common symptoms include fever, a dry cough, fatigue and difficulty breathing or shortness of breath. Some of these symptoms overlap with those of the flu, making detection difficult, but runny noses and stuffy sinuses are less common. The C.D.C. has also added chills, muscle pain, sore throat, headache and a new loss of the sense of taste or smell as symptoms to look out for. Most people fall ill five to seven days after exposure, but symptoms may appear in as few as two days or as many as 14 days.
If air travel is unavoidable, there are some steps you can take to protect yourself. Most important: Wash your hands often, and stop touching your face. If possible, choose a window seat. A study from Emory University found that during flu season, the safest place to sit on a plane is by a window, as people sitting in window seats had less contact with potentially sick people. Disinfect hard surfaces. When you get to your seat and your hands are clean, use disinfecting wipes to clean the hard surfaces at your seat like the head and arm rest, the seatbelt buckle, the remote, screen, seat back pocket and the tray table. If the seat is hard and nonporous or leather or pleather, you can wipe that down, too. (Using wipes on upholstered seats could lead to a wet seat and spreading of germs rather than killing them.)
If you’ve been exposed to the coronavirus or think you have, and have a fever or symptoms like a cough or difficulty breathing, call a doctor. They should give you advice on whether you should be tested, how to get tested, and how to seek medical treatment without potentially infecting or exposing others.
“We’re doing everything within our possibilities, given the complexity of the current market,” to provide Latin American countries with critical supplies, Dr. Sylvain Aldighieri, the organization’s regional emergency response manager, told reporters Tuesday.“We’re doing everything within our possibilities, given the complexity of the current market,” to provide Latin American countries with critical supplies, Dr. Sylvain Aldighieri, the organization’s regional emergency response manager, told reporters Tuesday.
Ecuador’s response to the coronavirus is complicated by a deteriorating economy. The International Monetary Fund forecasts the country will see the deepest recession in the continent this year, after Venezuela.Ecuador’s response to the coronavirus is complicated by a deteriorating economy. The International Monetary Fund forecasts the country will see the deepest recession in the continent this year, after Venezuela.
The outlook worsened last week, when mudslides damaged Ecuador’s two main oil pipelines, shutting off most of its crude exports for weeks. The outage deprived the country of its biggest source of revenue at a crucial moment and polluted several rivers used by Indigenous communities.The outlook worsened last week, when mudslides damaged Ecuador’s two main oil pipelines, shutting off most of its crude exports for weeks. The outage deprived the country of its biggest source of revenue at a crucial moment and polluted several rivers used by Indigenous communities.
Facing default, the government has unveiled an ambitious fund-raising plan that includes new taxes on individuals and companies and a 50 percent salary cut for top government officials.Facing default, the government has unveiled an ambitious fund-raising plan that includes new taxes on individuals and companies and a 50 percent salary cut for top government officials.
The $800 million the government hopes to raise from the plan, however, is a fraction of the $4.3 billion in oil revenues the country is expected to lose this year because of the falling oil prices and tax revenues — not to mention the billions in losses that economists expect will follow from quarantine measures to fight the pandemic.The $800 million the government hopes to raise from the plan, however, is a fraction of the $4.3 billion in oil revenues the country is expected to lose this year because of the falling oil prices and tax revenues — not to mention the billions in losses that economists expect will follow from quarantine measures to fight the pandemic.
Isayen Herrera contributed reporting from Caracas, Venezuela.Isayen Herrera contributed reporting from Caracas, Venezuela.