Officers mentioned the brand new Brazil variant, in addition to two others, have unfold to twenty international locations within the Americas.
Whereas coronavirus infections are lastly lowering in the US and Canada after weeks of unrelenting rise, circumstances and deaths proceed to extend in Latin American international locations, the Pan American Well being Group (PAHO) mentioned on Wednesday.
“Final week, over 1.8 million individuals within the Americas grew to become sick with COVID-19 and greater than 47,000 died in consequence,” PAHO Director Carissa Etienne mentioned in a briefing.
In Mexico, circumstances are nonetheless rising, notably in states that drew tourism within the vacation season, similar to Guerrero, Quintana Roo, Nayarit and Baja California del Sur.
Throughout the Caribbean, most nations are seeing a reprieve in COVID-19 infections, however bigger islands just like the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Puerto Rico and Cuba proceed to see rising numbers of recent infections, the organisation mentioned.
In South America, Colombia reported the very best incidence of circumstances relative to its inhabitants over the previous week, adopted by Brazil, the place the town of Manaus has been grappling with a surge in circumstances and deaths, pushed up by a brand new Amazon variant of the virus.
“Practically each nation in South America has reported an increase in COVID-19 infections over the past week,” Etienne mentioned and “Colombia continues to report the very best incidence in circumstances, adopted by Brazil, which continues to be seeing exponential will increase in each circumstances and deaths within the metropolis of Manaus.”
COVID-19 vaccines delivered by COVAX, a coalition led by the WHO and the Gavi vaccine alliance to make sure equitable entry to the photographs, will start to reach within the area within the second half of February, Etienne mentioned.
Sylvain Aldighieri, deputy director of PAHO’s Well being Emergencies Division mentioned distant areas of the area have continued to wrestle for entry to oxygen, a crucial medical remedy wanted to deal with critically sick sufferers.
“PAHO has donated some 600 canisters of oxygen to greater than 20 international locations within the area and in some conditions, PAHO has supported the event for native manufacturing of oxygen in distant areas, areas which can be troublesome to get to, areas with Indigenous populations,” Aldighieri mentioned.
Officers additionally mentioned the brand new Brazil variant, in addition to two others first recognized in the UK and South Africa, have unfold to twenty international locations within the Americas, although their frequency continues to be restricted.
Peru, Bolivia, Colombia and El Salvador will obtain a primary lot of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, mentioned PAHO Assistant Director Jarbas Barbosa, whereas 35.3 million doses of AstraZeneca’s shot will begin arriving as quickly because the WHO grants it emergency use approval.
The intention is to offer for 20 p.c of the inhabitants within the international locations collaborating in COVAX to guard these most in danger.
However Etienne warned that “vaccine doses are restricted and can stay in brief provide all over the place at first”.