Intensive therapies fill the Bolivian region hardest hit by the coronavirus

Intensive care units in the eastern region of Santa Cruz, the worst hit of the pandemic in Bolivia, are mostly unvaccinated and people flock to get tested to detect covid-19 due to the increase in cases in that department.

This is the case of the Japanese hospital in Santa Cruz that has its intensive therapy filled with people who must be intubated and of whom at least 76% are not vaccinated or do not have the complete scheme, commented the head of the covid-19 area of ​​the health center, Richy Hurtado.

In addition, he stated that the majority of those not vaccinated are between the ages of 35 and 55 and that they had to be intubated due to complications associated with the covid-19.

For his part, the director of the hospital, Freddy Gutiérrez, indicated that medical personnel are also beginning to be infected, so some determinations must be made to avoid running out of doctors and nurses.

Santa Cruz reported 4,376 cases of covid-19 in one day, a number of infections that had not been reported during the entire pandemic, as well as the 6,149 infections throughout the country.

The manager of epidemiology of the Departmental Health Service of Santa Cruz, Carlos Hurtado, reported that between 80% and 90% of the people who are in intensive care are not vaccinated and that out of 100 PCR tests carried out, 47 were positive.

Faced with this situation, people are flocking to get vaccinated or to complete their vaccination schedule; In addition, from January 1 of next year it will be mandatory to show the vaccination card to enter public and private places.

Consequently, lines were registered at the different vaccination points, as well as at the places where they perform PCR or nasal antigen tests for free in the face of the explosion of cases.

The Santa Cruz health authorities decided to prohibit the end of the year parties to avoid more infections and determined a dry law, that is, the sale of alcoholic beverages is not allowed, from this Thursday until January 10.

Vehicle circulation was also authorized from 5.00 local time (09.00 GMT) to midnight (04.00 GMT), among other measures.

The Bolivian government decided to declare a health emergency due to the increase in cases and at least six cities suspended the festivities for the New Year.

So far, 9,682,874 doses have been applied between first, second and third vaccines to the Bolivian population.