COVID-19 pandemic in Venezuela

The COVID-19 pandemic is occurring in Venezuela as part of the global COVID-19 pandemic that began in China in December 2019. The COVID-19 pandemic affects the novel disease COVID-19 . This is caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus from the Coronaviridae group and belongs to the group of respiratory diseases . From March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) classified the outbreak of the novel coronavirus as a global pandemic .

Background and forecasts

Venezuela is considered particularly vulnerable to the COVID-19 pandemic due to an ongoing socio-economic and political crisis, as there was a massive shortage of basic food and other supplies, including medical supplies, even before the pandemic. The mass emigration of Venezuelan doctors led to a chronic staff shortage in hospitals even before the Corona crisis.

course

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On March 13, 2020, the first two COVID-19 cases were confirmed in Venezuela. The first COVID-19-related death was reported on March 26, 2020.

In January, the Venezuelan Ministry of Health announced that the National Hygiene Institute Rafael Rangel (Spanish: Instituto Nacional de Higiene Rafael Rangel) in Caracas would act as an observatory for non-influenza-related respiratory viruses, including coronaviruses in humans. It is the only health facility in the country that is able to diagnose respiratory viruses and operate logistically across the 23 states, the capital district and the federal branches of Venezuela.

In February 2020, the Venezuelan government announced that the country had put in place epidemiological surveillance, restrictions and a plan to detect people with COVID-19 at Simón Bolívar International Airport in Maiquetía , Venezuela's main international airport. It was also stated that Venezuela would receive diagnostic kits for the virus strain from the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO).

On March 7th, Radio "Fe y Alegría" reported that a suspected medical case had been registered in Maracaibo . It was a 31-year-old non-Venezuelan who was admitted to the Dr. Pedro Iturbe was admitted to Zulia and transferred to Maracaibo University Hospital. The patient had obvious symptoms and was discharged days later. The state's governor, Omar Prieto, asked the Ministry of Public Affairs to investigate Zulia University professor Freddy Pachano for drawing attention to the suspected case in the state. The NGO Espacio Público condemned Prieto for ordering an investigation into the professor.

On March 13, the coronavirus pandemic was confirmed to have spread to Venezuela when the Venezuelan government announced the first two cases, which were located in the state of Miranda. Colombian President Iván Duque closed the border with Venezuela effective March 14th.

Communications Minister Jorge Rodríguez announced on March 14th that eight new cases had been discovered in the states of Miranda, Apure , Aragua and Cojedes [20]. He said flights from Panama and the Dominican Republic would be suspended for 30 days from March 15.

On March 15, Nicolás Maduro confirmed seven more cases and ordered that Venezuelans in six states and Caracas must stay at home and that all related shops must be closed with effect from the next day. The "collective quarantine" made exceptions for the transportation, health and delivery of food.

On March 16, the Argentine ambassador to Venezuela, Eduardo Porretti, tested positive for the virus. On the same day, Maduro announced that 16 new cases had been confirmed, bringing the total to 33. He ordered a "social quarantine" across the country.

On March 17, the Brazilian authorities partially closed their border with Venezuela. The Brazilian health minister Luiz Henrique Mandetta had urged the border to be closed because of the collapsing health system in Venezuela. Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodríguez announced three more cases on the same day. In the afternoon, a patient who would later test positive for the coronavirus fled a hospital in Propatria, west of Caracas, without the approval of medical staff.

On March 18, Delcy Rodríguez reported that the number of cases had not changed since the previous day.

On March 19, Jorge Rodríguez announced another 6 cases, bringing the total to 42.

On March 21, the government reported 70 confirmed cases in the country, two of which were in critical condition and 15 were labeled cured (and showed no symptoms after five days). Rodríguez said the two critical cases were being hospitalized in private centers in Miranda state and treatment by the Ministry of Health was free even though they were private clinics.

On March 22, Maduro announced a total of 77 cases in the country and announced new economic measures to address the aftermath of the pandemic. The rent and loan payments were suspended for six months, accompanied by compensation in local currency for owners and medium-sized companies. In addition, a policy was extended for 2015 that prevents companies from laying off employees until December 2020.

On March 26, Delcy Rodríguez announced the first death from coronavirus disease.

Provea denounced on March 27 and announced that about ninety people from Cúcuta , Colombia , were forcibly isolated on March 25 by the National Guard in Barquisimeto , Lara state , without food and without adequate sanitation. Communications Minister Jorge Rodríguez announced a second death. Delcy Rodríguez met with the Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago , Keith Rowley , said the meeting focused on the strategy that is used in both countries to fight the pandemic.

International reactions

To prevent the disease from spreading, the governments of Brazil and Colombia have temporarily closed their borders with Venezuela.

statistics

The number of cases developed during the COVID-19 pandemic in Venezuela as follows:

Infections

Confirmed infections (cumulative) in Uruguay
according to WHO data

New infections in Venezuela
according to WHO data

Deaths

Confirmed deaths (cumulative) in Venezuela
according to WHO data

Confirmed deaths (daily) in Venezuela
according to WHO data

Remarks

1. ↑ ^{a b c d} Cases reported to WHO by national authorities are listed here. Since the situation is very dynamic, there may be discrepancies or delays between the cases of the WHO and the data of national authorities as well as the information provided by other bodies, such as the Johns Hopkins University (CSSE).

See also

• List of epidemics and pandemics
• List of deaths from the COVID-19 pandemic

Web links

Commons : COVID-19 Pandemic in Venezuela  - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files

• World Health Organization (WHO): Coronavirus disease (COVID-2019) situation reports on the website www.who.int (English)
• Johns Hopkins CSSE : Coronavirus COVID-19 Global Cases. (English)
• Website World of Meters : real-time data of the Corona virus pandemic (English)

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Pulmonologists on the net: Covid-19: Causes . Online at www.lungenaerzte-im-netz.de. Retrieved April 14, 2020.
2. ↑ Tagesschau: "Deeply worried". WHO speaks of corona pandemic . March 11, 2020. Online at www.tagesschau.de. Retrieved April 14, 2020.
3. ^ Doctors fear pandemic will overwhelm wrecked hospitals. In: bloomberg.com. March 12, 2020, accessed on March 31, 2020 . 
4. ^ Régimen de Maduro confirma dos primeros casos de coronavirus. In: www.ntn24.com. March 13, 2020, accessed April 28, 2020 (Spanish). 
5. ↑ Venezuela confirms coronavirus cases amid public health concerns. In: Reuters. March 13, 2020, accessed on March 31, 2020 . 
6. ↑ Venezuela confirms first coronavirus death: official. In: Reuters. March 26, 2020, accessed on March 31, 2020 . 
7. ↑ Silvia González: Detectan un caso sospechoso de Coronavirus en Maracaibo. In: Radio Fe y Alegría Noticias. March 7, 2020, accessed April 8, 2020 (Spanish). 
8. ↑ Omar Prieto pide investigar a profesor por denunciar casos sospechosos de coronavirus. In: Efecto Cocuyo. March 9, 2020, accessed April 8, 2020 . 
9. ↑ Casa Editorial El Tiempo: Duque ordena cerrar los pasos fronterizos con Venezuela. March 13, 2020, accessed April 8, 2020 (Spanish). 
10. ↑ Diego Torrealba: Suben a 10 los casos por coronavirus in Venezuela. In: El Pitazo. March 15, 2020, accessed April 8, 2020 (Spanish). 
11. ↑ [Infografía] Maduro confirma 33 cases de coronavirus in Venezuela y ordena "cuarentena total" # 16Mar. In: Runrun. March 17, 2020, accessed April 8, 2020 (Spanish). 
12. ↑ Brazil partially closing Venezuela border, allowing trucks . In: Reuters . March 18, 2020 ( online [accessed April 8, 2020]).
13. ↑ Quarantine threatens to deepen Venezuelan crisis as roadblocks snarl food supplies . In: Reuters . March 18, 2020 ( online [accessed April 8, 2020]).
14. ↑ Paciente portador de COVID-19 huyó de CDI en Propatria donde permanecía aislado. In: El Carabobeño. March 19, 2020, accessed April 8, 2020 (Spanish). 
15. ↑ El Nacional: Delcy Rodríguez: No se confirmaron nuevos casos de coronavirus en las últimas 24 horas. In: EL NACIONAL. March 18, 2020, accessed April 8, 2020 (Spanish). 
16. ↑ Venezuela lifts coronavirus cases to 42, thanks China for aid . In: Reuters . March 19, 2020 ( online [accessed April 8, 2020]).
17. ↑ Venezuela usará cuartos de hotel para aislar casos suaves de coronavirus: ministro - Reuters. Retrieved April 8, 2020 . 
18. ↑ Venezuela prohibits company layoffs and suspends credit collections over coronavirus . In: Reuters . March 23, 2020 ( online [accessed April 8, 2020]).
19. ↑ Venezuela confirms first coronavirus death: official . In: Reuters . March 26, 2020 ( online [accessed April 8, 2020]).
20. ↑ Prime Minister Meets with Venezuelan Vice President | Trinidad and Tobago Government News. Retrieved April 8, 2020 . 
21. ↑ Duque ordena cerrar los pasos fronterizos con Venezuela. In: www.eltiempo.com. March 14, 2020, accessed March 31, 2020 (Spanish). 
22. ↑ Venezuela, already in crisis, reports 1st coronavirus cases. In: Associated Press. March 14, 2020, accessed on March 31, 2020 . 
23. ↑ ^{a b c d} Coronavirus disease (COVID-2019) situation reports. WHO, accessed on July 21, 2020 .