The number of people hospitalized for coronavirus on the island continues to rise, after the Health Department report this Sunday 732 patients detained by the virus, which is the highest number since the pandemic began in March 2020.
Of the total number of people hospitalized today, 650 are adults and 82 are pediatric patients. In addition, this represents an increase of 14 hospitalizations compared to the 718 registered yesterday, Saturday.
This medium validated that in the data portal of the professor in biostatistics at Harvard University, Rafael IrizarryThere is no similar number of hospitalizations that has accumulated on the island since the emergency began. Previously, the record number was 657, reported on December 10, 2020.
At this time, the Health Data BioPortal does not specify how many of these have required to be confined in intensive care or are connected to an artificial respirator. The agency offers a full update of your data at noon.
The sustained and unprecedented increase in hospitalizations comes as the island is experiencing an outbreak caused by the omicron variant. This mutation of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, according to several scientific and medical studies, is not as severe as the delta variant, but it is more contagious, which could cause a sustained increase in hospitalized people.
On the other hand, Health reported today 12 new deaths from COVID-19, bringing to 3,373 the total number of people who have lost the battle against this disease on the island.
Through a tweet, the agency reported that among the deceased, five were not vaccinated and another seven were, but had not received the booster dose of authorized vaccines. Among these new victims there are no vaccinated with the booster.
“Throughout the pandemic, older adults have been more prone to complications from the COVID-19. Particularly those who are immunosuppressed, heart disease, lung disease, diabetes or obesity. This group should increase protection measures. Let’s stop the contagion, ”Salud wrote.
Both the Department of Health and the president of the Puerto Rico Scientific Coalition, Dr. Daniel Colon Ramos, have been emphatic that the booster dose extends protection against the new variant of the coronavirus.
“Vaccines protect, the data is very clear. The scenario would be much worse without vaccines. Whoever, looking at vaccines and hospitalizations, concludes that vaccines do not protect is like someone who looks at destruction after the hurricane and concludes that putting or not putting a storm makes the same thing, “Colón Ramos commented in a tweet.
Regarding hospitalizations, he has pointed out that the island has not reached the estimated peak, and that the omicron variant has impacted both the unvaccinated and those vaccinated who do not have the reinforcement, emphasizing the need to receive it.
Meanwhile, the preliminary positivity rate on the island, updated at 6:00 am today, is at 40.39%. This line amounted to 39.73% yesterday.
The term “positivity rate” refers to the calculation between the number of tests performed and positive results by the molecular PCR test, which confirms the infection with SARS-CoV-2, in this case. Statistics are used to measure the level of transmission of a virus.
As of yesterday, the average number of confirmed cases was 1,808 and the average number of probable cases stood at 4,486.
Regarding vaccination, in Puerto Rico 2,784,046 eligible persons aged 5 years or more (90.5%) have been inoculated with at least one dose. Of these, 2,484,319 people are fully vaccinated (80.8%). In the population aged 5 to 11 years, 110,302 doses have been administered.
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