This Past Week No Health Workers Died from Covid-19 in Nicaragua

The pandemic has given a break to Nicaraguan health workers. In its latest report, the independent Citizens’ Covid-19 Observatory, said that between July 31 and August no health worker died “with symptoms associated with Covid-19.”

To date, they report 101 deaths of health workers in 13 departments in Nicaragua. Mainly in Managua, Leon, Masya, Matagalpa and Rivas.

According to the Observatory, composed of medical personnel and volunteers throughout Nicaragua, of the 101 deaths: 44 were physicians, 22 were nurses, 14 administrators, 8 lab technicians, 3 were dentists, 3 medicine distributors, and 7 cases were classified as ‘other’ people working as support staff.

Although there have been no deaths in the last week reported, there has been an increase in the number of suspected cases. The Observatory said that up to last Wednesday 768 health workers have symptoms that look like Covid-19, 12 more than the previous week.

Of the possible cases among health workers, 453 are medical personnel, 118 are nurses, 71 are administrators, 24 work in laboratories, 15 are dentists 6 are visiting medical distributors and 81 people are classified as ‘other’.

[The reason for listing them as “possible cases” is because no testing reports or results have been made available from the centralized government laboratory.]

Rise in the number of deaths and suspected cases

Overall, the independent group saw a rise to 9,436 suspected cases and 2,591 deaths related to the pandemic in Nicaragua, including 139 who died from pneumonia. These statistics cover the period of the pandemic that started in the middle of March.

Managua, with 817 deaths, is the Nicaraguan department with most cases, followed by Masaya (252), then Matagalpa (206), and Leon, all departments on the Pacific side of the country, says the report. According to the Observatory, which independently tracks down COVID-19 cases, the number of people with the virus rose by 259 cases between 30 of July and 5 August.

“In the past few weeks we’ve had less reports of cases. This does not mean that there is no risk of contagion. We cannot relax protective and preventive measures,” the organization states.

More than the official numbers

The Observatory’s information shows nearly triple the cases that the Ortega regime recognizes. Up to last Tuesday the Ministry of Health (Minsa) recognizes 3902 cases. Of these, 866 are active cases, 2913 have recovered, and 123 have died. This shows a death rate of 3% of the overall cases. The government does not give the occupations of people infected with the virus.

Both the Nicaraguan Medical Unit and different medical associations around the country have publicly given their approval of the Citizens’ Observatory’s data. And they have asked that the government show the “true figures” of the pandemic. Neither has the regime revealed the number of tests administered and their results.

The handling of the pandemic in Nicaragua has brought concern from the United Nations (UN), the Organization of American States (OAS) and their offices working on health and human rights.