BREAKING: Number of coronavirus cases rise to 22


Booking.com	Published Wednesday, March 11, 2020 - updated 1:30 p.m.- Breaking news: Number of coronavirus cases rise to 22 By the A.M. Costa Rica staff The Ministry of Health confirmed a few minutes ago, nine new cases of patients infected with coronavirus convid-19. The Health Minister confirmed, a few minutes ago in a press conference, nine new cases of patients infected with coronavirus covind-19, bringing the toll to 22 people infected in Costa Rica. According to the statistics provided by the authorities, of these 22 patients, are 14 women and 8 men. Concerning nationality, 19 are Costa Rican and 3 foreigners. Regarding extreme age ranges, two are elders over 70 years-old and two are children under 14th. The authorities decided today not to publish the summary of the nine new cases. "After the 20 people confirmed with coronavirus are surpassed, the instruction of the Surveillance Department is to provide only the information in ranges," said the ministry's press department. However, authorities confirm that 118 people classified as suspects, were ruled out. About the relationship of those 22 infected patients with the so-called superspreader, there are 16 cases. That means one person allegedly infected 16 people. A superspreader is an individual who is more likely to infect others, compared to a typical infected person. Specialists are in the process of confirming or ruling out more coronavirus suspects cases using lab tests. On Tuesday, the ministry confirmed 164 suspected cases are employees of San Rafael Hospital in Alajuela, where the so-called superspreader is hospitalized and where he also worked. The so-called superspreader is a Costa Rican man, 54, who lives in Alajuela Province. He remains in delicate condition in the San Rafael Hospital. Officials identified him Monday as a doctor of that hospital where he is also being treated for a lung infection and diabetes. According to the authorities, the man arrived from Panamá on Feb. 22 without symptoms at Juan Santamaría International Airport. Days later he went to a hospital where he was listed as a suspected case. Saturday, authorities confirmed his infection with coronavirus covid-19. The summaries provided by authorities on Tuesday of the eight people infected by the superspreader are: - A Costa Rican woman, 73. She is the aunt of the superspreader. Health workers presumed that he infected her. She is quarantined in a public hospital in San José. - A Costa Rican woman, 54. She was the caregiver for the 73-year-old woman. It is presumed that the man also infected her. She also remains in quarantine at her home. - A Costa Rican woman, 41. She is a relative of the man. It is presumed that he also infected this woman. She is also in quarantine at her home. - A Costa Rican woman, 39. Her age was erroneously reported by the ministry as 56 years-old. The woman is 17-week of her pregnancy. She was also a relative of the man. Staffers presume the man also infected her. She too remains in quarantine at her home. - A Costa Rican man, 34. He is also a relative of the man. It is presumed that the man also infected this person. He too remains in quarantine in his home. - A Costa Rican girl, 11, who was in contact with the man. It is presumed that he also infected this child. She remains in quarantine in her home. - A Costa Rican boy, 13, who was also in contact with the man. It is also presumed that the man infected this boy. He remains in quarantine in his home. - A Costa Rican man, 52. He was also in contact with the so-called superspreader. It is presumed that he was also infected by this person. He remains in quarantine in his home. Also yesterday, authorities confirmed four infected patients with coronavirus not linked with the so-called superspreader. The Health Ministry provided summaries on these cases: - A U.S. citizen woman, 49, whose condition was confirmed Friday. This case is being classified as an imported virus. She entered the country on March 1 from New York at Juan Santamaría International Airport. She had no symptoms when she entered the country. After several days in Costa Rica that changed. She informed authorities that in New York she had contact with a patient who had coronavirus. Friday lab tests confirmed that she was the first case of coronavirus in Costa Rica. She is receiving medical treatment in quarantine at her hotel in the San José Province. - A U.S. citizen man, 49, husband of the latter case mentioned. His ailment was also confirmed Friday. He traveled with his wife and did not show any symptoms when entering the country. He also reported having had contact with a coronavirus patient in New York before traveling to Costa Rica. Medical exams confirmed he is infected with the virus. However, Sunday authorities said that he doesn’t yet have the symptoms of the disease. He too is in quarantine in a hotel with his wife. Authorities didn’t provide information about which hotel they were quarantined. - A U.S. citizen, 70, resident in Costa Rica. She recently came from the U.S. She is in quarantine in an unnamed public hospital. - A Costa Rican man, 54. In this case, authorities continue to investigate the origin of the infection. He remains in quarantine in his home. It is expected more update information about new cases will be provided on Thursday. Conv-19 has reached a global level. Today the World Health Organization, WHO, has described the rapidly escalating coronavirus Conv-19 outbreak as a pandmic, in a press conference today. “This is not just a public health crisis, it is a crisis that will touch every sector — so every sector and every individual must be involved in the fight,” said Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO director-general. Today are 124,775 reported coronavirus cases around the world, and 4,585 patients died, according to the most current information from the WHO. In China, where the virus was first detected, 3,158 patients died. The major number of cases of death outside of China are in Italy with 827, in Iran 354 , 60 in S.Korea, 49 in Spain, 33 in France, 31 in the U.S., and 15 in Japan, World Health reported 119 countries had patients infected with COVID-19. In the America continent cases were confirmed in Canada, the U.S., Brazil, Ecuador, Argentina, Chile, Mexico, Bolivia, Honduras, Dominican Republic, Peru, Colombia, Paraguay, Panama , French Guiana and Costa Rica as well. ------------------------------- Have you heard about tourists or expats presenting influenza symptoms during their trip to Costa Rica? We would like to know your thoughts on this story. Send your comments to news@amcostarica.com