BREAKING: Quickly rising to 13 confirmed cases of coronavirus


Booking.com	Published Tuesday, March 10, 2020 - updated 9:00 a.m.- Breaking news: Quickly rising to 13 confirmed cases of coronavirus By the A.M. Costa Rica staff The Ministry of Health confirmed a few minutes ago, two new cases of patients infected with coronavirus Conv-19,bringing the toll to 13 people infected in Costa Rica. The two most recent cases confirmed now are: A Costa Rican girl, 11, who was in contact with the 54-year-old man who arrived from Panama last week. It’s presumed that the man infected this child. The second case is another child, a 13-year-old Costa Rican boy who was also in contact with the 54-year-old man who arrived last week from Panama. It’s also presumed that the man also infected this boy. This 54-year-old man who arrived from Panama last week could be classified as a super-spreader. A super-spreader is an unusual individual who is more likely to infect others, compared with a typical infected person. It is expected that during the day, the ministry will provide more information about these two children and about the two cases confirmed also today. These two new cases are people who were in two schools in Desamparados, San Jose Province. The authorities have not confirmed if these cases are teachers of employees of the Ministry of Education As a precaution due to the two new cases, the ministry ordered to suspend classes at Highschool Máximo Quesada and Highschool Rubén Odio, both in the Desamparados Canton. Both High shcools "will be temporarily closed from this Tuesday, to comply with the sanitary orders issued by the Ministry of Health," said the ministry in its statement this morning. According to Guiselle Cruz, minister of Education, classes will continue for the rest of the schools in the country. Only except for another school in Desamparados that was also closed due to a teacher infected with coronavirus, reported yesterday. Authorities are attending these two new infected people, as well as people who possibly were in contact with the infected. It is expected that during the day the authorities update information about these two new cases. On Monday, the minister reported on the closure of another school, also located in Desamparados, because a teacher was infected with the coronavirus. In that case, a teacher works at the Reverendo Francisco Schmitz School. The ministry suspended classes for 10 days at the school and ordered a thorough cleaning of the educational center. The school has 592 students and 48 employees, said the ministry. A hospital employee was reported infected with the virus in Alajuela. Social Security said it is taking action because the infection of an employee and a patient has been confirmed at San Rafael Hospital in Alajuela Centro. Because of the virus emergency, some of the medical services offered to the public there will be temporarily closed as a safety measure for patients who are already hospitalized, said Social Security. The Ministry of Health reported today that laboratory tests may confirm more positive cases of coronavirus in Costa Rica. The ministry gave confirmed cases summaries: - A U.S. 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. Both she and her husband are quarantined in a hotel in the San José Province. Authorities didn’t provide information about which hotel. - 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. The medical exams confirmed he is infected with the virus. However, Sunday authorities said that he doesn’t yet have the symptoms of the disease. - A Costa Rican man, 54, who lives in Alajuela Province. He remains in delicate condition. Officials identified him Monday as an employee at San Rafael 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. The type of job the man has at the hospital was not disclosed. - A Costa Rican woman, 73. She’s the aunt of the hospital employee Health workers presumed that he infected her. Both are in quarantine in the Alajuela public hospital. - A Costa Rican woman, 54. She was the caregiver for the 73-year-old woman. It’s presumed that the 54-year-old patient in intensive care at San Rafael Hospital infected her. She also remains in quarantine in the Alajuela public hospital. - A Costa Rican woman, 41. She’s a relative of the man who came from Panamá. It’s presumed that the man who is hospitalized also infected this woman. She’s also in quarantine in the Alajuela public hospital. - A Costa Rican woman, 56. She was also a relative of the man who came from Panama. Staffers also presume the man also infected her. She too remains in quarantine at the Alajuela public hospital. - A Costa Rican man, 34. He’s also a relative of the man who came from Panamá. It’s presumed that the man also infected this person. He also remains in quarantine in the Alajuela public hospital. - A U.S. citizen, 70-year-old. The woman is a resident in Costa Rica who recently came from the U.S. She is in quarantine in an unnamed public hospital. The authorities confirmed there are more possible cases of virus-infected individuals. These cases include foreigners and Costa Ricans from the provinces of San José, Heredia, Guanacaste and Alajuela. All suspicious cases are kept in isolation, either in hotels or hospitals. Specialists are in the process of confirming or ruling out coronavirus with lab tests. ------------------------------- Have you heard about tourists or expats presenting influenza symptoms during their trip to Costa Rica after the coronavirus worldwide crisis? We would like to know your thoughts on this story. Send your comments to news@amcostarica.com