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  Since March, when the first case of covid-19 was diagnosed in Costa Rica, the number of laboratories with the capacity to carry out the molecular diagnosis test quickly increased. - A.M. Costa Rica illustrative photo - |
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Published Monday, November 30, 2020 More labs for covid-19 diagnostic
tests
By the A.M. Costa Rica staff At the beginning of the pandemic, there were only three public laboratories able to perform covid-19 diagnostic tests. Now, there are 121 Social Security labs with that capacity. Since March, when the first case of covid-19 was diagnosed in Costa Rica, the number of laboratories with the capacity to carry out the molecular diagnosis test quickly increased. Among them are hospitals in: San Juan de Dios, Mexico, Nacional de Niños, these in San Jose Province. In addition to Monsignor Sanabria in Puntarenas Province, Max Peralta in Cartago Province, Enrique Baltodano in Guanacaste Province, and Tony Facio in Limon Province. It is expected that more laboratories will soon open at the Escalante Pradilla Hospital in Pérez Zeledón Canton and San Vicente de Paul in Heredia Province. Public health authorities also said that they are in the process of purchasing more Antigens, so-called fast diagnostic tests, to increase the system’s coverage and diagnostic capacity in regards to covid-19. Antigen tests detect covid-19 by identifying proteins within the virus, using a long nasal swab to get a fluid sample. The tests can produce results in minutes. Because these tests are faster and less expensive than PCR tests, antigen tests may be more practical to use for large numbers of people. The PCR test, called a molecular test, detects the genetic material of the virus using a lab technique called polymerase chain reaction (PCR). According to Social Security, laboratories analyze tests 24/7, and have used PCR tests through the present moment, authorities said. With the new laboratories, authorities said they expect to process 4,500 tests per day. Public labs have processed tests for more than 270,000 patients. Authorities said 24% of the test kits used have been donated by organizations and other governments. There are currently 100,000 RT-PCR kits - in addition to 16,000 antigen tests - in stock, Social Security reported. According to the Center for Systems Science and Engineering of Johns Hopkins University, 381,490 medical covid-19 tests have been performed in Costa Rica. Regarding the covid-19 situation in the country, the Ministry of Health reports an increase in infections and deaths due to the virus. The ministry provided the most up-to-date statistics on the evolution of the virus in the country: • 1,351 new covid-19 cases, bringing the total to 50,412 active cases. • 19,611 foreign-born people have been infected with a total of 137,097 cases since March, approximately 14.3% of the total cases. Of these, authorities confirmed the death of 32 foreign-born patients. But since October, there is no updated information about foreign-born deaths due to covid-19. • 513 patients are being treated in public hospitals, where 220 patients are in ICU’s in delicate health conditions (ages range from 29 to 89-year-old). And 293 patients are in recovery rooms. Many of the remaining infected patients are quarantined in their homes. • 84,991 coronavirus patients have fully recovered, which is a 62% recovery rate of the total cases since March. • 1,690 deaths of people infected with covid-19, approximately 1.2% death rate of the total cases since March. Of these 641 women and 1,049 men. The ages range from a 9-year-old to a 101-year-old person. Readers can see the updated number of total patients in each district at the National Distance Education University on its Covid-19 Map.  According to the Center for Systems Science and Engineering, CSSE, at Johns Hopkins University, the pandemic has killed 1,463,087 people worldwide. -------------------------- Should health authorities increase the number of covid-19 diagnostics tests being performed? We would like to know your thoughts on this story. Send your comments to news@amcostarica.com
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