COVID-19 cases are surging in several countries of Central and South America, as well as in Mexico. President Andrés Manuel López Obrador is asking Mexicans to stay at home for the next ten days, leaving home only for essential errands, such as buying food and drugs. Mexico City Mayor Claudio Sheinbaum has announced the arrival of 500 Cuban doctors to augment the number of medical professionals. In addition, another 200 beds are being added to the Temporary COVID-19 Unit at the Citibanamex Center, Animal Politico website reported today. Mayor Sheinbaum is also in talks with the states of Veracruz, Chiapas, Campeche and San Luis Potosi to discuss providing additional medical personnel.
In Central America, Panama is in dire straits, as its medical personnel are overextended and it has no ability to deal with the current surge. The government is appealing to Cuba, the U.S., and other countries to send doctors and other medical experts to help. Panama has the highest rate of COVID cases in Central America, with a total of 200,000 cases and 3,411 deaths. But, just in the past nine days, Infobae reports, it registered 18,000 new cases and 218 deaths. Hospitals are saturated, many unable to accept new patients. It was just announced that the government has approved Pfizer vaccine for emergency use but it won’t be available until some time in the first quarter of 2021. Costa Rica has also approved Pfizer’s vaccine.
