30 historic homes are collapsing and could be claimed by the city; Local Covid cases drop; Health care workers and nursing home residents receive vaccines

Martes, 16/3/2021

Hola, Todos –

Actividades –
Nada

Del cuerpo del periodico –

Titular – Retorno a las aulas influye en alumnos (return to the classroom influences students) – Education officials say it is important that students return to the classroom as soon as it is safe since online schooling is not effective for many. Teachers say that many students are not participating in internet classes and appear to have dropped out. Other students lack internet connections or computers.

Se destruyen unas 30 casas patrimoniales (About 30 heritage houses destroyed) – The Comisión de Áreas Históricas y Patrimoniales found 30 historic houses at risk of destruction in the centro histórico. If the houses are not repaired or reclaimed by the owners, they go through a incuria (negligence?) process that could end in the house being transferred to the City.

Council member Omar Álvarez said some of these houses have been abandoned by the owners, others whose owners have died without heirs or because no one has come forward to claim ownership. This is the case of the old brewery on Abraham Sarmiento between Las Américas y Antonio Vega Muñoz which “está en ruina” (is in ruin). There are 3 heirs who have not presented justification for the deterioration, and the city is considering declaring incuria to take the building which is worth around $65,000. <Sounds cheap until you think about the cost to make the repairs. Another $200,000?> If the house goes through the repo process, the owners are compensated 25% of the assessed value.

At least 30 historic houses in Cuenca are in danger of collapsing including this one on Presidente Cordova. (El Mercurio)

An owner of a historic house said he had thought about fixing it up, but the paperwork is a headache and the investment needed to renovate an old house is very high. Councilman Álvarez said the commission is aware of the economic problems and is working on legislation that would allow the City to help in the conservation of these buildings.

Contagios de COVID se desaceleran en Azuay (COVID infections slow in Azuay) – There were 298 new cases of Covid in Azuay last week. This is 18% less than the previous week which saw 364 infections which doctors attributed to the Carnaval holiday celebrations. MSP data showed critical Covid patients are continuing to occupy 90% of the capacity of the public hospitals.

The Coordinación Zonal said that it is continuing with Phase 1 of the vaccines which are being given to health personnel and senior in hospitals geriatric centers, both public and private. <So if you’re in a real rush for the vaccine, check yourself into a nursing home. I’m sure you can invent a reason not too far from the truth like I fell and I can’t walk without help.> In Zone 6, Azuay, Cañar, and Morona Santiago, 1,825 people have received both doses and 8,244 have received their first dose. The MSP is predicting that Phase 1 will finish in mayo.

Mujeres ganan menos en el país (Women earn less in the country) – A woman in Ecuador earns an average of 16% less than a man and have about 45% less access to adequate employment as men. Of the 3,300,000 women in the Población Económicamente Activa (PEA) which represents 42%, 26.4% have adequate employment <which I think is full time employment with benefits> and 21.% are underemployed. Women also have 45% less access to adequate employment and unemployment is at 8%, 2.3% less than unemployment for men. Women are employed mostly in agriculture (27.8%), commerce (22.5%), lodging and food services (9.2%), industrial manufacturing (8.0%), and teaching (6.7/). To address this income gap, the Ministerio de Trabajo is presented el Proyecto de Ley orgánica para Impulsar el Trabajo de la Mujer, Igualdad de Oportunidades y la Economía Violeta (Organic Law Project to Promote Women’s Work, Equal Opportunities and the Violet Economy). The object of the law is to eliminate discrimination in labor contracts for women, and will have reforms to other laws regarding taxes, the Labor Code, business sector internships, and law of companies.

En Nabón declaran emergencias por lluvias (In Nabón they declare emergencies due to rains) – Recent rains have have caused flooding and landslides in the canton, leaving a number of houses uninhabitable and endangering others. Rio Leon overflowed in a several locations, flooding farmland.

No arrancó inscripción para vacunar personas de la tercera edad (Registration to vaccinate elderly people did not start) – The online registration process for Covid-19 vaccinations of the elderly was scheduled to begin Monday but the government website for sign-ups crashed. On Tuesday, the website was working intermittently and was expected to be fully operational by the end of the day. The Ministry of Health said that that 120,000 older adults with disabilities, 400,000 IESS members over 65, and 350,000 elderly beneficiaries of the MIES bonds will be registered automatically.

And that’s all for today so Hasta ? –

Jeanne
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Editor’s note: Jeanne’s Periodico is a translated digest of news from the Cuenca daily newspaper El Mercurio. If details, such as event dates and times, do not appear in the translation, they did not appear in the newspaper (please don’t ask her for them). The text between the carrots, or guillemets (< … >), is Jeanne’s personal opinion and not part of the news translation.