COE raises capacity limits to 75% for most businesses, public events; Taxi thieves arrested; Air quality improves; Comedian Carlos Ballarta to perform

Lunes, 7/2/2022

Hola, Todos –

Actividades –

Carlos Ballarta se presentará en Cuenca con su gira “Rebelde Comodino” (Carlos Ballarta will perform in Cuenca with his tour “Rebel Comodino”) – Comedian Carlos Ballarta who has been on Netflix and Comedy Central (in Spanish) will perform in Cuenca and Guayaquil. The 2 hour show in Cuenca will be el 12/2 in the teatro Casa de la Cultura a las 20:00. Tickets are available at www.meet2go.com with prices from $27.80 t0 $50.00.

Titular –

Trasplante de células (Cell transplants) – The Sociedad de Lucha contra el Cáncer (SOLCA) has been recertified to perform autologous transplants of stem cells for the next two years starting in marzo, 2022. It will be the 2nd city in the country after the SOLCA in Guayaquil to do bone marrow transplants. Patients are treated with stem cells made in their own or a donor’s bone marrow, harvested from the blood, and transplanted back into the patient after other treatment such as chemotherapy. Carolina Calderón, a hemotologist at SOLCA Cuenca said that there is a long waiting list of up to 3 years for the procedure and patients often do not receive the treatment in time. Currently patients must go to Guayaquil or out of the country.

Restaurants and other businesses in Cuenca are now authorized to operate at 75% capacity.

Iralda Espionoza, a hemotologist at SOLCA explained that the treatment is mainly for patients between 18 and 65 suffering who are suffering from lymphomas or multiple myeloma as well as autoimmune diseases. The bone marrow transplant unit existed in Cuenca in 2009 but the accreditation was not renewed due to lack of professionals. To receive the current accreditation, medical staff received training including overseas, and the physical area and equipment were improved. The first 13 patients will have their stem cells harvested in marzo and receive the transplants in abril.

Cuenca –

JP Baños hará control urbano (JP Baños will perform urban control) – The Parish Junta of Baños will become the 6th of the 21 parishes to take control of management of the use and occupancy of land within its boundaries. This allows the parish to form a “planning department” which will have control of plan approvals, lot subdivisions, building permits and more. Baños will join the parishes of Ricaurte, Sinsincay, Tarqui, San Joaquín, Paccha and Chiquintad. It means building inspectors will be in the parish and can find illegal construction earlier than when the parishes had to wait for an inspector to come from the Dirección de Control Urbano in response to a complaint. <How often do you think a building inspector from urban Cuenca would just mosey down to Molleturo or Chaucha to look for illegal construction?>

Renovar notificación sanitaria (Renew health notification) – The Agencia Nacional de Regulación, Control y Vigilancia Sanitaria (ARCSA) announced to businesses that health notifications are valid for 5 years. Por eso previo a que el documento cumpla con ese plazo deben renovar 90 días, caso contrario, deberán hacer todo el trámite, lo que implica el ago de las tasas correspondientes. (For this reason, before the document complies with this term, it must be renewed within 90 days, otherwise, the whole process must be carried out, which implies the payment of the corresponding fees.) <I can’t make any sense of it in Spanish and the computer translation doesn’t make any more sense in English. You’ve got them both and let me know if you can do a more understandable translation.>

To renew the health notice, an employee of the business has to apply for re-registration and state that there have been no changes in the production and formulation process. You need to attach operating permits, submit it at the window, and make a payment at the bank. The Ley Orgánica de Salud says that selling products with an expired health notification will be sanctioned with a fine of 10 SBUs. <If you have concerns or need more information, call 3702370. Or continue to operate without permits and pray you don’t get caught.>

Condiciones del aire mejorarán (Air conditions will improve) – This week, the dust particles that have been blowing in from the coast of Perú should decrease. <And here’s your science lesson for the day/month/year?> Néstor Benítez, an environmental engineer, explained that the phenomena is called calima in which small particles of dust, ash, sand and other materials <Just hope it’s not asbestos.> are suspended in the air due to thermal inversion. This is more common in Europe and Asia than in South America. The air should improve starting el viernes, but meanwhile, people with respiratory problems should not go outside unprotected. <You weren’t intending to go out without your mask anyway, were you?>

COE Cantonal autoriza permisos para los espectáculos públicos (Cantonal COE authorizes permits for public spectacles) – The COE has announced the biosafety measures for this week. Tourist and non-tourist establishments except for bars and discos can operate at a 75% capacity with an exception for hotels which can operate 24 hours. Granting permission for events and public spectacles has been authorized in the whole canton. Terms are a 70% capacity limit for the venue, there must be approval of biosecurity measures, and sales and consumption of alcohol is prohibited. <Well, that just took the fun out of it for a lot of you – and you shouldn’t even sneak in your own flask.>

This authorizes mercados, event centers, community centers, religious centers and movie theaters to operate with a capacity of limit of 75% of normal. Also allowed to operate are gyms; pools; entertainment centers; schools such as for dance, art, and culture; and venues for physical training. The aforo (capacity) will be 50% of normal. The vehicle curfew of 2:00 to 5:00 will be maintained. Bars, discos, amusement centers for over 18, and centros de tolerencia (brothels) can operate with a 50% capacity and in accordance with the biosecurity protocols currently in effect.

Sucesos –

Tres sospechosos de robo a taxista fueron detenidos (Three suspects in cab driver robbery arrested) – El último sábado, a taxi driver picked up 3 antisociales and 2 women <All of them in one cab?> on Calle Larga and at av. Cristóbal Colón and Doce de Octubre, the riders threatened the driver with a knife and stole his cellphone and money. The driver called for help on his radio and help arrived immediately. His fellow taxistas kicked and hit the robbers, while the women escaped. Then the police arrived to arrest the robbers and found the taxista’s phone along with 2 others of dubious providence. They took the thieves for a medical examination, and then to a holding area at the Función Judicial de Cuenca to await charges. <Never get aggresive with a taxi driver – in no time at all you’ll be fighting half the union. And they’ll get there long before the police show up to save your butt from a worse beating.>

And that’s all for today so hasta ? –

Jeanne