Cuenca hospitals at capacity; Cemuart reopens; Local flower exporters see growing demand; Drinking in the streets; Taxis add bike racks

Martes, 30/6/2020

Hola, Todos –

Actividades –
Nada

Otras cosas –

Titular – El quemeimportismo favorece al Covid-19 (Indifference/apathy favors Covid -19) – The provincial COE met yesterday to re-evaluate the passage to yellow. Although there were no deaths in hospitals over the weekend, the number of cases in Cuenca rose by 138 to a total of 1,752. Doctors and authorities are concerned because cases are increasing and hospitals are reaching their capacity to treat critical patients. During a Tuesday radio interview, Juan Carlos Milibak, director of the José Carrasco Arteaga (IESS) hospital recommend that Cuenca return to redlight Covid status.

Electric Company – From 1/9 for 12 months, Empresa Eléctrica Regional Centro Sur will defer collection of unpaid bills during the health emergency. Since 6/5, the company has been helping ratepayers who were overcharged to claim their refunds. Because of the coronavirus, meters were not read in person in marzo, abril, y mayo. Bills sent out for those months were an average of the household consumption between 9/2019 and 2/2020. If you got a bill you consider too high, contact Empresa Eléctrica. If you get a refund it can be as a bank transfer or a credit on your next bill.

Flowers – Flower growers in Azuay and Cañar are optimistic because of a surge in demand from Europe. At Fincas del Sur in Paute, work hours were reduced to 30 per week, and personnel reduced by 30%. The owner said that his largest losses were in mayo which is normally his best month because there were no Mothers Day sales.

All ICU beds at the IESS hospital are occupied. (El Mercurio)

Cemuart reopened – The crafts market on SF Plaza reopened yesterday with hours from 9-12:00 and 13-17:00 <Remember, lunch is a sacred hour in Cuenca.>, lunes a sábado. In all there are 54 artisans who are divided into 2 groups with one group working lunes, miércoles y viernes and the other group working martes, jueves, y sábado. With occupancy limited to 35 – 50% of the artisans and 35-50% of the customers at any one time, there should be an average of 100 people in the center.

Portabicicletas – The first 200 taxis affiliated with AzuTaxi have been fitted with bike racks. <This will help you bike riders who go out when it’s sunny and get caught miles from home when it starts raining.>

Newspaper gone – The paper El Cuencano, formerly Late, and before that, La Tarde stopped circulating today.

More drinking in the streets – Over the weekend, controls in different sectors of the city were carried out. People drinking in public spaces, a problem that has grown since the health emergency, were taken off the streets, sidewalks, and from parks. People playing sports were also removed from park courts.

And that’s all for today so Hasta ? –

Jeanne