Officials worry that large crowds will spread Covid; Coopera schedules new payments; 200 companies in IESS default; Nursing home workers go unpaid

Miércoles, 21/10/2020

Hola, Todos –
Actividades –

Otras cosas –

Titular – Aglomeraciones aumentan riesgo (Crowds increase risk) – ECU-911 alerted Cuencanos that the city is returning to having a high number of large gatherings which increases the risk of a new outbreak of Covid. There was a tenfold increase in crowds last weekend compared to the beginning of the month from 17 a day to 189 last weekend. ECU-911 data showed that there were 1,319 aglomeraciones from 19/9 to 19/10 with 72% or 950 of them within the last week. Most of these were in the Centro Histórico and residential areas such as the Yanuncay parish, Ordóñez Lasso and San Jaoquin. Also in the last month, 45 people broke quarantine and could have infected more people. In the last few weeks, infections were kept low, but lack of prevention by the citizenry could change that. To date, there have been 10,077 Covid cases in Azuay with 8,025 in Cuenca. <I hope none of you are out partying in crowds and/or (gasp) not wearing masks.>

IESS visita a 200 empresas por caer en mora patronal (IESS visits 200 companies for falling into employer default) – Personnel from IESS will visit 200 large businesses in Cuenca to get them to pay past due employer contributions. Even if employers owe the IESS, employees can still access medical services, but one of the requirements for retirees to be paid is that the employer is up to date with its payments. Reports of unpaid benefits are taken anonymously.

Tourism officials expect thousands of visitors for the Cuenca holidays celebrations. (ElMercurio)

Paquetes y reservas para noviembre (Packages and reservations for November) – 20% of hotel rooms have been reserved for the independence holiday in noviembre and the Asociación Hotelera del Azuay is meeting with representatives from travel agencies, bars, restaurants and local authorities to strengthen strategies to attract tourists to Cuenca. The normal activities such as the crafts fairs, concerts and large assemblies will be replaced with rural tourism such as visits to the Parque Nacional Cajas, rural gastronomic centers such as Ricuarte or San Joaquín and spa/hostels in Baños and Barabón. There will be packages including transfers, and lodging in hotels with biosecurity measures, guides, and recommendations for comida tipica. The Fundación Turismo has an active campaign on social networks and will visit Guayaquil to promote local attractions.

A sus exsocios, Coopera quiere devolver dinero (Coopera wants to return money to its former members) – The Coopera Ltda. which has been in liquidation since 2013 has announced a 9th phase of refunds to its members who will receive $961. The money is from repayments of loans made by the Coopera while it was functioning. Previous phases of repayments were funded by sales of property and assets owned by the Coopera. 117,000 members and suppliers lost some $130,000,000 of which only 45% has been returned. <You’re an oldtimer if you remember the Coopera scandal or had money in the institution.>

Desde julio el personal del Cristo Rey no cobra (The staff of Cristo Rey unpaid since julio) – The 65 workers at this home which cares for 150 seniors of limited means have not been paid for 4 months. They held a protest and are also asking the Ministerio de Inclusión Económica (MIES) to pay the allotments that would guarantee the functioning of the home.

Golpiza a chofer acusado de robo (Driver accused of theft beaten) – A driver of a mixto pick up truck was beaten by a crowd that accused him of stealing from a house. The driver had responded to a call to pick up some passengers unknown to him, who then guided him to pick up some household goods which had been stolen. When neighbors intercepted the truck, the “passengers” escaped leaving the driver to explain. The Policía Nacional responded and the driver’s injuries were treated.

And that’s all for today so Hasta ? –

Jeanne