Pressure on hospital ICU units continues; Former mayors complain of poor Covid leadership; Six wildfires reported; Prostitution zone proposed
Martes, 11/8/2020
Hola, Todos –
Actividades –
Nada.
Otras cosas –
Titular – Preocupación en personal de salud (Concern in health personnel) – Medical personnel are worried about a new outbreak of Covid resulting from carelessness during the días de asueto (holidays – our word for the day). There is an average of 64 patients a day for the 61 ICU beds in the public hospitals. Patients needing ICU beds are being referred to other provinces. Dr. Luis Mario Tamayo, representative of the private clinics said they are also full. Doctors are worried cases will increase in the coming weeks. Although Azuayans didn’t go to the coast, there were more parties with family and friends. ECU-911 data showed that usually there are 39 clandestine parties a day in Cuenca. Over the weekend, there were 56 on just one day. Other news was better: calls to emergency for possible cases of Covid fell from 54-37; reports of crowds from 76 to 70, curfew breakers from 40 to 2 and quarantine breakers from 7 to 2 people. <I hope quarantine breakers weren’t being good because the party was at their house.> In the last 7 days, the number of cases in Cuenca increased by 373 bringing the total to 3,344. Cases in Azuay have topped 4.000 with Paute, Gualaceo y Camilo Ponce Enríquez following Cuenca in number of cases.
Letter to mayor – 33 prominent people including ex-mayors and ex-prefects, and doctors and representatives of the health sector signed a letter to the mayor demanding better leadership in the fight against the pandemic. Doctors have been asking that a “Comité de Crisis” be formed to articulate actions, but there has been no response.
Limits to zona de tolerancia – The city is proposing a polygon of 2.26 hectares in the tolerance zone in Cayambe in order to provide more control and determine land use. The city would also restrict parking permits in the polygon and surrounding areas. “Casas de citas” (Dating houses – now there’s a new word for an old business.) would be allowed only within that polygon. Land uses in the area are in conflict with burdeles (bordellos – a casa de cita) close to residences, churches, 3 schools, and other businesses.
Primaries – Tjhe CNE has set the primary elections for 9-23/8. The parties and movements will meet electronically to select their candidates. <Bucaram senior is really going to run? Seriously? Page 8A has an article “Los Bucaram, política, exilio y ataques” if you want more of his history which goes back to 1984 with charges of treason, embezzlement, money laundering, attacking an ex-coach, and more.>
Forest fires – There have been 6 forest fires in 3 days. According to the Servicio Nacional de Gestión de Riesgos y Emergencias (National Service for Risk and Emergency Management), there have been 538 fires affecting 5,050 hecatares so far this year.
And that’s all for today so Hasta ? –
Jeanne