Turi becoming a tourist hotspot; Heavy rains bring leptospirosis outbreak; Kidnappers target middle class in Guayaquil; 1,500 runners in weekend race

Viernes, 13/3/2023

Hola, Todos –

Actividades –

De El Mercurio del sábado, 11/3 (1 article):
Turi, el encanto nocturno (Turi, the nocturnal charm) – Miriam Cabrera, a business owner in Turi, said that even before the area was renovated, the businesses had already started reactivating at nights. However, most visitors still come in the daytime. The main attraction is the 35 m. long glass bridge with views of the city. <This is not for the acrophobic or gringos who are dubious about Cuencan engineering and construction.> The area has restaurants, cafeterías, stores, crafts businesses, fast food including the sale of hot cinnamon water, coffee and chocolate.

A new glass bridge in Turi — part of the recently completed renovation project —
offers spectacular views of Cuenca. (El Mercuirio)

One restaurant is Federica Vega’s ‘Amapola Bistro’ which is in a space next to the gallery of her father, ceramicist Eduardo Vega. There is a window into the ceramics workshop as well as a window with a view of the city. “La Placita” is a weekend tourist business involving 40 families who offer crafts, gastronomy, tourism, horseback rides and more. It is located behind the church. Enzo Amato, the parish priest, is asking that the city open up the possibility of nighttime public transit service to the parish. Now the last bus to Turi leaves the Benigno Malo high school at 17:00.

Titular –

Alertan brote de leptospirosis (Leptospirosis outbreak alerts) – Along with the rain come seasonal illnesses, but this year the strong rains have provoked an increase in unusual infections. The Ministerio de Salud is most worried about cases of leptospirosis which reached 54 yesterday. Most of them are in Guayas (31) with 28 of those in Duran. There are 9 in Manabí and 5 in Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas where this disease usually does not appear. There are also cases in the Amazonian provinces.

Leptospirosis is caused by bacteria found in the urine of infected animals and outbreaks occur after torrential storms or floods especially in tropical areas with poor living or sanitary conditions. The illness can be fatal with main symptoms including fever, headache, muscle pain and ictericia (jaundice – our word for the day). To avoid getting it, avoid contact with standing water, wash your hands often, and make sure you’re using water suitable for human consumption. <Don’t go drinking out of puddles just because your dog does and seems healthy.>

Although the number of cases of dengue aren’t above historical levels, it is concerning since it’s transmitted by mosquitos that breed in standing water. This week there were 3,500 cases with 125 of them alarming, 18 serious, and 2 deaths. The provinces with the most cases were Manabí and Guayas. Only one case of chikungunya was detected. It was in the Camilo Ponce Enríquez canton in Azuay but was imported from Paraguay which has declared an emergency due to an outbreak. The Instituto Nacional de Investigación en Salud Pública has freed 100,000 sterile mosquitos with the goal of reducing the reproduction of the Aedes aegypti mosquito.

Disease-carrying mosquitos can survive at elevations up to 1,830 meters (6,000 feet).

Cuenca –

Reconstruyen cráneo con prótesis 3D (Skull reconstructed with 3D prosthesis) – A patient who was in a motorcycle accident had skull reconstruction surgery at the Hospital ‘Vicente Corral Moscoso’. He had injuries to different parts of his body and especially his skull and received a decompressive craniectomy in which part of his skull was removed. The 3D prothesis, donated by AC Medical in Cuenca, was personalized and fixed with titanium plates. It will help his appearance, psychological recovery, and recuperation of brain functionality where blood and cerebrospinal fluid flow is restored. <I’d think living without parts of your skull would make you an obsessively cautious person.>

Nacional –

Las víctimas de secuestro son ahora de clase media (Kidnapping victims are now middle class) – There have been 20 kidnapping cases so far this year, 7 of them in Guayas. The latest was the kidnapping of a taxista who was taken el pasado viernes. The kidnappers demanded a $20,000 ransom from the family. The governor of Guayas said that all of the kidnappings resulted in the victims being freed and the kidnappers captured. <I wouldn’t be surprised if the kidnappers grabbed their victims right in front of security cameras.> Héctor Franco, chief of the Unidad Antisecuestros y Extorsiones (UNASE), said that the newest victims are from the middle class with ransom demands up to $50,000. <Keep your fingers crossed that “rich” ex-pats don’t become the next target.>

Gasolina Ecoplus 89 baja; y, la Súper Premium sube (Ecoplus 89 gasoline goes down; Super Premium gasoline goes up) – Petroecuador announced new prices that will be in effect until el 11/4 for Súper Premium which will be $4.07/gal., and Ecoplus 89 which dropped from $3.13 to 3.03. <Aren’t you glad these aren’t per liter prices?>

Deportes –

Mónica Cajamarca y “Eli” Bravo, reinas de la Warmi (Mónica Cajamarca and “Eli” Bravo, queens of the Warmi) – The 12th edition of the Warmi Runner filled the main streets of Cuenca with purple yesterday morning. About 1,500 athletes ran in Cuenca. <And following is the reason I’m translating a tiny bit of a sports story.> Ruth Llivisaca ran the 5 km. race in her Chola Cuencana clothes and barefoot. <Good thing it wasn’t a day hot enough to fry eggs on the sidewalk.>

And that’s all for today so hasta ? –

Jeanne