Costa Rica confirmed 446 new cases of the coronavirus over the past day, totaling 8,482 cumulative known cases, the Health Ministry announced Tuesday afternoon.
One-hundred and seventy-one people are hospitalized with COVID-19, a new high.
One-hundred and thirty-seven more people have been classified as recovered under Costa Rica’s definitions that qualify certain patients based on time rather than a negative test.
Costa Rica has 6,005 active cases and 2,441 recoveries.
Thirty-six people have died in Costa Rica after contracting the coronavirus, including six deaths Monday. The data indicate Costa Rica has 0.70 COVID-19-related deaths per 100,000 people.
Two of the patients currently hospitalized at intensive-care units are children, the Health Ministry said Sunday.
As of Monday, 82 of the 88 intermediate-care beds at Costa Rica’s coronavirus-specific hospital (CEACO) are occupied.
In addition to the intermediate-care capacity at CEACO, Costa Rica’s Social Security System (CCSS) has plans to create up to 159 more ICU beds for coronavirus patients at various public hospitals, including at a new tower at Calderón Guardia Hospital in San José.
Most hospitalized patients have at least one risk factor, with hypertension, diabetes, obesity and smoking being the most common.
Monday was Costa Rica’s deadliest day
Six people with COVID-19 died in Costa Rica on Monday, the Health Ministry confirmed Tuesday afternoon.
- A 43-year-old resident of San José province died while in intensive care.
- A 72-year-old resident of San José province died while in intensive care.
- An 81-year-old resident of San José province died while at Costa Rica’s coronavirus-specific hospital (CEACO).
- A 46-year-old resident of San José province died while hospitalized.
- A 90-year-old resident of San José province died while in intensive care.
- A 94-year-old resident of San José province died while in intensive care.
All had at least one risk factor, according to the Health Ministry. (Half of Costa Rican adults have at least one COVID-19 risk factor.)
U.S. Embassy, Health Ministry sound alert on scams
The U.S. Embassy in San José is not depositing money or delivering food packages through Amazon to Costa Ricans who have been affected by COVID-19.
Similarly, the Health Ministry is not investing in or distributing Bitcoin (cryptocurrency) to Ticos.
Remember: Keep personal information to yourself, and be especially wary when you receive an e-mail, text message or phone call asking for personal information.
Active coronavirus cases in Costa Rica
The recent spike in cases corresponds with both an increase in testing and with a higher test-positivity rate, as shown in the below graph:
The Greater Metropolitan Area — particularly the district of Pavas — is the country’s current epicenter. The entire GAM and much of Costa Rica are under an Orange Alert and have strict health measures, including driving bans.
Costa Rica has processed 59,749 tests as of Monday (11.7 tests per 1,000 people). This includes 65 positive tests across 1,500 processed as part of mass testing in Alajuelita canton.
During its Tuesday press conference, the Health Ministry did not provide full detailed information on the locations of the new positive cases or the amount of tests processed. The below graphic will update automatically when the Health Ministry releases that information later this afternoon.
