Costa Rica coronavirus updates for Monday, August 24

Costa Rica announced seven new coronavirus-related deaths over the past day for a total of 362, according to official data released Monday afternoon by the Health Ministry.

Four-hundred and fourteen people are hospitalized with COVID-19; 143 are in intensive care. Both figures represent new highs.

The Health Ministry confirmed 643 new cases over the past 24 hours for a cumulative total of 34,463. Of these new cases, 575 were identified via a PCR-RT lab test, while the remaining 68 were confirmed via their epidemiological nexus.

Monday, 2,240 more people were classified as recovered. This also represents Costa Rica’s highest daily increase. As previously reported, this is a result of the Health Ministry compiling a backlog of data from regional authorities.

Costa Rica has 21,343 known active cases and 12,758 recoveries.

The data indicate Costa Rica has 7.08 COVID-19-related deaths per 100,000 people.

Costa Rica coronavirus cases on August 24, 2020. Tico Times graph.

Costa Rica’s hospital capacity

Costa Rica can allocate up to 1,058 total intermediate-care beds and 287 intensive-care beds for COVID-19 patients at public hospitals across the country. Using this capacity impacts availability of other health services.

The 143 intensive-care patients reported Sunday would correspond to 50% of the public-hospital capacity. (Note that some of these patients may be at private hospitals.)

To put the seven new deaths in context: Costa Rica recorded 23 deaths attributed to respiratory viruses in all of 2018, according to Health Ministry data.

The below graphic will update automatically as the Health Ministry releases new coronavirus data.

If you believe you have COVID-19, contact Costa Rica’s hotline at 1322. English-speaking staff and mental health professionals are available.