Cases of covid-19 have increased by more than 50% in Central America last week and overall in the region, although less sharply, except in South America, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) reported Wednesday.
Compared to the previous week, cases “continued to increase in Central America this week by 53.4%, with three of seven countries reporting increases, although deaths continued to decline,” PAHO director Carissa Etienne told a virtual press conference.
Across the Americas region, new infections increased by 12.7% and deaths fell by less than 1%, but in the Caribbean, deaths rose for the third consecutive week by 39.6% compared to the previous seven days.
In contrast, the number of new infections in countries such as Mexico and in South America in general fell (-8%).
In view of the impact of the pandemic on mental health in the Americas, PAHO will launch this Friday a high-level commission to analyze this phenomenon, which has taken its toll on the population as a whole and in particular on health workers such as nurses.
By 2030, Latin America “will need 1.8 million more nurses,” Etienne reported.
The United States will need to add 1.2 million nurses to its workforce and Canada 60,000 more by 2025, he added.
