The rising trend of new cases continues in these graphics generated from the statistical data of the Mexican Federal Secretary of Health on January 4, 2022. Saturday presented the highest number of new cases in the history of the pandemic, but that can be attributed to several factors causing the extraordinarily high number, in excess of 750 new cases. There is far more testing being done now, and holiday backlogs in laboratories has previously been known to cause statistical bubbles. However, the general trend of increased infection does exist, with an additional 691 cases reported Tuesday. There are currently 4,700 active cases in Baja California Sur, the highest censused number since the outbreak began in 2020
Hospitals are where the Sick People Are:
The good news is hospitalizations remain low, with an improvement in beds available, with both hospitalized and ventilated patient numbers declining and there are no COVID-19 patients currently in intensive care according to government statistics. . Local news reports that the La Paz ISSSTE hospital staff was tested for the virus and 60% of the staff tested positive according to the hospital's General Director, Jonathan Sánchez Torres. Two hundred and twenty-five of the tests were 'rapid tests' and thirty were PCR tests. One hundred and twenty-five employees were granted dispensation leave as a result.
In the San Jose del Cabo ISSTE a mother has filed a complaint that the hospital staff caused the infection of her newborn.
There have been no reported cases of the new Omicron Variant in BCS as of the time of this posting.
Health officials tout the vaccination programs of the Spring of 2021 being responsible for the lower number of severe cases of COVID-19 and the state's high percentage of vaccinated adults. Programs have been initiated this week to bring the level of vaccinated 14-17 year olds to 49% of the population. More than 2,354 young people were vaccinated in one day in La Paz last week and more than 40,000 in total across the state in the month of December.
Vaccination programs continue across the state this week in every municipality except for the 14-17 year old program in Mulege, which was postponed. See our post for January 3 for all the locations, times and places.
