Given the secrecy of the authorities of the Ministry of Health (Minsa) about the Covid-19 in Nicaragua, unofficial sources have revealed that there are at least 14 positive patients and three suspected in several private hospitals that have not yet been announced by the Minsa.
La Prensa reported it has received unofficial information that, as of April 28, cases are in six private medical centers. These cases would add to the 13 that have been officially reported by the Minsa, of whom three have died.
The report by what can be called the last of the independent print newspapers in Nicaragua, says that Health authorities, since Monday, have been more hermetic with the details of the progress of the coronavirus in the country and have limited themselves to saying that there are only three active cases and that the contacts are being followed-up.
“Various sources have agreed that in the coming days Nicaragua will enter the hardest stage and where the contagion curve rises, for such have recommended maintaining social distancing measures that Nicaraguans have self-imposed; However, it is precisely in these last days that the Minsa has become more hermetic with the information,” reports La Prensa.
Although the form of contagion in the cases that are unofficially spoken is not known, specialists agreed on several occasions that there is already community contagion in the country, although the Minsa denies it.
This type of contagion is classified as such when they are people who have not traveled to countries with outbreaks and who have also not been in contact with an imported case, that is, they were infected in the community.
Similarly, various confidential sources have stated that the cases in Nicaragua are much more than those recognized by the Minsa.
In an interview published in previous days, infectologist Carlos Quant pointed out that he has known of situations in hospitals that people arrive with severe pneumonia, but since they do not have the epidemiological link, they do not test them to detect if they have Covid -19 (only Minsa can do that) therefore, these highly suspicious cases are not confirmed if it corresponds to contagion or not.
Hidden data
In a country like Nicaragua, where access to public information is almost non-existent, it is difficult to determine the real level of damage caused by the new coronavirus pandemic.
Government authorities have not even said how many tests have been carried out since the first case was detected on March 18.
The government also did not enact any measure to stop mass contagion, as most countries in the region have done. It did not quarantine those who entered from countries where the contagion is high, it did not close schools and it has continued to promote mass events where the social distance of at least two meters is not maintained.
Police presence in hospitals
A police presence, with patrols and agents, outside four hospitals in Managua on Tuesday coincides with the escalation of cases of Covid-19, which have been confirmed by various medical sources and are treated in public and private hospitals.
The sources consulted assure that the uniformed police seek to prevent information from leaking and that the increase in infected patients is kept secret, in addition to intimidating hospital staff.
A medical source explained that the police presence is not circumstantial or routine, it is a backup, but not of prospecting property, but of information, to prevent it from leaking, that there be no media coverage and that people do not inquire about the Covid-19 cases.
La Prensa report says it made a tour of four Managua hospitals: Monte España, Manolo Morales, Bautista and Alemán Nicaragüense, the latter being where the Covid-19 infections have been treated since the beginning of the pandemic.
In all these medical centers there were police units, however, in the case of the Bautista and Monte España, the police presence was greater, including traffic police to regulate traffic in and out of the medical centers.
Another source told La Presnda that: “More cases of coronavirus are appearing and they want to keep the secret,” he said.
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