• Venezuela: Nicolás Maduro bets on a Cuban drug to fight the coronavirus

Delcy Rodriguez, Executive Vice President, confirmed this morning (afternoon in Spain) the first two cases of coronavirus in Venezuela, the only country in South America, along with Uruguay, so far free of the pandemic. "We want to inform the country with great responsibility that at dawn today it was confirmed through the tests that exist, duly certified by the WHO, that two cases of coronavirus have been certified in Venezuela," said Rodríguez, who heads the commission. presidential appointed by Nicolás Maduro to combat Covid-19.

The Bolivarian government has ordered the mandatory quarantine for all passengers on Iberia flight 6673 on June 5 and 8 , days when the two positive cases traveled. "These two cases are already absolutely isolated, direct contacts are determined and the entire chain of indirect contacts is being determined," Maduro's right hand said.

They are two Venezuelan citizens, a 41-year-old woman who had traveled in Spain, Italy and the United States, and a 52-year-old man, who was also traveling in Spain. Both live in the state of Miranda, to which part of the capital Caracas belongs. "We must require all people who came on those Iberia flights on days 5 and 8 to immediately enter a mandatory preventive quarantine," added the former chancellor.

With this confirmation, the first doubts prevailing in the country about the arrival of the coronavirus are cleared, given the State's limited capacity to carry out the tests. Only the National Institute of Hygiene is capable of carrying them out.

As soon as the news was known, the Government has ordered that subway users wear face masks when traveling. Academic and school activities are suspended, as well as events and gatherings, including political demonstrations. Cinemas, museums and other cultural activities were also closed.

The coronavirus has thus reached a country with a dilapidated health system , with hospitals with a shortage of supplies and where even the water supply fails in 30% of cases. Maduro takes refuge in the sanctions decreed by the international community, despite the fact that hospitals began to deteriorate seven years ago. "By contrast, vaccines from last year's and this year's special measles and diphtheria programs are financed by the Usaid (US Agency for International Development)," said Juan Guaidó, president-in-charge.

The opposition leader warned that Venezuela is one of the "most vulnerable" countries to the coronavirus, due to the "complex humanitarian emergency that we have denounced for more than six years.

The Venezuelan government has opted for the use of a Cuban medicine, Interferon beta, to fight the epidemic and also claims to have the help of China.

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  • Venezuela
  • Spain
  • Iberia
  • Italy
  • diphtheria
  • Uruguay
  • Nicolás Maduro
  • Juan Guaidó
  • Delcy Rodriguez
  • China
  • Coronavirus
  • Covid 19

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