Versión Español
Spanish – A report by the Venezuelan Academy of Physical, Mathematical, and Natural Sciences reveals that the number of cases reported by the Nicolás Maduro dictatorship “does not seem to fit an epidemiological scenario,” such as that of the coronavirus (COVID-19). According to estimates, there could be as many as 4,000 new cases daily by June.
As of this Sunday, the number of people with coronavirus in Venezuela was 414. However, the Academy of Sciences questions this number because “the size of the pandemic has not been accurately detected due to insufficient testing” in the South American country.
Academia de ciencias Físicas, Matemáticas y Naturales proyecta que el pico de la pandemia en Venezuela podría darse entre junio (con 4 mil nuevos casos por día) o septiembre (con 1 mil nuevos casos por día).
Estima subregistro de entre 63% y 95%, por pocas pruebas PCR. #11May pic.twitter.com/DpLVJ9p4YK
— Gabriel Bastidas (@Gbastidas) May 11, 2020
The study reveals that the figures provided by the regime are not clear since 507 cases could have been reported by April 23, while the official figure was 298:
Under-recording is estimated to be 63% at best and 95% at worst until April 23, 2020.
The institution warns that “the country must prepare for the impact of about 1,000 to 4,000 new cases daily at the peak of the epidemic.”
A report published by the PanAm Post on May 4 showed that there are not enough reagents to detect the coronavirus in Venezuela. Sources at the National Institute of Hygiene (INH) said that there was only enough material left to test about 400 samples. Given that there is a shortage of reagents to carry out the tests, only selective samples are currently tested. So the real number of people with COVID-19 is unknown.
“You don’t have new infections because you are not doing the same number of tests that were carried out weeks ago, and that undermines the ability to find COVID-19 patients,” said a source as the National Institute of Hygiene (INH). “As there are few tests left, only those with severe symptoms are being tested in hospitals, or those sent by the government to be processed,” he said.
“You don’t have new infections because you are not doing the same number of tests that were carried out weeks ago, and that undermines the ability to find COVID-19 patients,” said a source as the National Institute of Hygiene (INH). “As there are few tests left, only those in hospitals with severe symptoms or those sent by the government are being tested,” the source said.
Venezuela’s National Institute of Hygiene is the only body responsible for processing coronavirus confirmatory tests (PCR). The official figures provided by the regime regarding the disease come from here.
The worrying aspect of the situation is that delay in testing also implies a delay in diagnosis. Hence, the numbers remain low since no tests mean no results either.
