By NewsDesk  @bactiman63

COVID-19

On Saturday, the Ministry of Health reported 1,100 new cases of COVID-19, of which 275 are by epidemiological link and 825 by laboratory, for a total of 123,223 confirmed cases.

Image by Koen One Stop Map from Pixabay

Today, nine deaths are reported: three men and six women, with an age range of 50 to 84 years.

In total, 1,546 deaths related to COVID-19 are recorded.

On Thursday, the Ministry of Health and the National Emergency Commission (CNE) reported that Costa Rica signed with AstraZeneca to supply one million doses of its candidate vaccine against COVID-19, AZD1222, developed together with the University of Oxford. The million doses will cover half a million people, because two applications are required for each person.

It is estimated that the vaccine will be available as of the first quarter of 2021, if the clinical trials underway are successful and subject to approval by regulatory agencies.

Methanol poisoning

In an update on the methanol poisoning outbreak, the Health Surveillance Unit of the Ministry of Health now reports there are 76 suspected cases of methanol poisoning, of which 38 have died. The deaths are 33 men and five women with an age range of 23 to 75 years, of which 20 are from San José, three from Alajuela, five from Cartago, one from Heredia, four from Puntarenas, and five are under investigation.

The population is reminded that the health alert issued for the sale of products adulterated with methanol is still in force with labels alluding to “Guaro Chonete”, “Guaro Cuerazo”, “Guaro Sacheto”, “Guaro Gran Apache”, “Red Star Aguardiente” , “Guaro Montano”, “Barón Rojo Aguardiente”, “Timbuka Aguardiente”, “Molotov Aguardiente” and “Guaro Fiesta Blanca”.