By NewsDesk  @infectiousdiseasenews

The Minister of Health, Daniel Salas announced Thursday that five private laboratories were approved to carry out the COVID-19 test. They are: LABIN Laboratories, Biblical Clinic Hospital, Páez Laboratory, San José Laboratories and Metropolitan Hospital.

Image by Koen One Stop Map from Pixabay

These are joined by the San Juan de Dios, Mexico, National Children’s Hospitals and INCIENSA, the latter currently has 3,800 tests to perform.

Along the same lines, Daniel Quesada, Director of the Emergency and Disaster Care Center of the Costa Rican Social Security Fund reported that the entity is managing the purchase of 10,750 additional tests, for the short term.

As of March 26, 231 positive cases for COVID-19 have been reported, with an age range between 2 to 87 years. There are 101 women and 130 men, of whom 209 are Costa Rican and 18 foreigners, while in 4 cases data on nationality are being collected.

Positive cases are located in 43 cantons of the seven provinces, registering patients in more than half of the cantons nationwide. By age there are: 204 adults, 16 older adults and 7 minors.

2,331 people have been discarded, 2 have been discharged, and two deaths are recorded. Eight people are in the process of being discharged. Six people are hospitalized, five of them in intensive care.