By NewsDesk  @infectiousdiseasenews

On Monday, March 2, 2020, the Minister of Public Health, Catalina Andramuño, spoke about the current situation of the coronavirus (COVID-19) in Ecuador. In an interview with a national media, he confirmed that so far there are only six cases in the country; The first corresponds to a 71-year-old woman who came from Madrid to Guayaquil on February 14 without presenting symptoms, and the rest are her close relatives. The older adult remains with a reserved prognosis. As for the other five, it was reported that they continue with mild symptoms and are monitored permanently.

Image/Ministry of Health

Likewise, he indicated that, in order to contain the spread of the virus, 177 people who had a direct relationship with the older adult were monitored and monitored, some of whom are close to completing the quarantine considering that it started the day they maintained The first contact with the patient.

The Minister stressed that Ecuador is in a second scenario in which the cases presented are of people belonging to the family nucleus of the first infected patient and that we are not yet in a later one. This is why he called for citizen participation to prevent the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) with preventive measures, such as constant hand washing, use of antiseptic gel, avoid touching his face and nose, and Wear a mask if you have any symptoms.

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In addition to this, he indicated that surveillance protocols in ports, airports and borders have been strengthened, where passengers who come from countries that already circulate the virus will be captured by personnel of the Ministry of Public Health (MSP) and should make isolation in your address, which will be monitored by different state institutions.

Finally, he recalled that 85% of the cases of coronavirus (COVID-19) present very mild symptoms and that only 15% can be complicated in people over 50 years of age and have some preexisting disease.