By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews
The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) announced Friday that more than one million people in Latin America and the Caribbean have died from COVID-19, reaching a “tragic milestone”.
Public domain image/ Addicted04
“More than one million lives have been cut short because of COVID-19. This is a tragic milestone for everyone in the region,” said Dr. Etienne. “This pandemic is far from over, and it is hitting Latin America and the Caribbean severely, affecting our health, our economies, and entire societies. Yet only about 3% of our citizens have been vaccinated.”
According to figures reported by countries as of May 21, 2021, 1,001,781 people have died as a result of the SARS-CoV-2 virus in Latin America and the Caribbean. Almost 89% of the deaths occurred in five countries: Brazil (44.3%), México (22.1%), Colombia (8.3%), Argentina (7.3) and Peru (6.7%). Three percent of the deaths were concentrated in Central America and 1% in the Caribbean.
“The region is an epicenter for COVID-19 suffering. It should be an epicenter for vaccination, too,” Dr Etienne said. More than 153.5 million people have been immunized in the Americas, but only 21.6% of these are in Latin America and the Caribbean.
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