During the last day, 18 patients died as a result, while 68 others remain in intensive care centers (CTI) and the National Emergency System confirmed a 47 percent positive infection rate.

The president of the National Coordinator of Collective Medical Care Institutions, Ignacio Olivera, estimated that one out of every 54 Uruguayans is suffering from the disease and is currently trying to coordinate or is waiting for his or her healthcare provider to call for follow-up care.

“If it continues to grow like this, no one will be able to give an answer,” said the leader of the mutualists’ union with respect to the pressure on the first level of care.

He pointed out, however, that most of these people are low-risk, with mild symptoms or younger, which delays the proper catching up of those who have not been vaccinated or who have some comorbidity.

A few days ago, the Uruguayan Medical Union (SMI) and the medical societies proposed “modifying the testing criteria” to prioritize the diagnosis of patients with vulnerabilities.

Sources from the Ministry of Public Health indicated a forthcoming ordinance for some outpatient medical specialties to return to telemedicine instead of face-to-face mode in order to redistribute staff and many will go to support the Covid-19 area.

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