Bella Vista in Panama City, David and Bethania are the territories with the highest levels of cases. Dec. 27, 2022. | Photo: Twitter/@ACTION4KC

Panama City, December 28 (RHC)-- The Panamanian Ministry of Health (Minsa) has released its weekly epidemiological report from December 18th to the 24th, a period in which a positivity rate of 12 percent was detected with 7 385 118 tests performed. 

In the reference period, Minsa recorded 13 deaths, 4 076 active cases involving 7 385 118 tests performed to detect the disease, which represents a positivity rate of 12 percent.   According to the epidemiological report, as of last Saturday there were 5 patients admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), 120 in hospitalization and 3 951 in home isolation.

Regarding recovered patients, Minsa said the figure amounts to 1 011 135 since the first case of COVID-19 was reported in the country, on March 9, 2020. Since then, the country has registered 1 023 778 confirmed cases and 8 567 deaths.

Bella Vista in Panama City, David and Bethania are the territories with the highest levels of cases with 20, 19 and 18 respectively, said the Ministry of Health, reminding the population to maintain hygienic measures, as it is "a responsibility of each one to protect themselves." 

The Expanded Program of Immunization of the Minsa (PAI) indicates that to date 8 696 949 doses against COVID-19 have been applied in the country. This includes the first, second, third and fourth doses and immunocompromised patients. 

Last week, the emergency use of the Pfizer-BioNTech bivalent vaccine for children aged 5 to 11 years old was authorized in Panama. A total of 492 674 children have been immunized: 10 493 between 6 months and 4 years old, and 482 181 between 5 and 11 years old.