DILI, 25 April 2021 (TATOLI)—Timor-Leste on Sunday confirmed 89 new COVID-19 cases, 29 recoveries. the country’s COVID-19 Crisis Center said in a statement.
Of the new cases, 74 were found in the capital Dili, 19 in municipalities. their infections were found in Baucau and Aileu, five in Lautém, and 12 in Manufahi. Thus the country’s total active cases rose to 1,612 infections.
The Coordinator of the COVID-19 Crisis Center (CIGC), Rui de Araújo said, between the new cases 49 were male and 40 were female with six were present with symptoms and the rest were asymptomatic.
While 74, the equivalent of 83, 1%, were detected following requests for travel authorization.
“Majority of the cases detected from the group living in the area containing the outbreak, in Dili municipality,” Mr. Araújo said in a statement.
Araújo added, since yesterday, the National Health Laboratory (LNS) has carried out 692 laboratory tests, 35 of which in the context of sentinel surveillance, 35 of contact screening, 20 test were performed through random screening, 478 tests were performed following the international and national traveling requests, and 124 in quarantine.
The coordinator also explained that, about the evolution of the outbreak in Dili, there is an exponential increase in the number of infections.
According to Araújo, most of those infected with covid-19 have no symptoms, but the daily figures in the capital reveal a greater contagion.
Rui Araújo stated that, between April 2nd and 15th, the prevalence rate of the new coronavirus was 3.5%, with 264 positive cases being detected during the performance of 7,564 laboratory tests in the scope of random screening and requests for the exit from the Municipality of Dili.
Between 16 and 22 April, the prevalence rate was 7.3%, equivalent to 425 infected, recorded in 5,799 tests of random screening and requests for departure from Dili.
“If we apply the 7.3% prevalence rate to the population in Dili, we currently have about 20,000 people infected with SARS-Cov-2. Currently, only 1,612 cases have been detected in Dili, which means that the majority of positive cases have not been detected, something that, in statistics, scientists call the top of the iceberg,” he said.
The official also stressed that the gathering of people during general home confinement, between March and April, the gathering of people after the floods, on April 4, and the Vera Cruz incident, between 12 and 15 of this month, caused the spread of Covid-19.
According to Araújo, at the Vera Cruz isolation center accumulated 19 patients, six in the area of obstetrics, ten in internal medicine, and three in pediatrics.
“The six patients in obstetrics are considered to be moderate cases. Among the ten infected in the area of internal medicine, three are considered serious, and seven in moderate conditions. While the three patients under severe conditions one is using the ventilator while the other two are still using the oxygen cannula, ”he explained.
Concerning the cases detected by the municipality, since the beginning of the new coronavirus, Baucau has 56, Ermera 41, Covalima 52, Viqueque 13, Liquiçá 14, Ainaro 15, Lautém 12, Bobonaro 16, Manatuto five, Manufahi 51, Aileu five and the Oé-Cusse e Ambeno Special Administrative Region (RAEOA) has five.
Journalist: Nelson Sousa
Editor: Cipriano Colo
