News
Thursday 27th January 2022.
January 27, 2022
The Ministry of Health (Minsa) reported, this Wednesday, that in the last 24 hours there were 17 deaths from Covid-19 and 10,481 new cases. It also revised three deaths from earlier dates, bringing the cumulative death toll to 7,645. To find the new cases, 29,497 tests were applied for a positivity of 35.5%. The report adds that active cases total 81,848; of which 80,040 are in home isolation and 808 hospitalized. Those in isolation are divided into 80,581 at home and 459 in hospital hotels, while there are 730 hospitalized patients in wards and 78 in intensive care units.
The group of people between 60 and 79 years of age is the one that registered the highest incidence of new infections with coronavirus in Panama in the last 14 days, reported the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO). According to data published by PAHO, this growing trend of new cases of Covid-19 has been observed for seven consecutive weeks.
The fourth wave of Covid-19 infections is passing through the country and one of the solutions that the Government of President Laurentino Cortizo put on the table was the purchase and import of 450,000 tests for domestic use, to detect those infected with the virus. , in addition to the approval of its use. According to Decree No. 5 of January 24, 2022, the so-called “self-applied” tests may be used and if the results are positive, they must be rectified with an antigen test or PCR, to be performed at the swab centers of the Ministry of Health or the private laboratory of your choice. The National College of Laboratorians of Panama rejected during an extraordinary session the use of domestic tests to detect Covid-19. Julio Nieto, president of the association, pointed out that not everything can be left under the responsibility of the citizen, at the same time that he criticized the level of sensitivity of the tests, which could yield false negatives and that traceability would be lost with them.
The Attorney General for Administration, Rigoberto González , revealed this Wednesday, that the entity he directs is processing a complaint against the Municipality of Arraiján for the use of mobilization expenses. González explained that they “if you want” to say we are requesting an accounting of the use of those funds from the municipal authorities of Arraiján. For this reason, we have requested the documentation regarding the mobilization expenses of the Municipality of Arraiján. The official recalled that in the case of the West Panama district, action is not being taken ex officio because a citizen complaint was filed. González refers to a complaint filed against the mayor of Arraiján, Rollyns Rodríguez, and eight representatives of townships, to investigate their conduct in the use of public funds, specifically mobilization expenses.
In the training center of the Administration Prosecutor’s Office, located in Los Llanos de Curundú, the table that will review the project to reform the Civil Procedure Code was installed . The Attorney for the Administration, Rigoberto González, who chairs the State Pact for Justice, which promotes the reform, attended this meeting. The Vice President of the Supreme Court of Justice, Olmedo Arrocha, was also on the Judicial Branch.
The deputies that make up the Education Commission of the National Assembly enacted draft bill No. 183, which different sectors in Chiriquí and Panama have affirmed would allow indefinite reelection in the rectory of the Autonomous University of Chiriqui (Unachi). The deputy president of the Education Commission, Alina González, declared that adoption does not mean that the norm is written in stone.
The Specialized Prosecutor’s Office against Organized Crime appealed the decision of the guarantee judge Yanina Mosquera, who granted a precautionary measure of home arrest to Teresina Vigil, investigated for the alleged crime of illicit association within the “Damasco” operation. In a hearing to review the precautionary measures, Mosquera replaced the precautionary measure of preventive detention initially applied to Vigil and granted her house arrest. This measure was granted after Vigil’s defense attorney, Leonardo Paul, provided new evidence about her health condition and procedural elements to access that benefit. Vigil is linked to the “Humildad y Purza” gang, presumably led by her romantic partner Carlos Roberto Aguilar (alias Robert).
It is specified that the search proceedings were carried out in Colón, central Panama, East Panama and West Panama and that the 14 detainees are allegedly linked to the Clan del Golfo. The proceedings were carried out by officials from the First Drug Prosecutor’s Office together with agents from the National Police. “Among them an official from the National Assembly, one from the Panama Maritime Authority and a worker from the Panama Metro,” reported Carlos Valencia, from the National Directorate of Judicial Investigation.
Gasoline prices will register an increase starting this Friday, January 28, reported the National Energy Secretariat . 95 octane will increase 16 cents per gallon. Per liter, the increase is 4 cents. Meanwhile, the 91 octane will increase 15 cents per gallon. In liters, the rise is 4 cents. Low sulfur diesel will rise 20 cents. Per litre, the increase is 5 cents.These prices will take effect at 6:00 am on Friday, January 28, until February 11, 2022.