Santa Cruz Sees COVID-19 Cases Surge; Health Authorities Urge Completion of Vaccination
Santa Cruz, Bolivia is experiencing a worrying increase in COVID-19 cases, with 16,998 positive cases recorded in 2024, including 290 new cases and 11 hospitalizations in the last two weeks alone. Alarmingly, all hospitalized patients are unvaccinated.
Jaime Bilbao, Director of the Santa Cruz Social Security Department (Sedes), expressed his concern about the situation, stating, "It’s unfortunate that many of those infected have not been vaccinated." He urged the public to complete their vaccination schemes to protect themselves and others.
Dorian Jiménez, Director of Epidemiology at Sedes, reminded the public to adhere to preventive measures such as wearing masks, maintaining social distance, practicing good hygiene, and getting vaccinated to minimize the risk of infection.
Medical professionals emphasized the importance of vaccination, with an official from the Santa Cruz Municipality’s Health Secretariat, Marcelo Téllez, confirming that all municipal health centers have vaccines available for the public.
In response to the rising cases, the municipality plans to set up mass vaccination and testing points next week, ensuring that patients receive comprehensive and free treatment.
