Health Ministry: There is no COVID-19 fifth wave in Peru

Yet the government agency called on citizens to continue complying with the vaccination schedule so as not to return to complicated scenarios due to the illness.

During the supervision of a vaccination campaign in Lima's San Juan de Lurigancho district, Health Minister Kelly Portalatino emphatically clarified that at no time had it been announced that Peru was immersed in a fifth wave.

On the contrary, the government official indicated that only a projection was provided with the aim of being prepared to face a possible evolution of the pandemic.

A few days ago, the health sector's head indicated that her portfolio works on several scenarios: a first scenario would be mild and take place in the fortnight of December. On the other hand, a second scenario would already be at a moderate to severe level by March and April of 2023.

"We have to foresee the probable scenarios. It is a projection made because, during the first weeks of November, the peak was evidenced in Loreto region, which has declined, and there are currently no serious cases," she told reporters.

Similarly, the Cabinet member affirmed that an increase has been recently registered in Ancash and Arequipa regions, as well as Metropolitan Lima. Yet these are mild cases and there are no hospitalizations.

"We are not in a fifth wave, but we do not want to return to that (a similar) scenario," she emphasized.

Minister Portalatino called on the population to complete the vaccination doses against COVID-19 so as not to register any serious cases of said disease among older adults and people with comorbidities.

"Through the advisory committee, we have made the decision to continue with the third and fourth doses against COVID-19 in older adults," she specified.

Portalatino also lamented that to date only 43% of people in Peru are vaccinated with the fourth dose. In this sense, she urged citizens to continue promoting immunization.