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Peru registers 50% increase in COVID-19 deaths over past two weeks

Photo: ANDINA/EsSalud

11:02 | Lima, Jan. 20.

There was a 50% increase in deaths due to COVID-19 from the first week of January to date in Peru, said Cesar Munayco, researcher from the National Center for Epidemiology, Disease Prevention and Control (CDC) of the Ministry of Health (Minsa).

"Between week 1 and week 2, there has been a 50% increase in the number of deaths here in Peru. Two weeks ago, we even indicated that, based on the behavior of this new variant (Omicron), an increase in the number of deaths could be observed," he told RPP Noticias.

Faced with this reality, Dr. Munayco insisted on the need to receive three doses of the COVID-19 vaccine so as to reduce the risk of serious illness or death.

In this sense, the official affirmed that there is 80% less probability of a person dying from COVID-19 if he/she has received three doses of the vaccine.

"People over 60 are most likely to die, but the risk is reduced by 60% if I have both doses, and it is reduced by up to 80% if I have both doses, plus the booster dose," he argued.

Dr. Munayco clarified that there is no gap between the number of deaths from COVID-19 registered by Minsa and those reported by the National Death Registry Information System (Sinadef).

Moreover, he said that if the world does not make progress in the vaccination process, there will be more variants of the new coronavirus.

(END) LIT/MVB

Publicado: 20/1/2022