These figures increase the accumulated cases of Covid-19 to 98,407 and deaths rise to 2,107, reported the director of the Metropolitan Health Region, Israel Cedeño.

The new cases were detected after the application of 5,179 new tests in the last 24 hours. The total number of tests carried out, since last March when the first case of the new coronavirus was registered, increased to 374,599.

The latest number of recovered patients is 504, bringing the total to 70,751 people who no longer have the virus, Cedeño said.

He added that there are 24,264 people in isolation, of these 23,827 at home and 437 in so-called hospital hotels.

1,285 people are hospitalized, of which 1,153 are in the ward and 132 are in the intensive care unit (ICU).

Effective reproduction rate

Cedeño also reported the behavior of the virus in the last epidemiological week, from August 30 to September 5. The effective reproduction rate of cases (Rt) or average value of the infection rate fell from 0.96 to 0.87, which is good news because the ideal value is 1 or below.

During the press conference on Tuesday, the official showed statistics that reflected the drop in cases of Covid-19 in the country and deaths from this disease. Even after sectors of the economy were reactivated on August 24.

Reminder of criteria to continue reopening

The Deputy Minister of Health, Ivette Berrío, said that this week marks five consecutive weeks with the number of infections falling; four consecutive weeks obtaining lower percentages of positivity and six consecutive weeks reducing the number of deaths.

She added that the current indicators are similar to those registered before the opening of the second block, on June 1.

Berrío recalled that the criteria to continue with the reopening process are: that the Rt is 1 or less than 1; lethality must be less than 3%; the availability of beds in the ward is 20% and the availability of beds in the ICU is 15%.

She also said that through the Home Health Care Program for positive patients, more than 400 patients have been served. The program is currently operating in the townships of Juan Díaz and Don Bosco and it is intended to expand it to other sectors of the country.

'Good results'

The director of the Social Security Fund, Enrique Lau Cortés, mentioned that among the measures that have been taken and are giving good results, which is reflected in the statistics presented, are: the strengthening of traceability, measures of biosecurity, the use of hydroxychloroquine, the delivery of solidarity kits, and periodic evaluation of those infected who remain at home and in hospital hotels.

Lau, reminded the population that if they do their part and use the mask properly, keep a two meter distance, and wash their hands frequently (or use gel, if they do not have soap and water), Panama has the measures to combat the virus.