(Trinidad Guardian) The Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) says reinforcing contact tracing and data management are key, as many countries in the Americas reopen their economies and activities.
As Covid-19 infections double, PAHO is urging countries to adopt smart local measures to slow the disease’s spread.
PAHO Director, Dr Carissa F. Etienne, observes that the number of new COVID-19 infections reported in the Americas has more than doubled, rising from 5.3 million on July 1st to more than 12 million cases today
“Primary health care should be at the centre of the response: identifying cases, acting to contain transmission and providing timely care in the community,” Dr Etienne advised, during a press conference on Tuesday.
“Local health authorities have a central role to play in generating and analyzing data to adjust public health measures to the reality in each area,” she said.
Noting that in the past 6 weeks deaths in the region have doubled, Dr Etienne said:
“We can’t stop all transmission, but if countries stay vigilant and expand testing and surveillance, they can better identify spikes in cases and act quickly to contain them before they spread out of control.”
