As hundreds of new cases of COVID-19 are detected daily, Panama health authorities are increasingly concerned about the capacity of medical facilities. Dr. Gladys Guerrero, coordinator of nosocomial infections at the Social Security Fund (CSS), said that hospitals cannot be allowed to become saturated.

On Monday, June 15,  there were 736 new bringing the accumulated total since the beginning of Match to 21,422 with and 448 deaths

According to the epidemiologist, there is currently active surveillance to capture and isolate positive cases and trace their contacts.

The strategy is carried out door to door in the most affected communities.

The figures are likely influenced by the recent opening of the second recovery phase and many flooded onto the streets and flouted distancing guidelines leading the Health Ministry to reimpose control by gender, day, and ID in Panama and Panama West.

Guerrero said  Monday that at the moment many cases are minor, but concern is rising in the population that is at risk and may need to be confined to hospitals.

" We cannot allow the capacity of our hospitals to be saturated, " she stressed. For the epidemiologist, the behavior of the virus has been constant, however, there are researchers conducting studies to see if it has mutated.

Guerrero reiterated the authorities' interest in interrupting the COVID-19 transmission chain "The moment we interrupt the transmission chain, the virus will not find anyone else to infect, " she said.

She said that there is limited human resources, some are tired, but on their feet, responding responsibly to give everything in their power and manage the situation.