The 10 new deaths of COVID-19 ranged in age from 61 to 96 years

The 10 new deaths caused by COVID-19 reported by the Department of Health on Saturday were older adults between the ages of 61 and 96.

Dozens of deaths, according to the agency, occurred between January and yesterday, being one of the two days in which three deaths were recorded confirmed by COVID-19 for this report.

“The number of additional deaths should not be interpreted as occurring in the last 24 hours. Similarly, it is important to emphasize that the total number of deaths can vary as the processes of registration and coding of the causes of death take place, which can take several days “, Salud warned in his report.

The agency also indicated that the total number of deaths was 1,771 and is divided into 1,483 deaths confirmed by COVID-19 and 288 as probable.

New reported deaths:

– An 87-year-old woman from the Fajardo region

– 87-year-old man from the Fajardo region

– 61-year-old woman from the Metro region

– A 70-year-old man from the Metro region

– An 80-year-old man from the Metro region

– 88-year-old man from the Aguadilla region

– 96-year-old man from the Caguas region

– 82-year-old woman from the Caguas region

– 94-year-old man from the Bayamón region

– 65-year-old woman from the Arecibo region

The elderly population predominates as the sector of the population that dies the most in Puerto Rico as a result of COVID-19, according to health statistics. Although the vaccination process for the elderly began a few weeks ago, there are hundreds of elderly people who have not received an appointment to receive the first dose of vaccine.

On the other hand, Salud reported 687 new cases confirmed by the molecular test, 164 new cases likely by the antigen test and 754 new cases by the serological test. The new results are based on samples taken between 7-21 January 2021.

The total number of confirmed cases increased to 83,670, but was adjusted after the addition of four cases before January 7, 2021. In addition, 11 duplicate cases were reduced.

They also adjusted the total probable cases, which is today 6,403, subtracting 62 cases that had a positive molecular test and adding nine cases before January 7, 2021.

They also adjusted the total number of suspicious cases, to 64,390, after deducting 69 cases that had a positive molecular test and six cases that had a positive antigen test. They also added 118 cases before January 7, 2021 and decreased a duplicate case in this category.

In the meantime, the number of patients hospitalized for the virus was placed at 325, of which 54 are confined in an intensive care unit and 46 are connected to an artificial respirator.

To date, hospitals have 203 intensive care beds and 863 artificial respirators available for adults.

According to the agency, the confirmed positive case term refers to infections whose result was validated by a PCR (molecular) test. The probable case is one whose positive result for the disease was obtained by antigen testing. Meanwhile, the suspected cases, also known as antibody results, are those that have a positive serological test and do not have a positive molecular or antigen test.

In addition, the agency explained that a confirmed death of COVID-19 corresponds to the death of a person with one or more positive molecular tests. Probable death is the death of a patient who was diagnosed with COVID-19 by an antigen test or whose clinical picture meets the criteria to believe that he or she had COVID-19 but never had a molecular or antigen test to detect the virus . Meanwhile, suspicious death refers to the death of a person in whom a specific antibody is detected in serum, plasma or by a serological test with their blood.