The WHO indicated that the "high mortality rates" from COVID-19 are due to "intense" transmission of the new coronavirus in the region and health systems "under a lot of pressure".
The World Health Organization (WHO) expressed concern on Tuesday about the evolution of the pandemic in South America, where eight of the ten countries with the highest COVID-19 mortality rates are located.
"The situation in South America remains very worrying," said WHO Director of Health Emergencies Mike Ryan at a press conference, who also indicated that four of the ten countries with the most absolute cases in the world last week were in that region ( Brazil , Argentina, Colombia and Chile ).
"Mortality has increased in countries like Paraguay and Bolivia by around 20% last week," Ryan warned, adding that the rate of patients dying from COVID-19 in the region is higher than the global average and stands at around 3-5%.
"Disease transmission in the region is still intense"
"This may reflect the severity of the disease, but it may also be the result of a lack of access to medical care and the pressure that health systems have been under in many countries," he said.
Ryan also noted that the percentage of positive results in COVID-19 tests conducted in many Latin American countries is also high, reaching 37% in Paraguay and 33% in Argentina .
"The transmission of the disease in the region is still intense, health systems are under a lot of pressure, and this is reflected in the high mortality rates," he stated, noting that in the absence of high vaccination rates, it is advisable to maintain preventive measures such as masks and physical distancing.