Governor: Health strategy for combating COVID-19, monkeypox is on track
By John McPhaul
jpmcphaul@gmail.com
Gov. Pedro Pierluisi Urrutia said Sunday that the island government’s strategy to minimize COVID-19 and monkeypox infections “is coming along.”
In its latest monkeypox update last Friday, the Department of Health reported that 21 cases had been detected.
“You can see it, it is projected in the media. I see that the Department of Health is carrying out a whole educational process regarding monkeypox,” the governor said in response to questions from the press. “It already has vaccines; they are distributing them and they are available for those who are eligible to receive them. And it is duly informing the people about this disease.”
As for COVID, Pierluisi said that although Puerto Rico has a high infection rate, the hospitals are fully under control and the important thing is to continue getting the message out that the elderly are more vulnerable -- and this is what is seen in the statistics.
“They are the oldest people and they are the ones who in particular have to protect themselves,” the governor said. “As for the rest of the population, the important thing is that we all act responsibly, and that is what I see in general terms. This disease -- I imagine that soon -- they will be declaring that it is endemic; that is why we are seeing that there is so much transmission because we have already had this virus and its different variants for more than two and a half years. And the Department of Health is doing its job and what it has to do.”
The governor made his comments after the annual meeting of the Democratic Party of Puerto Rico.