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This morning, the Undersecretary of Assistance Networks, Arturo Zúñiga, spoke on Radio Duna about the serious situation facing the Magallanes Region with its large increase in coronavirus cases and also about the statements of the former Epidemiology official, Andrea Albagli Iruretagoyena, who testified as a witness last September 30 in the prosecution’s investigation for alleged reckless dissemination of pathogenic germs in the midst of the pandemic.
Regarding this last point, and according to Albagli’s statement, April 24 was the day that he was asked to alter the database, since that day the information that was in Epivigila exceeded that reported by the then Minister of Health , Jaime Mañalich: “When I had already received the database, my direct leadership, Rodrigo Fuentes, told me that at the request of the minister, the last records must be erased to make it fit,” he said.
Regarding this statement, Zúñiga indicated that he did not know Albagli and the background he had to make such a statement.
“I do not know this person, I do not know who he is, I have never had an opportunity to be with him, therefore I cannot pronounce myself about what that person says”, He indicated, adding that it was an area that did not correspond to him.
“I do not know what background he will have to support his assertion, but I cannot comment on a department that does not depend on me directly and that I have no history of this having happened,” he added.
“Data manipulation was never carried out with me, I never saw that and that is what we have always affirmed, that each time information was delivered it was to be able to deliver it in the most timely manner possible, counting on all the difficulties that the handling of a pandemic requires in order to deliver the data in a timely manner.
Regarding the situation of Magellan, which yesterday registered 324 new cases – surpassing even MRI – and 1,600 active cases, Being the area of the country that maintains the highest current incidence rate per 100,000 inhabitants, Undersecretary Zúñiga expressed that they are studying all the possible causes of why this great outbreak continues. The numbers of new infections have not decreased for four weeks, he said.
“CIt is difficult to have a statement of what is the main cause of this increase in cases (…) There are a series of hypotheses here and what we are doing as an authority is applying measures for each of them“, Held.
In addition, he adds, this phenomenon could be replicated in other areas of the country – as second waves are currently being seen in various parts of Europe – therefore they have to stay prepared.
“It is very worrying that what happens in Magallanes can be replicated in other cities of our country, and this is happening in Italy, in Spain, in Erancia. We are seeing second waves in other countries, and as is happening in the first opportunity, Magallanes was one of the first cities in our country that had a first wave approximately on April 20, very close to what also happened in Europe, and later in Europe it was replicated again and the same is happening in Magallanes ”, he explained.
Faced with this, Zúñiga said, they are preparing the entire healthcare network to respond in the event that a second wave may occur in other areas.
“If we could prevent that, there is every intention of doing it, but It must also be recognized that much of this virus is still unknownIt is not a normal respiratory virus that appears in May, which has its peak during the month of June and disappears at the end of August, “he said.
Regarding the possibility of establishing a special commission to investigate what is happening in Magallanes, as suggested by Espacio Público, Zúñiga indicates that it is a “very reasonable” idea, and that Minsal and the Epidemiology team are studying the situation in the region in order to provide more background information on what could be causing this level of contagion.
“What we have to be prepared is also, in addition to having a commission, is to prepare the health care network, and in this sense we have all the ventilators delivered to the hospitals, it is no longer necessary to be moving from one place to another, but Yes, be prepared so that a short period of time – if there is an increase in cases – we can restore the maximum number of beds with mechanical ventilation in each of the health facilities in our country. ”
