PUERTO VALLARTA (PVDN) – Health officials are ringing the alarm bells as an uptick in COVID-19 cases has been recorded in the Eighth Health Region, where Puerto Vallarta is located. In response to the growing concern, the director of the VIII Health Region has recommended reinstating face mask usage in closed environments. He also emphasized the importance of constant hand washing, a precautionary measure that “should never have been left.”
Despite the alarming trend elsewhere, Puerto Vallarta, the headquarters of the Eighth Health Region, hasn’t observed a substantial increase in cases. Nonetheless, 25 cases have been documented in the municipality over the past month. There is also an admission that most people are no longer receiving testing at clinics, but instead home testing that is not tracked by the government.
What further exacerbates the concern is Puerto Vallarta’s popularity as a tourist destination. Given the rising cases in several other countries, it is anticipated that the influx of international tourists could also bring with them the Eris subvariant of the Omicron strain. This subvariant is known to be more contagious, though it hasn’t been identified as more virulent or likely to cause severe health complications.
While there have been no confirmed cases of the Eris variant in Puerto Vallarta thus far, the unpredictable nature of the coronavirus suggests that the arrival of this variant, owing to its high contagion rate, is only a matter of time.
In light of these developments, locals and visitors are strongly advised to don face masks in enclosed areas, particularly those with little ventilation. This is in addition to adhering to general guidelines to avert infections and complications not just from Covid-19 but also from other respiratory diseases.
