Caracas Chronicles

Photo: YouTube, retrieved.

• The map that served as a background for Nicolás’s Communications Minister Jorge Rodríguez had marks on Falcón, Nueva Esparta, Táchira, Lara, Portuguesa, Monagas, Zulia, Cojedes, Apure, Aragua, Miranda, Caracas, Vargas and Anzoátegui that Rodríguez didn’t explain. Other than insisting the best treatment is to stay home and gloating again about the few cases registered compared to other countries’ data, Rodríguez reiterated that every confirmed case in Venezuela is “imported” and that patients who require intensive care “are guaranteed beds in hospitals and CDIs for all patients that should need it.” In addition, he said they agreed with the hotel commerce chamber that, if it were needed, they’ll use their facilities to isolate asymptomatic patients. “There are 70 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Venezuela,” said Rodríguez, adding that there are only two critical cases, hospitalized in private centers and 15 patients have recovered, even though not enough days have passed to say such a thing. 
• Without a capture or raid warrant, several FAES officers detained journalist Darvinson Rojas, his father Jesús Rojas, and his mother Miriam Sánchez on Saturday night. The officers arrived at the house located between Mamera and Ruiz Pineda, and even though their first excuse was they had received an anonymous phone call about a coronavirus case in the household, they threatened and were violent soon after arriving. Darvinson’s father was pushed and they hit him on the head. FAES even threatened neighbors who went outside to support the Rojas family. The National Press Workers Union (SNTP) reported at 10:50 p.m. that his parents were released but he’s still detained in La Quebradita. His parents were able to hear they were asking Darvinson to reveal who his source was, they wanted to know who told him about the number of coronavirus cases in Miranda. 
• After Darvinson Rojas’s kidnapping, international organizations like Amnesty International, Committee to Protect Journalists, and the IAHRC’s Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression rejected the action. Journalist Odell López said that Darvinson “has been threatened by VTV ‘journalist’, producer of Con El Mazo Dando, Luis Hugas, several times. He was also mentioned on the show a few times.” As a matter of fact, Hugas celebrated the detention on Twitter. Juan Guaidó warned on Twitter that he’d alert multilateral institutions about the abuses by FAES against Darvinson Rojas and his family. 
• Governor Carmen Meléndez confirmed the first coronavirus case in Lara state: a 63-year-old patient in a health center. Meléndez said that at least 46 people were in contact with the patient. 
• Falcón governor confirmed the first two cases in the Paraguaná Peninsula: a 10-month-old baby and a six-year-old boy. 
• Barinas governor said they are waiting for the results of 17 suspicious cases in that state. 
• Dante Rivas confirmed there already are cases in Margarita island. He didn’t give the details. 
• NGO Codevida condemned how patients who need dialysis aren’t able to move for treatment because of fuel restrictions. 
• Juan Guaidó delivered medical supplies to five hospitals in Caracas: gloves, masks and hand sanitizer. 
• Oh! Bloomberg reported that Venezuela made yet another request to the IMF, this time for one billion dollars. 
• The coronavirus pandemic has killed over 12,000 people in the world, but on Saturday, scientists from Lübeck University in Germany, reported that they managed to isolate the pathogen’s main enzyme and created a solution for inhibiting it and stop it from copying its genome and multiplying in the human body. The trials were made on human lung cells and in mice, proving the solution wouldn’t be toxic and could be inhaled directly. The scientists main objective is called 3CLpro, the virus’ main protease, which is responsible for multiplying and expanding throughout the body. 
• We already knew that COVID-19 causes fever, cough and shortness of breath, but according to ENT doctors, it can also cause loss of smell. 
• The COVID-19 pandemic surpassed on Saturday one thousand cases in Africa, with 40 countries already affected. Even though most cases are “imported”, the local contagion rates increase. 
• Italy registered 793 deaths in the last 24 hours and 6,557 new cases, two unsettling records, for a total of 4,825 deaths in a month. 
• Spain reported 324 new deaths, for a total of 1,325 and the number of cases has reached 25,000. Coronavirus death rate in Spain is 5% of confirmed cases, and after almost 5,000 new cases in the last 24 hours, it’s now the world’s third country hit the hardest, after China and Italy. 
• The French Health Ministry reported that in the country “the general epidemic in the territory is quickly developing” and that the current contention measures, which came in force last Tuesday for 15 days, may be extended. The ministry warned that severe cases of the new coronavirus have been detected, even in your adults: 50% of patients in the ICU are under 60 years old. 
• Great Britain falls behind Italy, Spain and France in the contagion rate, but its health system is starting to crack, despite having 4,000 beds in ICUs and 5,000 vents. 
• Bolivia’s interim government decreed a full quarantine in the country to stop the spread of coronavirus, a measure that will be effective this Sunday, while the electoral body postponed the elections indefinitely. An 83-year-old woman was Chile’s first victim. In Colombia, the number of cases increased to 196. 
• São Paulo, Brazil’s most populated state, declared quarantine starting Tuesday. The measure affects 645 municipalities in the state, where 46 million people live, 22% of Brazil’s population. Boa Vista mayor confirmed two cases on Saturday. Many Venezuelans who fled the country are in Boa Vista.
• Guatemala imposed a partial curfew to contain the pandemic, while Colombia will enter a mandatory general isolation period. 

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Wash your hands. Stay home.