Venezuela declares permanent emergency in healthcare system to prevent coronavirus

The Venezuelan government declared a state of permanent emergency in the Healthcare National Public System to implement mechanisms to prevent and contain coronavirus (COVID-19). «I have decided to declare a state of permanent emergency in the Healthcare System to prevent, protect and upgrade all its capacity to address cases that could be eventually detected in the country,» announced President Nicolás Maduro. At the Miraflores Presidential Palace, in Caracas, he explained that 46 hospitals have been entitled to «conduct and manage the healthcare processes against coronavirus throughout the country.» The Venezuelan president pointed out that health authorities are coordinating with private hospitals and health centers so that they join the epidemiological surveillance and care protocols. President Maduro pointed out that no COVID-19 cases have been confirmed so far in the country after ruling out 30 cases of patients suspected of having coronavirus who underwent early diagnostic tests. During a press briefing with domestic and foreign reporters, the Venezuelan head of state demanded the US administration to lift the unilateral coercive measures imposed against the South American country in order to facilitate the purchase of necessary medicines and supplies to contain COVID-19. «We have to pay three times the price of tests, but we have managed to get them in this phase and we are still trying to find enough diagnostic tests for the next phases,» he said. Presidential Press Office