Shiloh
Editor, Senior Moderator
Source: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-...emerges-as-coronavirus-hot-spot-idUSKBN23U2ZH
June 23, 2020 / 2:20 PM / Updated 2 hours ago
Venezuela's Zulia state emerges as coronavirus hot spot
(Reuters) - Venezuela’s western Zulia state has emerged as a hot spot for the COVID-19 pandemic as poorly supplied hospitals and chronic shortages of water and power make it difficult to prevent the disease from spreading.
The government of President Nicolas Maduro has identified Zulia as an epicenter of the pandemic, with official statistics showing 590 cases and 10 deaths in the sweltering border state that shares a frontier with neighboring Colombia.
But opposition leaders have questioned the official figures, noting a lack of transparency in the reporting of cases and persecution of reporters, doctors and nurses who have contradicted the authorities.
“There are more deaths from coronavirus than the regime is announcing,” said Juan Pablo Guanipa, an opposition legislator who represents the state of Zulia. “The figures they are presenting are not credible.”
Venezuela’s information ministry and the Zulia government did not reply to requests for comment for this story. ..
June 23, 2020 / 2:20 PM / Updated 2 hours ago
Venezuela's Zulia state emerges as coronavirus hot spot
(Reuters) - Venezuela’s western Zulia state has emerged as a hot spot for the COVID-19 pandemic as poorly supplied hospitals and chronic shortages of water and power make it difficult to prevent the disease from spreading.
The government of President Nicolas Maduro has identified Zulia as an epicenter of the pandemic, with official statistics showing 590 cases and 10 deaths in the sweltering border state that shares a frontier with neighboring Colombia.
But opposition leaders have questioned the official figures, noting a lack of transparency in the reporting of cases and persecution of reporters, doctors and nurses who have contradicted the authorities.
“There are more deaths from coronavirus than the regime is announcing,” said Juan Pablo Guanipa, an opposition legislator who represents the state of Zulia. “The figures they are presenting are not credible.”
Venezuela’s information ministry and the Zulia government did not reply to requests for comment for this story. ..