Washington – The Director of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), Dr. Carissa F. Etienne, today called on all countries in the Americas to take urgent action to reorganize their health services and protect health professionals in order to safely care for patients with the 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and save lives.

“The message is clear- Now is the time for countries to increase their capacity to detect cases, care for patients, and ensure that hospitals have the space, supplies and staff they need to provide the necessary care,” Etienne said during her weekly teleconference with the region’s health ministers.

She urged health leaders to involve citizens and other sectors in support of public health action. “If everyone collaborates, it is not too late to contain the situation, flatten the epidemic curve and thereby avoid overloading the health services so that they can give the necessary care to all who need it.”

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 epidemic on 31 December 2019, until 17 March, 191,127 cases and 7,807 deaths were reported globally. The majority of these deaths were in China, Italy, Iran, Spain and France. As of yesterday, in the Region of the Americas, 37 countries and territories reported 5,944 cases and 19 deaths.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), current global data indicate that 81% of COVID-19 cases are relatively mild, 14% evolve into more severe illness, and about 5% become critical, requiring supportive treatment such as oxygen and mechanical ventilation. Advanced age and pre-existing medical conditions are risk factors for severe outcomes…[+]

Budget airline EasyJet has asked pilots and cabin crew to agree to sweeping changes in their terms and conditions, as part of its response to coronavirus. Among the proposed changes are a freeze on planned pay rises and a requirement to take three months of unpaid leave.

The airline would also no longer provide food for crew during their shifts, only water. Unions told members they had failed to reach agreement with the airline and were working on counter-proposals. However, there remains a willingness to make concessions in order to avoid redundancies. Further talks between EasyJet and unions representing pilots and cabin crew are expected today. Meanwhile, EasyJet’s chief executive Johan Lundgren has defended the payment of £170m in dividends to shareholders, at a time when the company is seeking financial help from the government.(BBC)…[+]

US jails are to let out inmates as cases of coronavirus infections are being reported in prisons. New York City is releasing “vulnerable” prisoners, the mayor said on Wednesday, days after Los Angeles and Cleveland freed hundreds of inmates. Prison reform advocates say those in jail are at higher risk of catching and passing on Covid-19.

There have been more than 9,400 cases of Covid-19 and 152 deaths in the US so far, according to estimates. Globally there are some 220,000 confirmed cases and over 8,800 deaths.  New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said on Wednesday that city officials will this week identify individuals for release, including people who were arrested for minor crimes and those most vulnerable to infection due to underlying health problems. His announcement came hours after a guard and a prisoner tested positive for coronavirus at Rikers Island prison, where disgraced former Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein, 68, is a high-profile inmate. Weinstein will be moved to a different state prison, an official said on Wednesday.(BBC)…[+]