Honduras Health Ministry avoids Frontline News query regarding new COVID recommendations

Frontline News this week sought to clarify emergency recommendations by Honduras' Health Ministry (SESAL) regarding “using a face mask correctly,” after the ministry publicized an increase in COVID-19 “cases”.

Frontline News last week reported that according to COVID-19 Observatory of the Central American Technological University (Unitec) Director Dr. Reina Durón, for every 100 tests to detect the virus, 3.7 came out positive, although more than half of the country's population is fully vaccinated.

Frontline News sought official clarification from Honduras' Health Ministry and other municipal bodies.

In its query, Frontline News sought specific data on the following points:

• "How many cases were defined based on a positive laboratory test? We request to receive all answers by age segmentation.
• "How many of the positive tests reported so far reflect repeat tests for those people?
• "Of all the people who performed two tests in a row (ie. - within 24 hours), in how many tests were the two results different?
• "Is there a uniform standard for setting a viral threshold for a positive coronavirus test, and if so, what is it?
• "How many of the tests are borderline and is a borderline test considered positive?
• "Someone whose test was defined as borderline - what was the diagnosis?
• "In the context of the epidemiological investigations, people defined as borderline or asymptomatic - what was the percentage of people they infected?
• "What is the percentage of positive tests among medical staff in the various hospitals?
• “What is the percentage of people who have had a test had symptoms? How many of them received a negative answer?”

As of publication, no response has been forthcoming.

El Heraldo reported Honduras Health Ministry Surveillance Unit head Lorenzo Pavón admitted: “There is no rising curve, the epidemiological situation of COVID-19 remains controlled, since the contagion rate is less than 1%”. Pavón later claimed the unvaccinated are the ones testing positive since “30% of the population has not been vaccinated,” adding that there are only 72 COVID-19 cases in the entire country.

Proceso Digital reports Honduras' national health system is experiencing a crisis due to lack of medicines in several hospitals in the country. Honduras Health Commission of the National Congress Vice President Román Morán said: "What we do guarantee the Honduran people is that the Health Commission of this state power will be on top of this issue to have a 100% supply of medicines by the first quarter of 2024," he asserted.

World Health Organization (WHO) Director Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus two months ago declared the international public health emergency ended. "What this means is that the time has come for countries to move from emergency mode to the management of COVID-19 along with other infectious diseases,” he said. 

Pan American Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) head Dr. Jarbas Barbosa wrote: “COVID-19 continues to be a global public health priority and vaccination should continue… It is also time to focus on better preparing for upcoming emergencies and rebuilding better towards a healthier and more sustainable future".

In March 2020, some organizations rejected Honduran government COVID measures, stating: "Limiting freedom of expression in these moments of crisis is disproportionate and contrary to the objective of combating the pandemic, causing unnecessary damage to human rights and public health."