Venezuela confirms coronavirus cases amid public health concerns

Venezuela on Friday confirmed its first two cases of coronavirus amid concerns that the economically struggling South American nation is unprepared to confront a pandemic that has proven challenging for even the world's wealthiest nations. Shoppers flocked to pharmacies in search of hygiene products such as alcohol to sanitize hands, which is a struggle due to lack of running water that has resulted from the decay of public services under the administration of President Nicolas Maduro.

Hospitals have lost huge numbers of medical professionals and are so dilapidated that, in some, staff use paint buckets as improvised toilets and reuse surgical gloves for lack of supplies. "People in Venezuela are accustomed to crisis situations, we move quickly in reaction to anything that happens," said Juan Silva, 23, a chef who shopping at a Caracas pharmacy for soap and hand gel.

He said he wasn't overly worried about the disease due to the low mortality rate, but added "I don't trust the government as a source of information." Vice President Delcy Rodriguez said in a televised statement that two people in question had arrived from Spain and had been placed in quarantine. Schools will be closed as of Monday, she said, adding that citizens seeking to use the Caracas metro system will need to wear face masks.

Maduro says his government has been hindered in fighting the virus because U.S. sanctions, meant to force him from office, have led banks and foreign businesses to refuse services. The Pan American Health Organization said last week it would be prioritizing Haiti, Venezuela and a handful of other Central and South American countries who have "challenges to their health systems."

Hania Salazar, head of the nurses' association for the western state of Zulia, said hospitals are not even guaranteeing that employees will have access to face masks. "Health professionals are sacred, they have family as well and this is a risk to their lives," said Salazar.

Interior Ministry Nestor Reverol on Friday said the government would provide border control authorities with face masks, gloves and thermometers, without mentioning supplies to for citizens and hospitals. On the street, citizens were already figuring improvised ways to handle the situation.

Neima Arocha, 46, managed to buy the last bottle of cough suppressant at a Caracas pharmacy but got there too late to buy alcohol for hand sanitation. As a substitute she planned to buy cocuy, an artesanal cactus liquor similar to tequila.

"There's no (rubbing) alcohol," said Arocha. But in the liquor stores they still have all kinds of things."

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)