Early Transmission Dynamics, Spread, and Genomic Characterization of SARS-CoV-2 in Panama.

We report an epidemiologic analysis of 4,210 cases of infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 and genetic analysis of 313 new near-complete virus genomes in Panama during March 9-April 16, 2020. Although containment measures reduced R0 and Rt, they did not interrupt virus spread in the country.

Improvements in pandemic preparedness in 8 Central American countries, 2008-2012.

BACKGROUND: In view of ongoing pandemic threats such as the recent human cases of novel avian influenza A(H7N9) in China, it is important that all countries continue their preparedness efforts. Since 2006, Central American countries have received donor funding and technical assistance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to build and improve their capacity for influenza surveillance and pandemic preparedness. Our objective was to measure changes in pandemic preparedness in this region, and explore factors associated with these changes, using evaluations conducted between 2008 and 2012. METHODS: Eight Central American countries scored their pandemic preparedness across 12 capabilities in 2008, 2010 and 2012, using a standardized tool developed by CDC. Scores were calculated by country and capability and compared between evaluation years using the Student's t-test and Wilcoxon Rank Sum test, respectively. Virological data reported to WHO were used to assess changes in testing capacity between evaluation years. Linear regression was used to examine associations between scores, donor funding, technical assistance and WHO reporting. RESULTS: All countries improved their pandemic preparedness between 2008 and 2012 and seven made statistically significant gains (p < 0.05). Increases in median scores were observed for all 12 capabilities over the same period and were statistically significant for eight of these (p < 0.05): country planning, communications, routine influenza surveillance, national respiratory disease surveillance, outbreak response, resources for containment, community interventions and health sector response. We found a positive association between preparedness scores and cumulative funding between 2006 and 2011 (R2 = 0.5, p < 0.01). The number of specimens reported to WHO from participating countries increased significantly from 5,551 (2008) to 18,172 (2012) (p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Central America has made significant improvements in influenza pandemic preparedness between 2008 and 2012. U.S. donor funding and technical assistance provided to the region is likely to have contributed to the improvements we observed, although information on other sources of funding and support was unavailable to study. Gains are also likely the result of countries' response to the 2009 influenza pandemic. Further research is required to determine the degree to which pandemic improvements are sustainable.

Costo-efectividad de intervenciones educativas en VIH/SIDA entre escolares de la provincia de Panamá en 2004 y 2005 / Cost-effectiveness of educative interventions in VIH/SIDA between students of the province of Panama in 2004 and 2005

Informa que el VIH/SIDA es un problema de gran magnitud en Panamá que ha sido objeto de diferentes intervenciones, de las cuales se desconoce su impacto y costo efectividad. Como se trata de una infección transmitida sexualmente, las intervenciones orientadas a los cambios de comportamiento sexual en adolescentes se ha propuesto como una medida de prevención que de resultar efectiva cambiaría la evolución de este problema.Se realizó un estudio prospectivo, observacional, analítico para comparar dos modalidades educativas en VIH/SIDA de escuelas de educación media. Se aplicaron encuestas de conocimientos, actitudes y práctica autoadministradas a estudiantes del grupo modelo y del grupo control, al iniciar y finalizar el año escolar. Los costos se obtuvieron mediantes registros de insumos y producción de las actividades que componen las intervenciones educativas en comportamientos para prevenir el VIH/SIDA entre adolescentes de la provincia de Panamá en 2004 y 2005: Sin embargo en ambas escuelas se observó una proporción de prejuicios y conceptos equivocados en relación al infectado por VIH/SIDA y a los riesgos de infección