translated from Spanish: Stolen 500 vaccines for Covid-19: three staff in Bolivi arrest

Three women in charge of the custody of 500 covid-19 vaccines were apprehended in a Bolivian town in the Amazon department of Beni for the theft of doses that were then returned by “hooded,” the Prosecutor’s Office reported this Saturday.” Three working citizens of the Departmental Health Service, who were responsible for handling these doses, have been apprehended,” Beni departmental prosecutor Ruthiar Vasquez told Efe. All three civil servants were charged with attack on public health and theft, Vasquez said.The departmental prosecutor noted that raids were carried out, statements were also taken from other officials to clarify the case that is still under investigation and that the hearing of precautionary measures of the three women is now expected. The vaccines disappeared last Thursday from the Los Almendros health center in Guayaramerín and when the local health network officials reported the situation to the Special Crime-Fighting Force.On the same day, the Minister of Government (Interior), Eduardo del Castillo, reported through their social networks that they found “the people who hijacked the vaccines” and that “the respective measures are being taken”. Vasquez recounted that the vaccines were “left by two hooded” near the health center where they were stolen and then “proceeded to escape.” All vaccines were returned, but these doses cannot be used because it is unknown whether the cold chain was maintained and if they were treated properly, the guayaramerín Health Network coordinator Maicol Borches.The Bolivian government intensifies vaccination of residents of localities bordering Brazil to avoid cases with the new variant from Brazil. The closure of borders with Brazil from this Friday was also determined for a period of seven days, although for three hours the border crossing will open. Bolivia has accumulated 273,947 confirmed cases and 12,305 incessants since the first contagion was identified in March last year.

Original source in Spanish