The COVID-19 pandemic in Honduras was a part of the worldwide pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 () caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (). The virus was first confirmed to have spread to Honduras on 10 March 2020, when two women tested positive for the virus after one of them landed on Toncontín International Airport in a flight from Madrid, Spain, and the other on Ramón Villeda Morales International Airport in a flight from Geneva, Switzerland. Confirmed cases have been reported in all 18 departments of the country, with the majority of cases located in Cortés and Francisco Morazán.
Since the first cases were recorded in March, the country has implemented various measures to address the pandemic, including closing maritime, aerial, and land borders, suspending classes at all levels of education nationwide, ordering a nationwide curfew, and freezing prices for basic food items and certain medical supplies and equipment. __TOC__
Background On 12 January 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed that a novel coronavirus was the cause of a respiratory illness in a cluster of people in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China, which was reported to the WHO on 31 December 2019.
The case fatality ratio for COVID-19 has been much lower than SARS of 2003, but the transmission has been significantly greater, with a significant total death toll.
Timeline
March 2020 On 10 March, the first two cases in Honduras were confirmed. The first case is of a pregnant woman who traveled to Spain and returned to Honduras on 4 March, the woman is hospitalized. The second case is of a 37-year-old Honduran woman who entered on 5 March, on a flight from Switzerland, she is in self-isolation at her home with medical surveillance. That patient is the first case in the Atlántida Department in the municipality of El Porvenir.
On 13 March, a relative of the first patient was confirmed to have the virus, he is 64 years old and the second case in the capital of the country, Tegucigalpa in the Francisco Morazan department.
On 15 March, three more cases were confirmed in the country, two in Tegucigalpa and the first in the Choluteca department for a total of 6 cases. Honduras also closed all of its air, land and maritime borders to contain the virus.
On 16 March, Honduras confirmed two more cases of coronavirus in the City of Tegucigalpa, raising the confirmed cases to eight. At the same time, with the country in voluntary quarantine, further measures were taken, banning use of public transport and forcing some public and private labor to work from home where possible and abstain from presenting themselves to work. Additionally, stronger measures were taken in the Central District, Choluteca, and La Ceiba, where a total curfew is currently imposed and all nonessential movements of people are banned until further notice, including those in and out of those cities.
On the morning of 17 March, an epidemiological fence was set in the neighborhoods of El Carrizal and Abraham Lincoln in the Central District, as an individual that had tested positive was among those in a neighborhood gathering. The first case in San Pedro Sula was confirmed on that afternoon, totaling nine confirmed cases nationwide. It has been reported that the patient had previous contact with nine other individuals, they have been placed under medical observation and self-quarantine, the total curfew has been extended to San Pedro Sula, now covering four cities. The Health Secretary has reported 35 suspicious cases in Tegucigalpa.
On 18 March, three new cases where confirmed, one in Francisco Morazan, one in Cortes, and one in Choluteca. Raising the number of confirmed nationwide cases to twelve. Additionally, it was announced by the Government that on the cities placed under total curfew, 19 March has been designated as the designated day for citizens to gather or purchase their supplies, and to avoid price inflation, price freezes for designated foods and all personal and household hygiene products.
On 19 March, twelve new cases were confirmed, raising the number of confirmed cases nationwide to 24. Additionally, 90 suspected cases have been reported. The total curfew was extended to the cities of Puerto Cortés, Santa Cruz de Yojoa, and El Triunfo since new cases were reported on these locations, the curfew now extends to a total of seven cities nationwide.
On 20 March, the government has announced no new cases for the coronavirus after 27 lab tests. Additionally, the total curfew has been extended to the rest of the country, placing Honduras into a lockdown in efforts to contain the spread of the virus.
On 21 March, two new cases were announced, these were confirmed in the municipality of Villanueva in the Cortés Department.
On 22 March, a new case was confirmed in the municipality of Santa Fe in the Colon Department, totaling 27 nationwide.
On 23 March, three new cases were confirmed, one in the Lempira Department and two in the Francisco Morazan Department.
On 24 March, five new cases were confirmed in the Colon Department and one in the Cortes Department, totaling to 36 cases nationwide.
On 25 March, 16 new cases were confirmed, 14 of them in the Cortes department and 2 of them in the Yoro Department increasing the confirmed cases in the country to 52. Presently, this marks the largest increase up to date.
On 26 March, the first death was confirmed, a 60-year patient in Villanueva, in the Cortes Department. During the evening, 16 new cases were confirmed, all in the Central District.
On 27 March, 27 new cases were confirmed, 1 in the Yoro Department, 2 in the Lempira Department, 6 in the Colon Department, and 18 in the Cortes Department. Additionally, 29 suspected cases were announced. Later that evening, the health minister confirmed that 3 patients have recovered, 1 in San Pedro Sula, 1 in El Porvenir, and 1 in Tegucigalpa.
On 28 March, two more deaths by Coronavirus were confirmed in Villanueva, Cortes. Later during the day, it was clarified by the government that "Patient #85" was actually in Quimistan, in the Department of Santa Barbara and not in Santa Cruz de Yojoa in the Department of Cortes, meaning that at least 8 departments in the country have reported cases. Also that same day, 15 new cases were reported in the country.
On 29 March, it was announced by the Secretary for Security that the nationwide curfew will be extended until 12 April. Later that day, 29 new cases were confirmed in the country, for a total of 139 cases nationwide. Additionally, the third death was officially confirmed by the Virology Institute of the country. Three deaths will be confirmed the next day if it was caused by COVID-19. Cortes has now 79 cases, the most of any department in the country.
On 30 March, one death was confirmed to be from COVID-19. A couple hours later to that announcement, 3 more deaths were reported in the Cortes Department. Totaling to four confirmed deaths and seven nationwide. During that day's evening, two more cases of Coronavirus were confirmed after the Virology Institute made a total of 89 tests.
On 31 March, two deaths were confirmed from COVID-19, one in the City of Tegucigalpa and one in La Union, in the Lempira Department. During the evening, 31 new cases were confirmed, 22 from the Cortes, 4 from Colon, 2 from Francisco Morazan, 2 from Atlantida, and 1 from Lempira. One death from COVID-19 was reported from the Atlantida Department, taking the death count to 10.
April 2020 On 1 April, the Honduran Health Minister, Alba Flores, and a representative from the Pan American Health Organization, Piedad Huerta, have been quarantined for 12 days after becoming suspicious cases for COVID-19, as they were in contact with an assistant that tested positive for the virus. During the evening, 4 deaths were confirmed, two in Cortes and two in Yoro, alongside 47 new cases for COVID-19, with the 1 April update they are now 140 cases in Cortes, 43 in Francisco Morazan, 21 in Colon, 4 in Lempira, 4 in Santa Barbara, 3 in Atlantida, 3 in Yoro and 2 in Choluteca.
On 2 April, three more cases were confirmed, alongside one death. Among the new cases, one was the first case in the La Paz Department, meaning that half of the country now has at least one confirmed COVID-19 case.
On 3 April, 42 new cases were confirmed, after performing 141 tests. 29 new cases were reported in Cortes, 7 in Atlantida, 4 in Santa Barbara, one in Yoro, and one in Francisco Morazan.
On 4 April, 4 new cases were confirmed, 2 in Francisco Morazan, 1 in Cortes, and the first one in the Comayagua Department. Additionally, 3 patients have recovered, and 7 have died, 6 in Cortes, and 1 in Colon.
On 5 April, 30 new cases were confirmed in the country, 25 in Cortes, 2 in Colon, 1 in Atlantida, 1 in Yoro, and the first one in the Copán Department.
On 6 April, 7 new cases were confirmed in the country, 6 in Francisco Morazan and 1 in Comayagua. Additionally, the government, via the Health Minister, has announced that the use of masks is now mandatory for anyone circulating in the country.
On 7 April, 7 new cases were confirmed in the country, 5 in Atlantida, 1 in Yoro, and 1 Francisco Morazan.
On 8 April, 31 new cases were confirmed, alongside 1 death, in Cortes. At the same time, the National Police announced that the curfew would continue until 19 April, alongside changes to the segmented circulation of the population, distributing it for five days instead of the initial three, in efforts to reduce the number of people circulating, maintaining the protocol utilizing the last digit of a person's ID card or passport in order to enter commercial establishments.
On 9 April, 39 new cases were confirmed, all of them in Cortes, alongside 1 recovery in Atlantida. As Cortes was badly affected, Honduran authorities pleaded for their citizens to stay at home at all costs, going so far as announcing distribution of masks to each home in Sula Valley. It was also announced, that COVID-19 tests would also be performed in La Ceiba, Atlantida, meaning the country will soon have three designated locations for lab tests.
On 10 April, 10 new cases were confirmed, being distributed in the following manner: 7 in Colon, 1 in La Paz, 1 in Santa Barbara, 1 in Francisco Morazan, another death was also announced in Atlantida. New guidelines were announced for Colon, Yoro, and Cortes, where circulation, as segmented with the last digit of the ID or passport, now limited to one digit per day, however, they were annul for some time but that night they were put again, due to the increase in cases for both those departments, which have a total curfew as previously ordered. The announcement by the National Police also pointed out the need for police forces to further enforce curfews in those departments and for the new dispositions to be followed in the rest of the country. Additionally, the government has ordered a price stabilization for face masks, antibacterial gel, and 95% ethyl alcohol, setting maximum prices for every item per its appropriate unit. Additionally, the Municipality of La Ceiba agreed to request the Central Government to apply the same methods currently enforced in San Pedro Sula and El Progreso, as to prevent further cases of COVID-19 in the city.
On 11 April, one new case was confirmed from Francisco Morazan and a death from COVID-19 in Yoro. That same day, 27 sailors who arrived on a charter flight from Brazil tested positive for COVID-19 in fast tests that were recently implemented and will be quarantined for 14 days, during that time, they will be retested to confirm the result.
On 12 April, 4 new cases were confirmed, 3 from Cortes and 1 from Colon.