Central America
Honduras reports four influenza deaths and 587 cases in 2025 amid COVID-19 rise
Honduran health authorities confirmed on Monday four deaths caused by the influenza virus, which has affected 587 people so far in 2025. During this period, two deaths due to COVID-19 have also been reported.
Lorenzo Pavón, head of the Surveillance Unit of the Ministry of Health, stated that the individuals who died from influenza were over 50 years old and passed away due to complications related to chronic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, and kidney failure.
The deaths occurred in the departments of El Paraíso (east), Ocotepeque (west), and in the cities of Siguatepeque and Comayagua, located in the central region of the country, Pavón detailed without providing further case specifics.
Official data shows that so far this year, 571 infections of the influenza A H1N1 virus and 16 cases of influenza B have been confirmed.
Among the total influenza A infections, 302 were women and 268 men, with the population between 15 and 49 years being the most affected, with 167 cases recorded, Pavón detailed.
Health authorities warned that vaccination remains the primary tool to prevent complications caused by the virus, against which antibiotics are ineffective.
They also recommended the population, especially vulnerable groups, to get the influenza vaccine, avoid self-medication, and seek medical attention if symptoms appear.
Meanwhile, Pavón indicated that the country has also reported two COVID-19 deaths and 261 confirmed cases, with 107 men and 154 women affected, women being the majority.
The age groups with the highest incidence of COVID-19 are adults between 20 and 29 years, with 54 cases, and children aged 0 to 9, with 47 infections.
In light of the rise in COVID-19 cases, health authorities recommended strengthening biosecurity measures such as frequent hand washing, wearing masks in enclosed or poorly ventilated spaces, and using hand sanitizer.
Central America
Panama confirms drug contamination of El Salvador coffee shipment occurred on its territory
A container originating from El Salvador and carrying coffee for export was contaminated with more than 1,152 packages of drugs while in transit through Panama, according to official information confirmed by the Panamanian government this Tuesday.
The case, which had previously generated political controversy in April 2025 after opposition sectors attempted to link the Salvadoran government to drug trafficking, has now been clarified through renewed investigations.
Authorities confirmed that the container departed from the port of Acajutla after being properly inspected, with no illicit substances detected at the time of export.
According to statements previously provided by El Salvador’s Minister of Defense, René Merino Monroy, the shipment traveled first to the port of Balboa in Panama, where it remained stored for several days before being transferred to another vessel bound for Manzanillo in Colón.
It was at that terminal that Panamanian authorities discovered the drugs and identified tampering with the container seals, indicating that the illicit alteration occurred during its transit in Panama rather than in Salvadoran territory.
The findings align with earlier explanations provided by Salvadoran officials and confirm that the contamination of the cargo took place outside of El Salvador’s jurisdiction.
Central America
Uber Eats adds Puntarenas and Turrialba to growing Costa Rica network
Uber Eats announced that it is continuing to expand its presence in Costa Rica with the launch of operations in the cities of Puntarenas and Turrialba, further strengthening the company’s growth in the country.
With this expansion, the delivery platform is now available across all seven Costa Rican provinces and works with more than 6,000 partner businesses. Its offerings include prepared food, supermarkets, pharmacies, pet stores, and other specialty retailers.
As part of the announcement, Uber Eats also introduced Marco Nannipieri as its new Regional General Manager for the Andean Region, Central America, and the Caribbean.
Nannipieri will oversee the company’s operations in Costa Rica along with seven other countries in the region.
“Costa Rica is a key market for Uber Eats in the region, with growing adoption of technology among users and businesses. Over the past five years, more than 1,000 restaurants and merchants have joined the app, and today we are entering a new stage of expansion that will allow us to reach more cities outside the Greater Metropolitan Area, creating new opportunities for entrepreneurs across the country,” Nannipieri said.
Central America
Report questions direction of Nasry Asfura after 100 days in office
The Center for the Study of Democracy warned Tuesday that the government of Nasry Asfura, which marks its first 100 days in office on Wednesday, has failed to show a “significant change in direction” and continues to follow a model characterized by exclusion, inequality, and external dependence.
In its report titled “100 Days of the Nasry Asfura Government: Concerns and Demands,” Cespad stated that the administration has maintained an economic and political model that prioritizes debt payments, the promotion of extractive projects, and the strengthening of the security apparatus over social investment.
The organization argued that the current policies have not addressed structural problems affecting large sectors of the Honduran population and warned that inequality and economic dependence remain key challenges for the country.
Nasry Asfura won the general elections held on November 30, 2025, in a process marked by allegations of fraud and delays in the vote count that lasted nearly a month due to a series of technological failures.
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