Cuenca news today, written for expats

Ecuador’s Health Ministry activated epidemiological surveillance and a rapid-response protocol in Cuenca after a suspected measles case. Health workers are checking vaccination cards, applying free doses where needed, and monitoring public and private health facilities for additional suspected cases.

Ecuador moved from yellow to orange alert for El Niño conditions in 17 provinces, 143 cantons and 491 parishes. In Azuay, the alert includes Cuenca, Girón, Nabón, Oña, Pucará, Santa Isabel and Camilo Ponce Enríquez.

Ecuador’s July 20 forecast calls for variable skies, isolated rain, and higher daytime temperatures. INAMHI also keeps Alert 52 active for daytime heat and radiation in several parts of the country.

A July 19 crash on the Girón-Pasaje road left one person dead and another injured. The incident was reported at kilometer 14, near a gas station in the Cumbe sector of Cuenca canton.

Cuenca’s tram card shortage is expected to continue while the city waits on an emergency purchase. For now, riders without a card may need to pay $1 per trip, use a bank-linked app, or buy tickets from machines at the system’s stations.

A University of Cuenca study found a close relationship between satellite pollution measurements and ground-station data in Cuenca and Quito. The result could help smaller Ecuadorian cities monitor air quality without building expensive station networks.