The Red Cross reported on Apr. 5 that Puntarenas province had the highest number of patients attended to during its Semana Santa 2026 operations, with a total of 203 cases. Limón followed with 130 cases and Guanacaste with 55, highlighting coastal areas as the main points of demand during this period.
Accidents on the road were identified as the leading cause of emergencies handled by the Red Cross. Out of a total of 806 cases registered, traffic incidents accounted for 344, representing about 42.7% of all emergencies. The organization also noted that traffic accidents were the most deadly incidents, resulting in nearly half—23 out of 49—of all reported deaths.
The Red Cross stated that its personnel provided care to a total of 806 people and transported 518 individuals to medical centers. Of those assisted, there were also reports of 253 critical condition cases managed by emergency staff throughout their operation.
In addition to road accidents, there were other types of emergencies addressed: “Beyond traffic accidents, there were also reports of other emergencies classified as ‘other’, totaling 383 incidents,” according to information from the Red Cross. Aquatic emergencies accounted for another category with a reported figure at seventy-three events and six mountain-related incidents.
Regarding causes behind fatalities beyond vehicle crashes, nine deaths involved firearms or sharp objects; four resulted from aquatic emergencies; four stemmed from traumatic causes; and nine arose from various other situations.
To support these efforts nationwide during Semana Santa, more than five hundred Red Cross workers participated in operations using over one hundred fifty emergency vehicles and maintaining more than one hundred care stations across Costa Rica.
