COVID-19 Infections Start Rising In Brazil. 6,849 New Cases And 52 Deaths Reported For Epidemiological Week 19. Most Cases Are Severe!
Nikhil Prasad Fact checked by:Thailand Medical News Team May 23, 2024 3 weeks, 3 days, 4 hours, 47 minutes ago
COVID-19 News: In a concerning turn of events, Brazil has reported a significant rise in COVID-19 infections. In Epidemiological Week (EW) 19 ie May 6th To May 12th, there were 6,849 new cases and 52 deaths, marking a 72.5% increase in cases from the previous week. What is worrisome is that most infected are exhibiting moderate to severe symptoms. While this surge in COVID-19 cases raises alarms, there are also notable developments regarding other respiratory viruses in the country.
COVID-19 Infections Start Rising In Brazil
Signs of Decrease in RSV and Influenza
Despite the spike in COVID-19 cases, there are early signs that the spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) due to influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is beginning to slow down across several states in Brazil. This decrease is particularly notable given the seasonal peak of these illnesses.
The Ministry of Health has responded by expanding influenza vaccination to individuals over six months old, based on local stock availability and needs. This measure is crucial as the country continues to grapple with a significant national increase in SARS cases. Health authorities are diligently monitoring the epidemiological situation, virus circulation, and healthcare demand in each state to manage this multifaceted public health challenge.
Key Data from the Latest Report
COVID-19 Overview:
Up to May 11, 2024, there have been 591,951 reported COVID-19 cases and 3,452 deaths. In EW 19 alone, 6,849 new cases and 52 deaths were reported, reflecting a dramatic rise in infections.
Hospitalized SARS Cases:
In 2024, up to EW 19, there were 23,551 hospitalized SARS cases.
Of these, 38% were attributed to RSV, 28% to COVID-19, and 19% to influenza.
Recently, RSV has been the predominant virus (53%), followed by influenza (32%), rhinovirus (10%), and COVID-19 (3%).
There has been a notable increase in influenza-related SARS hospitalizations since EW 16.
General Trends in Respiratory Illnesses
According to the latest Respiratory Diseases Bulletin, there is an upward trend in COVID-19 infections across all regions of Brazil.
https://www.gov.br/saude/pt-br/assuntos/covid-19/atualizacao-de-casos/informe-se-19-de-2024.pdf/view
Local doctors and hospitals are reporting they witnessing a rise in patients exhibiting severe COVID-19 and many are also manifesting chronic gastrointestinal issues and also developing sepsis.
Laboratory Testing and Results
The National Network of Public Health Laboratories conducted 968,639 RT-PCR tests in 2024, detecting 42,919 positive samples for SARS-CoV-2. The positivity rate for SARS-CoV-2 in EW 18 was 0.4%,.
Influenza A detection has stabilized, while rhino
virus and RSV detections have increased in the Central-West, Northeast, and North regions, remaining stable in the South and Southeast.
Trends in Private Laboratories
Test positivity for SARS-CoV-2 in private laboratories is low but gradually increasing. RSV positivity is slowly declining for the third consecutive week, indicating a continued but slow decrease in case notifications. Influenza cases showed a decrease this week after five weeks of stability, although this trend needs further observation to confirm.
Genomic Surveillance Insights
In 2024, 3,600 SARS-CoV-2 sequences were registered on the GISAID platform for samples collected up to EW 16. The predominant variant is JN.1 and its sub-lineages (70%), followed by the recombinant XDR (14%) and the VOI XBB.1.5 and its sub-lineages (13%)
Cases also Increasing in the State of Goias in Brazil.
A local
COVID-19 News coverage indicated that even in the Center-Western region of Brazil, the state of Goias is also reporting a rise in COVID-19 infections.
https://brazilurgente.com.br/saude-orienta-sobre-vacinacao-contra-gripe-e-covid-19-em-goias/
Health Recommendations
The Ministry of Health recommends keeping up-to-date with COVID-19 and influenza vaccinations. The use of PFF2 or N95 masks is advised in healthcare settings and for symptomatic individuals to protect healthy people in crowded or poorly ventilated areas. Testing symptomatic individuals and adhering to clinical management protocols for suspected flu and COVID-19 cases are also crucial measures to control the spread of these viruses.
As Brazil navigates these challenging times, the concerted efforts of health authorities and the public's adherence to recommended health measures are essential to mitigate the impact of respiratory illnesses and protect public health.
For the latest
COVID-19 News, keep on logging to Thailand Medical News.
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