MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Circulation of Covid-19 increasing in Argentina

“We started 2023 with a very high circulation of Covid-19, SARS-CoV-2, concomitantly with influenza,” Rearte said

Argentine health authorities Tuesday warned of an increase in the number of cases of Covid-19 and insisted there was “very high circulation” of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, due to which people were advised to update their vaccination scheme since immunity lasts about 4 months.

National Epidemiology and Strategic Information Director Analía Rearte explained that Argentina started 2023 with a “very high” circulation of Covid-19, and underlined the ensuing need for people to get vaccinated because the protective effect of the drugs wanes after 4 months.

“We started 2023 with a very high circulation of Covid-19, SARS-CoV-2, concomitantly with influenza,” Rearte said. “Although today we find a decrease in cases, until a couple of weeks ago there was a very strong circulation of influenza virus,” she added.

Rearte remarked that “SARS-CoV-2 with these new variants is a tremendously transmissible virus.”

She also called for people to observe specific precautions such as wearing facemasks in indoor spaces, holding meetings outdoors whenever possible, ensuring adequate ventilation of environments, and frequent hand washing.

“The first thing to avoid serious disease is vaccination, and it is very important to reinforce that if four months have passed since the last dose, a booster dose should be applied,” she stressed.

According to Heath Ministry data, 47 deaths (from 44 the previous week) and 72,558 infections were reported last week in Argentina, while 402 patients remained in intensive care units. The number of infections represented a 17% growth from the previous seven-day period.

Since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, 130,171 have officially died nationwide, while 9,963,697 infections were confirmed.

ICU bed occupancy for all pathologies stood at 40.7% nationwide, it was also reported.

Last week 13 people died of Covid-19 in the province of Buenos Aires, 9 in the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires (CABA), 2 in Catamarca, 2 in Chaco, 1 in Chubut, 2 in Córdoba, 3 in Entre Ríos, 1 in Formosa, 1 in Neuquén, 2 in Río Negro, 5 in Salta, 2 in San Juan, 1 in San Luis, 1 in Santa Cruz, and 2 in Santa Fe.

According to the Public Vaccination Monitor, the total number of doses applied amounts to 112,541,638, with 41,083,265 people receiving one dose, 37,941,933 people two doses, and 3,164,620 an additional one.

The Monitor also showed 22,109,112 people had taken a first booster, 7,122,434 the second, and 1,114,593 the third.