MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Increasing number of Covid-19 cases reported in Brazil

Cases of respiratory virus account for over half the casualties under epidemiological study, Fiocruz's bulletin found

A health report issued Thursday by the Rio de Janeiro-based Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz) noted that the number of Covid-19 infections in South America's largest country was on the rise, Agencia Brasil reported.

 Fiocruz's InfoGripe Bulletin regarding Epidemiological Week from Aug. 25 to 31 showed an increase in cases of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), particularly due to the rhinovirus among children and adolescents up to the age of 14. In the other age groups, Covid-19 is predominant. At the same time, cases of Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) and influenza A continue to fall in most parts of the country.

According to Fiocruz, the states that stand out most at the moment due to the increase in Covid-19 are Goiás and São Paulo. The greatest concern is with the latter, due to the large movement of people passing through the state and then moving on to other regions. The researchers warn of the possibility of the state driving the spread and growth of the disease across the country.

Tatiana Portella, a researcher at Fiocruz's Scientific Computing Program and the InfoGripe Bulletin, stressed the importance of up-to-date vaccination against Covid-19 for all people in risk groups. “If symptoms appear, it is recommended to stay at home in isolation, including children and teenagers. With the rhinovirus on the rise in this age group, if they show any flu-like symptoms, the advice is to stay at home and not go to school. If this isolation is not possible, it is important to leave the house wearing a good mask, and of course, if symptoms appear or worsen, seek medical attention,” she said.

As for cases of SARS due to rhinovirus, the increase is mainly concentrated in states in the Northeast, Center-South, and North. RSV and rhinovirus remain the main causes of hospitalizations and deaths in children up to two years old. In the last four epidemiological weeks, the prevalence among positive cases was 28.4% for Sars-CoV-2 (Covid-19); 12.4% for influenza A; 2.6% for influenza B; and 11.3% for RSV.

Regarding the epidemiological year 2024, 123,082 cases of SARS were reported, of which 59,410 (48.3%) had a positive laboratory result for some respiratory virus; 49,377 (40.1%) were negative, and at least 7,692 (6.2%) were still awaiting laboratory results. Among the positive cases, 18.7% are influenza A; 0.6% influenza B; 41.6% RSV; and 18% Sars-CoV-2 (Covid-19).

So far this year, 7,370 deaths have been recorded, of which 3,844 (52.2%) had a positive laboratory result for some respiratory virus, 2,909 (39.5%) were negative, and at least 152 (2.1%) were awaiting laboratory results. Among the positives this year, 30.2% were influenza A; 0.8%, influenza B; 10.3%, RSV; and 50.8%, Sars-CoV-2 (Covid-19).