Cities in MG suspend classes after death of children – 10/26/2023 – Health

The death of three children in São João del Rei (190 km from Belo Horizonte), in the interior of Minas Gerais, due to suspected bacterial infection, led to the closure of schools in four other neighboring municipalities.

On their official channels, the city halls of Tiradentes, Santa Cruz de Minas, Ritápolis and Conceição da Barra de Minas —all in the Campo das Vertentes region— announced the suspension of classes to disinfect teaching units.

“This measure is essential to protect our city against possible risks of diseases, including the bacteria Streptococcus pyogenes“, says a statement from the administration of Conceição da Barra de Minas. The city is 42 kilometers from São João del Rei, which also suspended classes for cleaning.

The bacteria in question was identified as a possible cause of the death of a 10-year-old child on September 24th. However, no material was collected for laboratory confirmation of the infection.

The other deaths, of children aged 3 and 10, occurred in October and are being investigated by the City of São João del Rei with support from SES-MG (Minas Gerais State Health Department). There is still no deadline for completing the reports.

In a note, the state authority said that “there are no criteria that prove an outbreak or risk to the health of the population of São João Del Rei, as well as no epidemiological evidence that justifies the change in the routine of the population’s activities, such as school shutdowns.”

Two children remain hospitalized in the city, and the city hall announced the purchase of 3,750 rapid kits to identify the bacteria in the city’s health system.

In neighboring municipalities that decided to interrupt school activities, the suspension is generally temporary for this Thursday (26) and this Friday (27). The only exception is the Municipal Civic-Military School of Santa Cruz de Minas, which has had classes suspended indefinitely since Wednesday (24).

The city’s mayor, Wagner Almeida, published a video in which he said that squares and playgrounds near schools would also be disinfected. Furthermore, he stated that tests to detect the disease are being provided.

Ritápolis city hall stated that the protocols adopted during the Covid-19 pandemic would be resumed.

“We ask for the collaboration of all those responsible: Do not send your children to school if they have symptoms such as fever, sore throat or flu. Seek guidance at the Health Center; encourage your children not to share personal objects, such as bottles, glasses and wipes; we recommend, as an additional measure, the use of masks within the school environment”, says the statement.

In Lagoa Dourada, in the same region, school activities were not suspended, but there was a recommendation for measures similar to those adopted during the pandemic, such as the use of masks and disinfection of classrooms and school transport.

SES-MG reinforces that, in cases of symptoms such as fever and sore throat, the population is advised to seek a UBS (Basic Health Unit) for correct diagnosis and appropriate treatment.

The secretariat also highlights that the best means of information for the population are official channels, avoiding the sharing of false news and unjustified alarm among the population.

On the afternoon of this Wednesday (25), SES-MG released a note in which it reiterates that, “at this moment, there are no criteria that prove an outbreak or risk to the health of the population of São João Del Rei, as well as no epidemiological evidence that justify the change in the routine of the population’s activities, such as school strikes”.

The secretariat states that it monitors registered deaths with the Regional Health Unit and the Municipality of São João Del Rei and that it carried out this Wednesday, via videoconference, technical training for health professionals at the Regional Unit of São João Del Rei, which included with the presence of 122 participants.

The training, says the note, aimed to guide the health network in the timely detection and treatment of suspected cases of bacterial infection, with the identification of the appropriate diagnoses.