Covid: private hospitals register post-Carnival discharge – 02/21/2024 – Health

In recent days, hospitals in the country’s main capitals have shown an increase in Covid visits, which may be a reflection of new infections that occurred during the Carnival festivities.

This is the example of the private hospitals in São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and Brasília linked to Rede D’Or. Covid care in the network’s units increased by 31% in the last week, going from 119 cases, until February 10th, to 156 in the week of 11th to 17th — which includes the post-Carnival period.

In comparison with data from two previous weeks (from January 28th to February 3rd), the increase was even greater, 60.8%. The concentration of care occurred mainly in São Paulo, with 48.7% of respiratory cases diagnosed positive for Covid, followed by Rio de Janeiro, with 33.3%.

“An increase in the number of infections was expected, due to the concentration of people in blocks and parties during Carnival. The majority of cases, however, are mild and do not require hospital admission”, says David Uip, national director of Infectious Diseases at Rede D’Or and dean of the FMABC University Center (ABC Faculty of Medicine).

At Hospital Sírio-Libanês, in São Paulo, the number of hospitalizations due to Covid in the first two weeks of February has already exceeded that recorded in January: there were 55 hospitalizations from February 1st to 13th, compared to 54 in the entire month of January. The unit also recorded an increase post-Carnival, from February 14th to 19th, with 16 hospitalizations due to Covid. Last Tuesday (20), the hospital had six patients in semi-intensive units, nine in the ward and one patient with Covid in the ICU (Intensive Care Unit).

Although many of the cases registered in hospitals are mild cases, Covid remains, however, a disease that has a burden throughout the world, with recent outbreaks recorded in some cities in the country.

It is also expected that the combination of the flu season expected in the coming months and the rise in Covid after Carnival will increase even more medical care.

“The flu season should start now, generally in April, May, depending on the region, and there is a real risk of co-circulation of the two viruses. This has just been seen in Europe and here in Brazil we have already had this record in the recent past”, says infectious disease specialist Rosana Richtmann, from the Emílio Ribas Institute (SP).

Richtmann explains that the omicron subvariants predominant in the country today are JN.1 and JB.1, in addition to XBB.1.5. Symptoms of these forms of the virus are generally milder, although serious cases can occur in immunocompromised people and the elderly. “At this moment, we are seeing a lot of sore throat, headache, there may be a fever, and less loss of smell and taste”, says the doctor.

According to Fiocruz’s latest InfoGripe bulletin, released on Monday (19) with data from the SIVEP-Gripe system, seven states currently show an increasing trend in cases of Srag (severe acute respiratory syndrome) in the long term: Acre, Amazonas , Goiás, Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul, São Paulo and Tocantins.

Furthermore, in São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and Rio Grande do Sul, there was an increase in Srag related to the influenza A virus, although in smaller numbers compared to cases confirmed for Sars-CoV-2.

In the national context, however, the trend is downward in the long term (last six weeks) and growth in the short term (last three weeks), probably driven by the decrease in the North region and increase in the Central-West and Southeast of the country.

The bulletin also indicates that mortality data from Srag Covid in recent weeks has remained stable, with a greater impact on children up to two years of age and the population over 65 years of age.