Para records 45.38% decrease in dengue cases

On Tuesday (22), the Secretary of State for Public Health (Sespa) released the first 2022 epidemiological report on dengue, chikungunya and Zika cases in Pará, noting a 45.38% decrease in dengue cases in the first six weeks of compared to the same period in 2021. There are 201 confirmed cases compared to 368 in the same period in 2021.

However, it is important to note that Bara closed in 2021 with an increase of 52.80% in cases of illness compared to 2020, a finding that indicates the need for residents to maintain preventive measures to control mosquitoes.

Therefore, with the torrential rains occurring, Cespa once again draws attention to the importance of families keeping yards, gardens, interiors, and home surroundings clean, to prevent the spread of the Aedes aegypti mosquito, which also transmits the fever. Chikungunya and Zika fever.

According to the epidemiological report, there are already 201 confirmed cases of dengue this year, of which 197 are dengue cases, 03 are dengue with warning signs and 01 are severe dengue cases, but there are still 1106 cases under investigation by the epidemiological surveillance. There were no deaths from dengue fever.

The municipalities with the most confirmed cases are Santana de Araguay (79), Santarem (34), São João de Araguay (23), and Conceição de Araguay (16).

Regarding circulating serotypes, performed by sampling, State Central Laboratory (Lacen-PA) and Evandro Chagas Institute (IEC) identified 03 cases of type 1 dengue.

According to the state’s Arboviruses coordinator, Aline Carneiro, to contain the progress of these endemic diseases in the state, Sespa continues to hold workshops on endemic diseases while training doctors and nurses in diagnosis and treatment. “We are also continuing to direct municipalities to resume their activities two years after the epidemic, primarily to conduct a survey of the Indicator Infection Index (IIP) for Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, which is essential for the development of epidemiological surveillance activities,” the statement read.

In connection with the main actions carried out by Sespa in 2021, Aline Carneiro included the update of vector control and epidemiological surveillance activities for the municipalities of the 4th Regional Health Center, in Cabanema, 5 CRS in São Miguel de Guama, 8th CRS in Preves, 6 CRS in Igarapé-Miri and Barcarena and 11th CRS in Maraba, distributing larvicides to 13 regional health centres.

In 2022, the main actions implemented so far have been the preparation of the Government’s emergency plan to combat dengue, chikungunya and Zika 2022, the distribution of larvicides to Catholic relief centers and the spraying of the municipality of Conceição de Araguaia for the control of Aedes aegypti. “To date, 77 municipalities have already submitted their municipal contingency plans for 2022,” the state coordinator reported.

Chikungunya – As for chikungunya fever, the epidemiological report indicates that 08 confirmed cases of the disease were recorded in the first six weeks of the year compared to 09 cases that occurred in the same period in 2021, which is equivalent to a decrease of 11.11%. There were no records of deaths from the disease. All confirmed cases have occurred in the municipality of Santarem.

Regarding Zika virus fever, there are currently only five suspected cases reported in the municipalities of Castanhal, Maritoba, Oeiras do Parra and Tucuma and none of them have been confirmed.

Signs and symptoms – The clinical manifestations of dengue, chikungunya and Zika are very similar, so it is important to pay attention: the main symptoms of dengue fever are high fever and always immediate onset, moderate pain in the joints, red spots on the skin and mild itching .

Chikungunya manifests itself with a high temperature immediately, severe joint pain, red spots within the first 48 hours, mild itching and redness of the eyes.

Zika has a low-grade fever, mild joint pain, red spots in the first 24 hours, mild to severe itching, and red eyes.

The state coordinator stressed that municipal health departments need to notify state STI coordination within 24 hours of serious cases and deaths from dengue, chikungunya and Zika virus.

Preventative measurements – As for the residents, it advises against self-treatment in the face of the emergence of symptoms, to seek the nearest health unit for medical care and to maintain the following care at home:

Keep the water tank, containers and water barrels well closed.

Put the trash in plastic bags and keep the trash closed.

Do not allow water to accumulate on the slab.

Keep the bottles with the mouth facing down;

Tire bundles in covered areas.

Protection of drains without a cover with thin screens;

Keep the pits closed.

Fill small plant pots with sand to the brim and wash them once a week.

Get rid of everything that could serve as a breeding ground for mosquitoes, such as eggshell, soda lids, etc.

service: To request guidance and to report the presence of potential mosquito breeding sites, residents should seek out the Municipal Health Department in their municipality.