Petropolis Diaries

health

Dengue cases are increasing, but the incidence of Aedes aegypti remains low in the municipality

Image: PMP detection

Romulo Barroso – Diary

Petropolis has recorded 98 cases of dengue fever since the beginning of the year, according to the Arbovirus Committee of the State Secretariat of Health of Rio de Janeiro (SES-RJ). The data was updated on Tuesday (22/08) by the Strategic Information Center for Health Surveillance in the state of Rio de Janeiro. This number is higher than what was recorded in the past, but the city still suffers from a low infection rate, within the standards set by the Ministry of Health.

According to the commission, as of mid-July last year, there were nine registered cases. In the same period this year, there were 85 – almost 10 times more. This represents an incidence rate of 32.16 cases per 100,000 population.

The painting groups the cities of Rio de Janeiro by regions and places Petropolis in the mountainous region. Other municipalities smaller than Petropolis have recorded more cases: for example, Makoko, with a population of less than 5,500, has 115 cases this year; And in Cachoeira de Macaco, which has a population of nearly 54,000 people, 181 cases.

Of the cases in Petropolis, 94 have recovered and there is no detailed information on the other cases. There were 51 men and 47 women with the disease, including only one pregnant woman who contracted the disease.

low injury

Despite this increase, the city still has a low infection rate. The last rapid survey of Aedes aegypti infection (LIRAa) had an index of 0.06%. The Ministry of Health recommends that municipalities maintain an infection rate of less than 1%.

This was the third lira rate for this year: in January it was 0.61% and in April 0.52%. In July, ACEs visited 7,984 properties across all districts, and only five of them focused on mosquitoes – according to the Department of Health, in potted plants or animal water troughs. In these cases, teams adopt measures to eliminate breeding sites and use larvicides.

“It is important to stress that vector control and guidance to the population is carried out continuously throughout the year,” Health Minister Marcos Corvillo said in a press release.

In the country, the increase in Zika is drawing attention

The committee also provides data on other diseases transmitted by Aedes aegypti: there have been only two cases of chikungunya infection and no case of Zika virus infection. This latest data contrasts with the situation in the whole country, which records a 20% increase between January and the beginning of July, according to the Ministry of Health. The highest increase was in the southeast region, by almost 12%.

The BVS states that the symptoms of dengue, chikungunya or Zika are similar: “sudden fever accompanied by headache, body and joint aches, prostration, weakness, pain behind the eyes, rash, itchy skin, red spots all over the body, as well as nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain.” . He points out that prevention is the best way to fight these diseases.

Therefore, the recommendation remains the same: “Any place with standing water where the disease-carrying mosquito, Aedes aegypti, lays its eggs, should be removed,” the BVS highlights. Some tips include avoiding rubbish, not keeping tires uncovered, not piling up water in baseboards or gutters, putting sand in plant pots and covering the water tank well.