Pharmacies in 21 states and Brasília register new increase in positive Covid-19 tests

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Pharmacies in 21 states and the Federal District have again reported an increase in the number of Covid-19 cases diagnosed through rapid tests: in the week between January 25th and 31st, 31,349 positive results were registered, equivalent to 20% of all tests. The average for the whole of last year stood at 15%. The data are based on a weekly survey of the Brazilian Association of Pharmacy and Drugstore Networks (ABRAFARMA).

When compared to the preceding week, only Ceará, Mato Grosso do Sul, Piauí, Rio de Janeiro and Roraima reported a drop or stabilization in the percentage of infections. The situation in Amazonas continues to be the most critical, increasing from 32.09% of cases detected by testing to 33.33%.

In a note, ABRAFARMA’s CEO Sergio Mena Barreto recommends that health authorities extend the alert to Bahia and Pernambuco. “Bahia has for the first time exceeded 20% (of positive tests), while Pernambuco sees its percentage of confirmed cases increase for seven consecutive weeks,” he points out.

The association is also worried about the continuous rise in cases in Minas Gerais, São Paulo, Paraná and Rio Grande do Sul. “Rio Grande do Sul closed November with rates close to 10% and now it is around 14.94%,” he adds.

Since April 28th, 2020, pharmacies have performed 2.71 million rapid tests, with 440,695 positive results (16%).

Source: Noticias ao Minuto

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