Pandemic in Brazil remains at worrying levels, Fiocruz warns

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The pandemic should remain at worrying levels throughout the month of April, according to data from the of the Covid-19 Observatory of the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation’s (Fiocruz) Extraordinary Bulletin, released on Wednesday April 14.

In Epidemiological Week 14 – the period between April 4 -10 – the upward trend in Covid-19 transmission persisted in the country, according to the bulletin, with record numbers of deaths, reaching an average of 3,020 daily fatalities, and an increase in new cases, with an average of 70,200 daily cases. The analysis also points out that hospital overload continued at critical levels in the period.

The high proportion of tests with positive results reveals that, during this period, the virus remains in intense circulation throughout the country. According to the observatory researchers, the epidemiological picture may represent a pandemic slowdown, with the formation of a new level, like the one in mid-2020, but with much higher numbers of severe cases and deaths.

Another strategic indicator, intensive care unit (ICU) bed occupancy rate for Covid-19 for adults in the National Health System (SUS) remained predominantly stable and very high. The highlights are the removal of Maranhão (78%) from the critical alert to the intermediate alert zone and significant drops in the indicator in Pará (87% to 82%), Amapá (from 91% to 84%), Tocantins (from 95% to 90%), Paraíba (from 77% to 70%) and São Paulo (from 91% to 86%).

The Bulletin also displays a panel on vaccination in Brazil. Of the total number of people vaccinated (27,567,230) by April 10th, 30.2% completed the vaccination schedule with two doses and 69.8% received only the first dose of the immunizer.

To control the spread of the pandemic and preserve lives, the researchers reinforce that it is essential that Brazilian municipalities, especially within metropolitan regions, adopt convergent and synergistic measures.

“Measures to restrict mobility and some economic activities, adopted in recent weeks by several municipalities and states, are producing localized successes and may result in the reduction of severe cases of the disease in the coming weeks. However, they have not yet had an impact on the number of deaths or on the relief of hospital demands. The relaxation of restrictive measures may have the consequence of accelerating the pace of transmission and, therefore, of severe cases of Covid-19 in the coming weeks,” alerted the researchers at Fiocruz.

This week, Health Minister Marcelo Queiroga appealed to people immunized with the first dose to respect the guidelines and take the second dose on the deadline established by health authorities.

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