Fiocruz warns of increase in hospitalizations caused by influenza and RSV

Cases of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) continue to increase in Brazil, reveals the new Fiocruz Infogripe Bulletin. The study coordinator, Marcelo Gomes, highlights that the current scenario is the result of the growth in cases of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and influenza in several regions of the country.

The analysis highlights that the increase in RSV circulation has caused a significant increase in the incidence and mortality of SARS in young children, exceeding the numbers associated with Covid-19 in this age group.

“Week after week, we continue to observe an increase in hospitalizations associated, mainly with these two respiratory viruses, in practically the entire country, in states in all Brazilian regions. With this, obviously, I reinforce the importance of the population seeking the flu vaccine in particular, we know that the campaign is open throughout the country”, points out Gomes.

According to the Ministry of Health, everyone over 6 months of age can be vaccinated against the flu. States and municipalities have the autonomy to define audiences, according to their vaccine stocks.

RSV: Fiocruz warns of the increase in hospitalizations for respiratory infections

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Manoel Palácios, infectious disease specialist at Hospital Anchieta (DF), informs that the flu vaccine is important to reduce severe forms of the disease in high-risk patients, such as the elderly, pregnant women and immunosuppressed people.

“Also to reduce transmission from healthy patients to those who are at higher risk of getting sick. In a strategy of, for example, vaccinating people who live with immunosuppressed patients to prevent them from developing diseases. Or we vaccinate healthcare professionals, preventing them from transmitting the disease to their patients, who are already fragile populations”, he explains.

In the last four epidemiological weeks, the prevalence of cases testing positive for respiratory viruses was 24.3% for influenza A, 0.4% for influenza B, 58.0% for respiratory syncytial virus and 7.9% for Sars- CoV-2 (Covid-19).