More than an increase in cases of COVID-19, the Ministry of Health points out that the country is in influenza circulation season, a disease that would be impacting the population, according to the infectologist of the Roosevelt hospital.
In addition, because the rain has not begun, there are particles that remain suspended longer in the environment and can cause dry cough and allergic paintings in susceptible people.
The doctor Iris Cazali, head of infectology at the Roosevelt Hospital, indicated that what has been determined in recent years is that The COVID-19 has two peaks throughout the year: The first between June and August, and the next from December to January.
“At this time, Covid cases have been decreasing, but there has been an important increase in influenza A, not only in number of cases, but in severity,” said Cazali.
While the respiratory paintings of both diseases could be confused – many headache, fever, body discomfort, sneezing, cough – the doctor warns that there are other viruses that could also occur and cause similar symptoms, such as Other coronavirus, influenza a and b, rinovirus and metaneumovirusand that, depending on the patient, complications may occur.
COVID-19 is an endemic disease, with what is present in the country, and can cause serious illness, but to a lesser extent than when the Delta variant was recorded.
The infectologist considers it important to warn that the virus can generate subsequent effects, known as postcovid syndrome, and present in people of any age, even in those who attended mild paintings. Among the persistent manifestations are reported loss of smell and taste – symptoms that can be extended for months -, appearance of allergic processes not previously registered, and immunological effects, such as arthritic problems. A possible relationship with hypertension and diabetes has also been mentioned.
“There is no value or a laboratory that tells the patient who has postcovid, but are people who have some syndromes, some symptoms that have no other explanation, unless they are related to that they had Covid at some point,” said the infectologist.
Surveillance
The Ministry of Health report indicates that the positivity in the COVID-19 tests held the third week of May was 3%, while in April it was 4%.
However, the amount of tests that are currently performed is minimal, so Cazali emphasizes the importance of people to be hierced by considering that their symptoms could be related to the coronavirus, since this allows to carry out a better epidemiological surveillance of viruses that circulate in the country.
In the Roosevelt hospital, the practice of disabling patients who enter. Therefore, the doctor said that currently COVID-19 cases are not high and what has been most frequently identified is influenza A.
Prevention and symptoms
The possibility that more coronavirus cases are detected in the coming months is not ruled out, due to the seasonal behavior that the virus has shown in recent years.
As a measure of prevention to respiratory diseases that may be circulating, the doctor recommends maintaining frequent hand washing; In people with symptoms, the use of mask is important to avoid infecting others, as well as avoiding agglomerated places. It is also recommended to be vaccinated against influenza every year, since viruses are modified and new formulas arise to reduce risk.
In the case of influenza, frequent symptoms are sneezing, coughing, headache, fever and body discomfort. If difficulty breathing occurs, it is important to go to the doctor as soon as possible, as the lungs could be affected.