Shiloh
Editor, Senior Moderator
Source: https://saude.ig.com.br/2022-09-12/...brasil-e-marca-ano-epidemico-no-nordeste.html
Chikungunya advances through Brazil and marks an epidemic year in the Northeast
Transmitted by the same mosquito as dengue, it has already killed 64 citizens in the country in 2022, almost 4.5 times more than the 14 deaths verified in the whole of 2021.
Per Agência O Globo
09/12/2022 09:35
The resumption of the free movement of people, after more than two years of harsh restrictions imposed by Covid-19, has made Chikungunya advance substantially in Brazil, especially in the Northeast.
Transmitted by the same mosquito as dengue, it has already killed 64 citizens in the country in 2022, almost 4.5 times more than the 14 deaths recorded in the whole of last year. The volume of cases jumped from 96,288 to 162,407 (68.6%). Ceará recorded the highest number of diagnoses of deaths in the period.
In all, the state has already recorded 49,307 infections in 20222, of which 30 led to death — between January 2 and September 5, this year's range analyzed so far. This represents almost half (46.8%) of the lives lost in Brazil to Chikungunya, a disease that usually has low lethality.
The scenario also worries in other units of the Northeast federation. In 2022 alone, the region accumulates 86.5% of the infected in the country (140,500) against 69.2% in the whole of last year, which had 66,693 patients.
The causes for the increase in Chikungunya cases are related to the huge drop in Covid-19, as well as dengue. With the return of citizens to the streets, the virus also circulated with more intensity.
"Arboviruses (dengue, Chikungunya and Zika) fell during the pandemic, because the flow of people decreased. People also stayed at home more, which means that they took more care of the space where they live, another aspect that hinders the proliferation of the mosquito. Without this, we see a very important escalation of these diseases, approaching data from 2019", analyzes infectious disease specialist and epidemiologist Luana Araújo.
The Northeast has an incidence rate 9.6 times higher than the national average, with 243.7 cases per 100,000 inhabitants. All other regions are below the national average of 76.1 cases per 100,000 inhabitants. Among Brazilian municipalities, Fortaleza leads with 18,375 diagnoses. The capital of Ceará is followed by Maceió, with 4,331, and by Brejo Santo (CE), with 3,625.
The rainy season in Ceará, which occurs in the first half of the year, may also have contributed to the spread of the disease in the state, according to experts.
"In 2022, Ceará is experiencing one of the years with the most rain in recent history. This is reflected in the presence of the vector mosquito", clarifies the sanitary doctor at Fiocruz Brasília Claudio Maierovich.
"Brazil is experiencing an epidemic year for dengue, mainly affecting the Central-West Region. Ceará, specifically, is experiencing one of Chikungunya."
The best form of prevention is, therefore, to avoid the accumulation of standing water in places such as gutters, water tanks and plant pots, places that attract the transmitting mosquito. Repellents, mosquito nets and insecticides can also be tools against the disease.
"The disease itself is lethal, but very often generates chronic conditions that are difficult to be treated and absorbed by public health as a whole. We need to deal, mainly, with the proliferation of the mosquito", continues Luana Araújo...
Chikungunya advances through Brazil and marks an epidemic year in the Northeast
Transmitted by the same mosquito as dengue, it has already killed 64 citizens in the country in 2022, almost 4.5 times more than the 14 deaths verified in the whole of 2021.
Per Agência O Globo
09/12/2022 09:35
The resumption of the free movement of people, after more than two years of harsh restrictions imposed by Covid-19, has made Chikungunya advance substantially in Brazil, especially in the Northeast.
Transmitted by the same mosquito as dengue, it has already killed 64 citizens in the country in 2022, almost 4.5 times more than the 14 deaths recorded in the whole of last year. The volume of cases jumped from 96,288 to 162,407 (68.6%). Ceará recorded the highest number of diagnoses of deaths in the period.
In all, the state has already recorded 49,307 infections in 20222, of which 30 led to death — between January 2 and September 5, this year's range analyzed so far. This represents almost half (46.8%) of the lives lost in Brazil to Chikungunya, a disease that usually has low lethality.
The scenario also worries in other units of the Northeast federation. In 2022 alone, the region accumulates 86.5% of the infected in the country (140,500) against 69.2% in the whole of last year, which had 66,693 patients.
The causes for the increase in Chikungunya cases are related to the huge drop in Covid-19, as well as dengue. With the return of citizens to the streets, the virus also circulated with more intensity.
"Arboviruses (dengue, Chikungunya and Zika) fell during the pandemic, because the flow of people decreased. People also stayed at home more, which means that they took more care of the space where they live, another aspect that hinders the proliferation of the mosquito. Without this, we see a very important escalation of these diseases, approaching data from 2019", analyzes infectious disease specialist and epidemiologist Luana Araújo.
The Northeast has an incidence rate 9.6 times higher than the national average, with 243.7 cases per 100,000 inhabitants. All other regions are below the national average of 76.1 cases per 100,000 inhabitants. Among Brazilian municipalities, Fortaleza leads with 18,375 diagnoses. The capital of Ceará is followed by Maceió, with 4,331, and by Brejo Santo (CE), with 3,625.
The rainy season in Ceará, which occurs in the first half of the year, may also have contributed to the spread of the disease in the state, according to experts.
"In 2022, Ceará is experiencing one of the years with the most rain in recent history. This is reflected in the presence of the vector mosquito", clarifies the sanitary doctor at Fiocruz Brasília Claudio Maierovich.
"Brazil is experiencing an epidemic year for dengue, mainly affecting the Central-West Region. Ceará, specifically, is experiencing one of Chikungunya."
The best form of prevention is, therefore, to avoid the accumulation of standing water in places such as gutters, water tanks and plant pots, places that attract the transmitting mosquito. Repellents, mosquito nets and insecticides can also be tools against the disease.
"The disease itself is lethal, but very often generates chronic conditions that are difficult to be treated and absorbed by public health as a whole. We need to deal, mainly, with the proliferation of the mosquito", continues Luana Araújo...