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Source: https://www.swissinfo.ch/spa/perú-g...n1-en-lima-y-otras-regiones-del-país/48487530
Peru detects an outbreak of H1N1 influenza in Lima and other regions of the country
This content was published on May 04, 2023 - 17:12
04 May 2023 - 17:12
3 minutes
Lima, May 4 (EFE).- The health authorities of Peru detected an outbreak of H1N1 influenza that occurs in at least four regions of the country, mainly in Metropolitan Lima, reported Thursday the director of the National Center for Epidemiology, Prevention and Disease Control (CDC Peru), César Munayco.
"We have an outbreak at the level of Metropolitan Lima. We also have Tacna, Tumbes, Loreto, but minor children are being affected, which is why vaccination and the preventive measures that we already know are important," Munayco told Radio Exitosa.
The Ministry of Health (Minsa) official stressed that minors are the group most affected by this disease and asked parents not to send them to school if they have respiratory symptoms, to prevent the spread of the outbreak.
Munayco explained that special attention should be paid to symptoms such as general malaise, coughing, drowsiness, and labored breathing.
The epidemiologist said that this outbreak is part of a health phenomenon that is occurring from the reappearance of some diseases since the end of the health measures taken to deal with the covid-19 pandemic.
"When this pressure goes down, these viruses start to show up. In this case, the H1N1 flu, which hadn't been circulating much in previous years, but is now circulating again," he added.
The CDC Peru issued an epidemiological alert on Wednesday due to the increase in Acute Respiratory Infections (ARI) in the country, with the aim of informing the personnel of health establishments nationwide and strengthening the epidemiological surveillance system of ARI, influenza and other respiratory viruses (RVO).
The alert specified that an increase in ARI has been observed at the national level since epidemiological week 12 of this year, in accordance with the patterns observed in previous years, except in the "pandemic" years from 2020 to 2022.
He indicated, however, that "there are regions such as Ancash, Apurímac, Arequipa, Cusco, Huánuco, Junín, Madre de Dios, Puno, Tacna and Tumbes that report a higher increase than what was observed."
The agency specified that influenza "is a viral infection that can cause serious complications, including hospitalization and even death."
"In Peru, the circulation of influenza viruses occurs throughout the year, and periods of viral activity may occur more than once. This suggests a complex mechanism for the seasonal patterns observed, due to climate variability and the diversity of regions present in our territory," he said. EFE
Peru detects an outbreak of H1N1 influenza in Lima and other regions of the country
This content was published on May 04, 2023 - 17:12
04 May 2023 - 17:12
3 minutes
Lima, May 4 (EFE).- The health authorities of Peru detected an outbreak of H1N1 influenza that occurs in at least four regions of the country, mainly in Metropolitan Lima, reported Thursday the director of the National Center for Epidemiology, Prevention and Disease Control (CDC Peru), César Munayco.
"We have an outbreak at the level of Metropolitan Lima. We also have Tacna, Tumbes, Loreto, but minor children are being affected, which is why vaccination and the preventive measures that we already know are important," Munayco told Radio Exitosa.
The Ministry of Health (Minsa) official stressed that minors are the group most affected by this disease and asked parents not to send them to school if they have respiratory symptoms, to prevent the spread of the outbreak.
Munayco explained that special attention should be paid to symptoms such as general malaise, coughing, drowsiness, and labored breathing.
The epidemiologist said that this outbreak is part of a health phenomenon that is occurring from the reappearance of some diseases since the end of the health measures taken to deal with the covid-19 pandemic.
"When this pressure goes down, these viruses start to show up. In this case, the H1N1 flu, which hadn't been circulating much in previous years, but is now circulating again," he added.
The CDC Peru issued an epidemiological alert on Wednesday due to the increase in Acute Respiratory Infections (ARI) in the country, with the aim of informing the personnel of health establishments nationwide and strengthening the epidemiological surveillance system of ARI, influenza and other respiratory viruses (RVO).
The alert specified that an increase in ARI has been observed at the national level since epidemiological week 12 of this year, in accordance with the patterns observed in previous years, except in the "pandemic" years from 2020 to 2022.
He indicated, however, that "there are regions such as Ancash, Apurímac, Arequipa, Cusco, Huánuco, Junín, Madre de Dios, Puno, Tacna and Tumbes that report a higher increase than what was observed."
The agency specified that influenza "is a viral infection that can cause serious complications, including hospitalization and even death."
"In Peru, the circulation of influenza viruses occurs throughout the year, and periods of viral activity may occur more than once. This suggests a complex mechanism for the seasonal patterns observed, due to climate variability and the diversity of regions present in our territory," he said. EFE