Republika Srpska declares a public health emergency due to the spread of the yellow fever virus Rio Grande do Sul

The decree declaring a state of emergency was signed on Wednesday afternoon by Minister of State for Health, Arita Bergman, in a virtual meeting. The meeting also announced the creation of the Arboviroses Center for Emergency Operations (COE) (diseases transmitted by infected mosquitoes, such as yellow fever, dengue fever, chikungunya virus and Zika virus) with the participation of representatives of the Federation of Municipalities of Republika Srpska (Famurs) and the Council of Municipal Health Secretariats (Cosems).

According to the latest epidemiological bulletin, which covers the period from April 18 to 24, 23 municipalities have confirmed the spread of the virus. The group, which is considered a red zone, consists of cities where the dead primates were found, contaminated with mosquitoes from wild areas that transmit the disease virus.

Another 72 municipalities, located in the surrounding areas, are considered to be in the yellow zone, With the risk of spreading the virus as well. To date, the disease has not been detected in humans.

“RS is on alert. We already have an epidemic of dengue fever, and now we are in a state of emergency regarding yellow fever,” Arita said.

According to the secretary, “It is essential, at this moment, for effective integration of the healthcare network with the Regional Health Coordinators (CRS) and Municipal Health Managers”.

“In addition to the concern about the Coronavirus, which we have been facing for more than a year, we need to be vigilant, and prevent other epidemics from reaching Rio Grande do Sul,” Arita says.

The newsletter also registered 3014 confirmed cases of dengue fever, With 2,923 original cases (original from that region) and five deaths, two in Santa Cruz do Sol, two in Erquem and one in Bom Retiro do Sol.

from Chikungunya There are 878 cases In Sao Nicolao. Iguy and Pinto Gonsalves record one case each.

Rio Grande do Sul has not recorded the presence of the yellow fever virus since 2009. In January 2021, a case emerged Howling was killed in the municipality of Pinhal da SerraNear the border with Santa Catarina.

In April, the city council of Porto Alegre Another howling death confirmedAlso, due to illness. He was found on a plot of land located in the Lagido neighborhood, in the far south of the capital.

From July 2020 to April 26, 2021, the State Health Surveillance Center (CEVS) is registered 266 cases of monkey deaths.

Prevention and immunization

Yellow fever vaccination is part of the National Immunization Program (PNI) calendar and can be found in primary health care units. For the Department of Health, the vaccination strategy should be intensified.

“To increase coverage in the red and yellow areas, especially people who live in rural, wilderness and semi-urban areas, where rural and urban activities are mixed,” says Head of the Epidemiological Surveillance Division, Taney Ranieri.

Tani explains that the vaccination schedule prescribes a first dose at nine months of age and a booster dose at four years of age. From ages 5 to 59, the vaccine is a single dose. Since 2018, every state has been considered a yellow fever vaccination area.

The disease is defined as an acute febrile infectious disease, which can be wild or urban. The virus is transmitted by infected mosquitoes and there is no direct transmission from person to person. Cases that occur in Brazil are wild, when the virus is transmitted by mosquitoes that live in forest areas. Since 1942, there have been no cases of yellow fever in urban areas, transmitted by Aedes aegypti.

The Secretariat has published a guide on Location With instructions on arbovirus.