With the number of COVID-19 cases in the countries of the Pan American region soaring for the sixth consecutive week, the director of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), Carissa Etienne, has called on countries to be extra vigilant amid the flu virus. and hurricane season begins. In the past week, countries in the region have reported a 10.4 percent increase in COVID-19 cases and a 14 percent increase in deaths, creating a double threat of a potential flu wave alongside a rise in numbers. Predicting COVID-19 cases, director says.
Since the onset of COVID-19, more than two years ago, there have been exceptionally few cases of flu, but that is starting to change, the director said at a news conference yesterday. “The flu virus is circulating again and not just during the traditional flu season,” she added.
In Mexico and Peru, flu cases are higher than expected and Argentina, Chile and Uruguay have reported more flu hospitalizations than usual. In Chile, Paraguay, Brazil, Ecuador and the Dominican Republic, the number of cases of the respiratory virus among young children has also risen sharply.
While most countries have integrated surveillance of COVID-19 into efforts to detect the influenza virus, Etienne stressed that they need to build on that capacity “to rapidly identify the various respiratory viruses circulating in the region.”
The PAHO director also urged people to make sure they are up to date with the flu vaccine, as it reflects the strains that are now circulating and could provide better protection for anyone at risk. Flu vaccination campaigns are important every year, but even more so this year, “as we face multiple risks at once,” she said.
Hurricane season preparation
Etienne also stressed that while the upcoming flu season will mainly hit countries in the southern hemisphere, countries in Central America and the Caribbean need to prepare for hurricane season.
“It only takes one major storm to destroy people’s livelihoods, paralyze our health systems and lose countless lives,” the PAHO director said. And with climate change increasing the frequency and impact of extreme weather events, such as hurricanes and floods, “we need to prepare early so we don’t have any surprises.”
While many countries already have national plans for extreme weather events, Etienne urged leaders to ensure they are up to date. “Countries need to have a detailed understanding of their areas of risk and of the populations and health facilities that may be affected,” Etienne said.
PAHO Support
PAHO will continue to support countries to assess risks and address vulnerabilities early. PAHO’s SMART hospital program, which focuses on renovating health centers in areas vulnerable to natural disasters, has also been deployed across the region, helping countries weather volcanic eruptions, hurricanes and the pandemic.
“Our well-being and that of our societies depends on the resilience of our health systems,” said the PAHO director. “This is an important lesson from COVID-19 that we cannot ignore and that will be addressed by heads of state at the upcoming ‘Summit of the America’s’ in Los Angeles on June 6.
The region’s health systems, still recovering from the disruptions caused by the pandemic, are not only facing an increase in the number of COVID-19 cases, but are also being tested by the increase in the number of COVID-19 cases. number of recent public health events, including monkey pox, viral hepatitis and other respiratory infections, Etienne said.
Investments
Urgent investments in health are therefore “essential to secure everything we hope for the future of our region: resilience and security, economic prosperity, and the well-being of our people,” she added.
Regarding the COVID-19 situation in the region, the director reported that in all sub-regions except the Caribbean and the Atlantic islands, both the number of cases and the number of deaths have increased – with an increase in COVID-19 19 cases in South America by 43.1 percent and of deaths by 21.3 percent in Central America.
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