DENGUE, ZIKA AND CHIKUNGUNYA CASES INCREASE IN ALAGOAS

With the hot and humid climate typical of Alagoas, annually, the population of the state is afraid of receiving a visit from the Aedes Aegypti mosquito, famous for transmitting the trio of diseases: dengue, zika and chikungunya. At the beginning of the year, even without records of deaths from these diseases, the number of cases increased considerably compared to the same period in 2021.

According to data from the Information System on Notifiable Diseases/MS (Sinan/MS), released by the State Health Department (Sesau), even with the increase in cases, chikungunya, which causes intense pain in the joints of the feet and hands, had the lowest growth – 40% -, while zika cases increased 437.5% and dengue numbers rose from 143 cases recorded in 2021 to 521, which represents a 264% increase in the period compared to 2021 .

Responsible for the global emergency of 2019 and for brain damage in babies, mainly in the summer of 2015/2016, the increase of infected with the zika virus mainly worries pregnant women. In the first three months of the year, the number of confirmed cases rose from 8 in 2021 to 43 in 2022.

According to the nurse José Jefferson (Coren/AL 622138), cases of Zika in pregnant women and children have been increasingly common during the days of care. “In the Emergency Care Unit where I work, the presence of pregnant women who arrive infected with zika has been constant, which concerns us, due to the mortality issue, since the cases have been increasing. We are increasingly orienting towards prevention carried out at home”, said José Jefferson.

The nurse warns pregnant women about basic care to combat the Aedes aegypti mosquito. “Pregnant women should be extra careful, using repellent, long-sleeved shirts, avoiding standing water so that mortality does not increase as the number of cases. Many arrive with the symptoms they associate with Covid and are surprised by the diagnosis”, she comments.

PREVENTION

With only one form of prevention, which is to avoid the accumulation of stagnant water inside the house, the population can avoid the spread of the Aedes aegypti mosquito.

Psychologist Ana Luiza Oliveira says that since a family member suffered from chikungunya symptoms, care at home has been intensified. “I have many plants at home, with that, since the mosquito appeared here, the attention with the water accumulated in the pots is redoubled, I even received praise from the endemic agents who came to inspect the place.”, she said.

Awareness work to prevent mosquitoes has also taken place within schools. Ana Luiza reports that her nephew has been a great help in the fight against the transmitter of dengue, zika and chikungunya since the school began to guide students.

“One day he came home saying that it is important to take several baths during the day, apply repellent, not leave the plants with too much water, open garbage bags and keep the pool clean. Since then, he has become my faithful companion in the fight against Aedes. aegypti”, says Ana Luiza.

* Under the supervision of the Editorial of Cities

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