Influenza B is predominant in the country. H1N1 and RSV also circulate. Health begins on Monday a campaign to vaccinate against the flu.
Influenza gains strength in the country, two children died in Cochabamba from this disease. According to the Ministry of Health, the viruses that are circulating the most are: H1N1 and B, in addition to the Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV). Starting Monday, the population will be immunized with the new influenza vaccine.
“The entry of autumn into the country, (that is to say) the change of climate is causing the variability of temperatures, which leads to the population becoming ill with the flu, that is why it is important that they take care of this pathology that can be more aggressive because they are being caused by RSV and influenza, since they are the ones that are circulating in the country”, affirmed the head of Epidemiology of the Ministry of Health, Freddy Armijo.
He stressed that among the viruses that cause influenza, type B “is the dominant one”, since 247 cases have already been reported in this period, however last year there was not a single case in this same period.
He also assured that H1N1 is another of the viruses that circulates, since to date 43 cases have already been registered, when last year, in the same period, only eight were registered.
In addition, he indicated that another of the viruses that is in the country is RSV, since to date 82 cases have already been reported and 86 were registered last year in this same period. He assured that children are the most vulnerable to this disease.
The head of Epidemiology of the Departmental Health Service (Sedes) Cochabamba, Rubén Castillo, indicated that in that region, cases of influenza are increasing and that two children have already died from this pathology.
The last victim passed away yesterday. The doctor on duty at the Manuel Ascencio Villarroel Children’s Hospital said that the patient was referred from Tiquipaya. He “Presented a picture of five days of evolution with thermal rises and cough.”
The child was four years old, he stressed that the other victim died two weeks ago, “the same due to health complications.”
To date there are eight children who are hospitalized with pneumonia caused by influenza.
For Castillo, this year more cases than usual are being reported, since to date 67 cases of influenza have already been reported in the department.
Armijo stressed that to avoid an increase in these cases, the Ministry of Health will start a vaccination campaign, mainly for children under five years of age against influenza.
He assured that the doses that are delivered to the departments to start the campaign are new biologicals, which have the viruses that are circulating this year.
Vaccination is also aimed at pregnant women, the elderly, those with underlying diseases and health personnel.
Six departments with ARI epidemic
Armijo also reported that since last Saturday the departments of La Paz, Oruro, Potosí, Beni, Pando and Cochabamba are in an epidemic zone due to Acute Respiratory Infections (ARI) in the total population, the only ones that have not yet entered that area. They are Santa Cruz, Chuquisaca and Tarija.
“But if we only talk about the child population, that is, children under five years of age, no department is in epidemic behavior,” Armijo stressed.
The coordinator of Municipal Hospitals of La Paz, Magdalena Mollinedo, reported that at least 31 people with pneumonia -between babies and older adults- are hospitalized in common pediatric and internal medicine rooms in the municipal hospitals of La Paz, Cotahuma, La Portada , Los Pinos and La Merced.
For this reason, he suggested cleaning and disinfecting surfaces “to reduce contamination” at home, schools and transportation.
Armijo also recommended applying biosecurity measures, that is, hand washing, social distancing, use of alcohol, avoiding being in closed environments and the use of a mask.
