Social Security reports epidemic of pneumonia and respiratory infections

The population most at risk are those under 1 year of age with a rate of 51,086 and the group between 20 and 29 years of age with a rate of 37,499 per 100,000 beneficiaries.

Every day, an estimated 2,000 people seek medical attention at the Salvadoran Social Security Institute (ISSS) for respiratory problems such as: sore throat, nasal congestion, cough and irritability. Due to this situation, the autonomous region reports an epidemic of respiratory infections, according to the recent epidemiological bulletin. Pneumonia has also entered the health institution’s epidemic zone.

From week 35, which corresponds to the week from August 29 to September 4, time in which 13,589 cases of respiratory care were reported, the previous week it was 13,371, which means an increase of 218 cases.

According to the endemic corridor, which is busy to monitor the disease situation, respiratory infections nationwide are in the epidemic zone.

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The bulletin reveals that since August 1, the behavior of respiratory infections entered the epidemic zone, without the autonomous authorities having given details about the increase in cases.

The epidemiological bulletin details that the most affected population are children under 1 year of age, and in which there is one with a rate of 51,086, while the group from 20 to 29 years old registers a rate of 37,499 per 100,000 beneficiaries.

The departments with the highest number of cases are Sonsonate and Usulután.

The health worker Ricardo Lara states that out of every 10 consultations, five are for reasons of consultation for the flu. Of those five patients who consult for respiratory infections, three are due to influenza.

“Out of every 100 consultations, three arrive in the category of suspected covid because it has an epidemiological link, because it has symptoms,” Lara reported.

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The doctor, who works in one of the ISSS care centers, assured that there is an increase in respiratory infections and covid infections, but the only way to stop ruling out whether a person is positive for the virus is through a test detection of covid and for which it is necessary for the population to have access to undergo a covid test.

At the moment, the cost of a virus detection test is $ 30 to $ 70 and not everyone has that amount to cancel it, Lara warned. Therefore, it asks the Government to improve access to taking tests for the detection of the virus.

“Until now, the only way to rule out a COVID-positive patient is through a test. Since the pandemic began, I insist that the policy of taking samples is being failed and that access to taking samples is still the pending debt of the management of the pandemic, ”says Lara, commenting that the number of samples performed daily.

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While the increase in covid infections continues, which in the last report on September 7, the Ministry of Health registers 307 detections of the virus, according to the page covid19.gob.sv.

Social Security reports an epidemic of respiratory infections with a cumulative 375,020 cases of care with respiratory problems, which when compared to the previous year’s figures, there is an increase of 10.4% in care. Last year 351,804 consultations for respiratory diseases were registered.

While the reports of the disease situation of the Ministry of Health is a week behind the reports of the ISSS.

The Minsal registers an accumulated number of respiratory infections registered until August 28, which reached 795,294 visits for respiratory infections nationwide.

Social Security provides health care to approximately 1.7 million Salvadorans, including contributors and beneficiaries.

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Pneumonia on the rise

Complications from lung infection causing inflammation and damage to lung tissue, known as pneumonia, are also in an epidemic zone.

In one week 97 cases were reported, the previous week it was 86 cases, which means an increase of 11 cases compared to the previous week. The department with the greatest affectation is Usulután and the healthcare centers that have registered the most pneumonia are: the Santa Ana Hospital, the San Miguel Hospital, the Surgical Medical Hospital, the Zacamil Polyclinic Hospital, the Soyapango Medical Unit and the General Hospital.

Although the accumulated number of affectations due to this disease has decreased compared to the previous year, it is in an epidemic zone with 2,075 cases, with a decrease of 1,269 cases (38%).

Through the epidemiological bulletin, the institution warns that before symptoms of fever, cough with phlegm, chest pain when coughing and fatigue, a doctor should be consulted.

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