UNAM recommends using face masks again due to the increase in infections – El Financiero

Recently, the World Health Organization (WHO) warned about the increase in COVID-19 infections a nivel global and warned that these cases are unlikely to decrease in the short term. Given this scenario, the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) called on resume the use of face masks in crowded spaces such as public transport.

“Based on the monitoring of respiratory infections in Mexico, it is clear that the circulation of the COVID-19 virus and the number of cases of this disease have increased in recent weeks,” the Mexican university said in a statement published on Monday.

UNAM explained that, for now, the majority of patients who have contracted the SARS-CoV-2 virus have required outpatient treatments, so Hospital occupancy and the number of deaths for this disease still remain at low levels; however, he recommended maintaining general precautions to avoid further infections.

“Although there are no warning signs and a lower rate of people affected by the disease is recorded compared to previous years, the increase in the number of COVID-19 cases among the community increases the demand for health services, causes absenteeism, health expenditures y inappropriate use of antibiotics and other potentially risky medications,” the institution noted.

He warned that as long as the virus is in circulation, the risk of new variants appearing increases, causing people who get sick with COVID to have a greater chance of presenting complications for other illnesses that they suffer from, or that they have aftermath that affect their health.

UNAM calls for general precautions against COVID-19

For the above reasons and in order to prevent the virus from reaching the most vulnerable population, UNAM has issued some tips:

1. Wear a mask when in crowded and poorly ventilated places (public transport), or when living with people with symptoms of respiratory illness.
2. Promote the ventilation of closed spaces and busy (classrooms, offices, laboratories, auditoriums, transportation, etc.).
3. Perform frequent hand hygiene and keep facilities and furniture clean.
4. Check the COVID vaccination status of the most vulnerable people (elderly, pregnant women, people with chronic diseases or immunocompromised) and those at higher risk of exposure (health personnel) in health services, as well as update as necessary.
5. When cases of illness occur in an academic group or office area, do not suspend activities and take extreme precautions, always in close communication with the health officials of each entity or department.

Also, in case of having signs or symptoms of respiratory disease, it is advisable to:

• Rest, isolate yourself and monitor your progress.
• Have a timely diagnosis and seek medical attention.
• Do not self-medicate.
• Wear a face mask when around other people.

COVID-19 cases are on the rise around the world

In its latest report entitled ‘Epidemiological alert: SARS-CoV-2, influenza and other respiratory viruses in the Region of the Americas’published on August 5, 2024, the WHO expressed concern about the drop in vaccination coverage“especially given the possibility that it may arise a more virulent strain that could cause serious illness.”

“COVID-19 is still very present” and circulates in all countrieswarned WHO’s director of Pandemic Prevention, Dr Maria Van Kerkhove.

The epidemiologist said that data from the health agency’s surveillance system, based on figures from 84 countriesreports that the percentage of positive tests for SARS-CoV-2 has increased in recent weeks. In this regard, he indicated that tests with positive results already exceed 10 percent, while in Europe this percentage is higher than 20 percent.

Likewise, he noted that there have been registered New waves of infection in the Americas, Europe and the Western Pacific.