The country’s Health authorities have set off the alarm, since There has been an increase in cases of respiratory viruses. According to data from the Undersecretary of Public Health of the Ministry of Health, Medical consultations for respiratory causes have had an increase in 9.5% compared to last year.
On the other hand, emergency hospitalizations, They have risen 6% compared to 2023 and 13% compared to 2019. This scenario led the Undersecretariat of Public Health to decree a health alert.
Likewise, the document published today in The Official Gazette shows that in South America there is also an increase in cases of diseases of this and other types, Therefore, it is necessary to decree this measure.
Another piece of data that stands out is that until February 24 of this year, In Chile, 6,797 cases of respiratory viruses have been registered, a 2% increase compared to the previous seven days.
Besides, 36 deaths linked to these diseases have been confirmed.
Thus, the text points out that “both epidemiological surveillance and vector control require resources to hire additional personnel and acquire the necessary supplies to develop, among others, preventive entomological control actions, risk communication, community education, isolation measures for suspected casestransfer of rapid response teams and reinforcement of the healthcare network for the detection and timely treatment of imported cases.”
In this way, the health alert will be valid until September 31, 2024, “without prejudice to the power to terminate early if health conditions allow it,” the letter adds.
On the other hand, Vaccination campaigns and the mandatory use of masks will be implemented in health facilities and “other places of public access”.
