The National Institute of Health, (INS) announced that deaths associated with acute respiratory infection in children under five years of age increased in Colombia, registering in the last report of the epidemiological bulletin 21 cases that are being investigated by the health authorities in the country.
The evaluation of the disease records the largest cases in Amazonas, Bogotá, Casanare, La Guajira, Santa Marta and Vaupés.
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The report reveals that in Colombia, in the epidemiological week 39 of 2022, 5,811,293 outpatient and emergency visits for ARI have been reported, registering an increase, compared to what was notified in the same week of 2021, with 61.4%; 74.1% compared to 2020 and 14.8% compared to 2019.
“Taking into account the notification behavior of the last seven years, an increase in Antioquia, Atlántico, Barranquilla, Bogotá, Chocó, Córdoba, Cundinamarca, La Guajira, Risaralda, Santander, Vaupés and Vichada”, he highlighted.
He said that in the last four weeks (36 to 39) 648,690 have been reported; in this period. “By age group, adults from 20 to 39 years old represent 24.5% (158,863), followed by 20 to 39 years old with 24.2% (155,020)”, indicated the analysis of the entity .
The report noted that the highest number of outpatient and emergency consultations for ARI, on the total number of consultations for all causesoccurs in children from 2 to 4 years with 15.6%, followed by children under one year of age with 13.8%.
“In the endemic channel, outpatient consultations and emergencies for ARI in the first four weeks of the year are above the historical upper limit, from week 05 to 12 they are in the safety zone below the seasonal threshold. From week 13 (except week 15), are observed above the seasonal threshold; from week 19 to week 39, an increase above the established historical upper limit is observed”, explains the INS.
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It further says that 223,163 SARI hospitalizations were reported in the general ward, Compared to what was reported in the same week of 2021, the behavior is similar.
In the last four weeks (36 to 39) 21,129 SARI hospitalizations have been reported in the general ward; By age groups, children from 2 to 4 years old with 26.4% (4,894), followed by adults under one year old with 25.6% (2,256).
The highest proportion of hospitalizations in the general ward for SARI over the total hospitalizations for all causes occurs in children between two and four years of age, with 26.4%, followed by one-year-old children with 25.6%.
