During the end of December and the first days of January 2022, private medical sources have identified a slight increase in confirmed infections of covid-19 through antigen tests, and other suspected cases due to symptoms. The patients have not required hospitalizations, which remain unchanged, after the peak of the second wave of SARS-CoV-2 infections was reached in September last year.
“As of the last fortnight of December and this first week of January, we have had an increase in cases. And that has been a consensus of doctors who treat patients with covid. We had had a more or less relaxed period, since the end of October, November, and the first half of December that we had practically no patients in consultations for covid, “a medical source confided, under anonymity, to CONFIDENTIAL.
The appearance of these new cases coincides with the arrival of Nicaraguans from different countries, including the United States, where there is a significant outbreak of coronavirus infections generated by the new omicron variant. The medical source considers that it is likely that these people have infected their relatives during the holidays and for that reason, “there have been many family outbreaks”, but all with mild symptoms.
Another source in the north of the country also confirmed that since the beginning of January, it has treated at least one case per day. They are “mild, very mild, they could look like the flu if it weren’t for the alteration of the laboratory and saturation tests,” he clarified.
In that same area of the country, another doctor indicated that the previous months “it was controlled”, but currently perceives a minimal growth in suspected coronavirus infections.
After September, when the maximum peak of 718 infections in seven days was confirmed, -the highest record of cases admitted by the Ministry of Health (Minsa) during the two years of the pandemic-, in November and December, the infections were maintained ” low “, but” these days I have had cases of flu problems and some confirmed with covid, “said the source. On average he is treating two suspected cases per day and in one week he confirmed three infections with antigen tests.
Hospitalizations remain stable
Health sources assured that in the German Nicaraguan Hospital, which in September was intended for the exclusive care of covid-19 patients and accumulated more than 300 admissions, they have not identified an increase in the demand for care due to coronavirus cases.
Of some 75 daily consultations, at least five or six correspond to patients with suspicious pictures of covid-19. And although there are admitted patients -without specifying the amount-, the situation is not compared to the emergency of 2021, when the hospital he must have increased his capacity, adding 200 beds to have 500 and face the overflow of infections, including transfers from other hospitals in Managua and the rest of the country.
“Currently two could be received per day, there are days when there are no referral transfers. In September the transfers were many, with saying that the discharges -medical- were 15 and the admissions up to 40 a day, “said the source.
On the other hand, at this time there are no patients admitted to the covid wards of the Vivian Pellas and Hospital Bautista hospitals. During the exponential growth of cases in 2021, the first one redirected patients to other hospital centers because they did not have available beds and the Baptist, came to count 40 admitted patients, including those who were in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).
Likewise, at the Sermesa Carazo Hospital, “the same rhythm as in December has been maintained. There is nothing alarming. Most of the cases have been mild, “says a source from that department. During the first two weeks of the year, the Minsa has maintained the downward trend in the number of infections. From January 4 to 11, they identified 37 new cases, two less than the previous week, which was 39, and the invariable statistic of a weekly death.
According to official data, 17,961 covid-19 infections have been registered in Nicaragua and 219 died.
Could new cases be related to omicron?
The medical source that has attended to the “family outbreaks” indicates that the infections spread to several members, are mild and become infected very quickly, in a period of about three or four days, approximately.
They are characterized by a catarrhal picture, that is, cough, phlegm, expectoration, sometimes a dry cough, runny nose, headache, general malaise, some feeling of fatigue and some, fever. No loss of smell or taste was observed, which previously warned of possible covid cases. The patients did not present complications, both in the elderly and in the young, including those vaccinated.
“These data, indeed, are compatible with the omicron variant, of course, we cannot assure it far from it because for that it would be necessary to carry out molecular biology studies and detect if in fact we have circulating. I believe that the Minsa does it and has done it, but it does not provide information, “he said.
After two months that omicron was detected in southern Africa and the World Health Organization (WHO) warned the States to strengthen their genomic surveillance -mainly due to the high contagion potential-, the Minsa has not commented. Nor did he do so in 2021, when he kept silent about the presence of the variants gamma and delta, the latter being the predominant in the country. It was until November that the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) reported that in Nicaragua there were the four variants, adding, alpha and beta.
“It would be very difficult to think that with cases in the rest of Central America -Costa Rica, Panama and Guatemala-, Mexico, Latin America and now, the strain that is predominant in Europe and the United States, we do not have cases here, “said the medical source.
Until now, Nicaragua, El Salvador and Honduras have not officially confirmed the circulation of the variant, although independent doctors from the last two countries reported slight increases in cases associated with omicron. This Monday Costa Rica announced a series of sanitary restriction measures, such as limiting the capacity in public transport and suspension of massive events with public presence for 13 days.
“In just the first 7 days of 2022, 11,999 infections were registered, practically the same figure accumulated during the final 61 days of the previous year (that is, all of November and December), when there were 12,200 positive cases,” indicated the ethical sanitary sources. They pointed out that the increase in cases coincides with the arrival of omicron.
In Nicaragua, since 2021, independent medical sources have warned of the risk of a third wave of cases, driven by the lack of sanitary measures during the year-end holidays and aggravated by the possible circulation of omicron.
One of the medical sources consulted explains that the slight increase in reported cases so far in January may well “be that this is the beginning -of a wave-” and later, see a rapidly progressive increase in cases as has occurred in other countries.
“The greater the number of cases, the greater the probability of admission to hospitalizations even with a mild form,” he warned. Although the results of scientific studies on omicron show that it appears to produce a lower risk of hospitalization and severe illness compared to delta, doctors maintain that you should not lower your guard.
“What I think is that perhaps at the end of January, in February, we will have a significant increase in cases in the country, and with a greater number of hospitalizations. The fact that it is a mild form does not mean that we are all free from the probability of becoming seriously ill, so all precautionary measures must always be maintained to minimize the risk of exposure ”, indicated the source.
