The Secretary of State for Health (SES), released today (27) the second edition of the weekly newsletter Panorama da Covid-19, which since last week has replaced the Covid-19 Risk Map, with early indicators that have gained greater weight. in monitoring the current epidemiological scenario of the covid-19 pandemic in the state of Rio de Janeiro. The bulletin shows a scenario of stability, but with slight variations in the positivity rates of antigen tests and RT-PCR, as well as the number of cases in Emergency Care Units (UPAs) and bed requests. 
According to the State Department of Health, the RT-PCR positivity rate, an exam performed mostly in hospitalized patients, is 15%, when calculating the seven-day moving average in the period from May 15 to 21. . Using the same calculation, between May 8th and May 14th, positivity was at 20.4%. Last week, positivity was calculated using the simple average of daily rates. The analysis was improved this week and will be maintained in future editions.
The positivity rate for antigen tests went from 15.6%, when calculating the seven-day moving average in the period from May 8 to 14, to 18.4%, between May 15 and 21. This data includes tests carried out in pharmacies and public and private health units in the state of Rio.
The Secretary of State for Health, Alexandre Chieppe, said that “we are not seeing an exponential increase in the rate of positivity or cases and deaths, as observed in the occasions of the waves already experienced in the state of Rio de Janeiro. Possibly, this positivity rate, around 15% to 20%, will be expected for covid-19 in the months of lower temperature and consequent increase in the circulation of respiratory virus ”, he evaluated.
As for cases of flu syndrome in UPAs. an increase of 9% is observed in relation to last week, which configures a scenario of stability. In the week of May 15 to 21, there were, on average, 374 daily consultations of patients with flu syndrome, 237 of which were pediatric. In the week of May 8 to 14, the daily average of visits was 344, 221 of which were pediatric.
Chieppe also said that “we observed that pediatric consultations represent twice the number of consultations for adults due to flu syndrome. This is due to factors such as seasonality, since at this time of year, with the drop in temperature, the biggest cause of hospitalizations in children is bronchiolitis”, analyzed the secretary.
Methodology
Panorama Covid-19 is a new SES tool for monitoring the epidemiological scenario of covid-19, updated weekly. The format emphasizes the so-called early indicators, such as consultations for flu syndrome in the UPAs and testing of antigens registered in the e-SUS, which includes exams carried out in health units in the state and even in pharmacies.
“These indicators are the first ones that alert us to the resurgence of the pandemic. That is, before we observe hospitalizations and deaths, which are later indicators, we need to monitor whether care in the UPAs and requests for beds are increasing or not”, explained the state secretary of Health.
Access
Other information, such as the number of hospitalizations, deaths and vaccination coverage rate, can continue to be accessed by the Covid-19 Monitoring Dashboard.
