For approximately less than a month, positive cases of Covid-19 in the country have been slowly increasing. The reports that the Ministry of Public Health (MSP) has released in the last two Mondays demonstrate this through the numbers of positive cases.
Until now, the Executive Branch and the Health authorities have not held press conferences or any other type of appearance before the media to speak specifically about the subject. But the opinion and perspective of the Minister of Public Health, Daniel Salinas, who on Wednesday the 7th participated in the lunch organized by the Association of Marketing Managers (ADM), was known. And after this, a statement from the MSP.
Precisely regarding the increase in cases that is currently being experienced, Salinas told those present at ADM that “we are not in the first stage of the pandemic, we are not in the first year, we are not in the second year. We are vaccinated, we went through the Omicron wave, and the World Health Organization (WHO) has not determined that the new sublineages are more dangerous than the previous ones.
He added that “however, there is more hospitalization and more deaths in the week from Monday, November 28 to Monday, December 5.” Salinas was asked about the recommendations, and was answered: “they are the ones that are in force. We are going to remember them again through resolution No. 720/022, in the use of masks. And it is highly recommended in closed places, and with few cubic meters, such as public transport. As a recommendation and not as an obligation,” Salinas said.
The Minister of Public Health also said on the occasion that one million vaccines are available for third and fourth doses, but that it is not planned to increase the number of vaccinations.
For this reason, it is that the Secretary of State issued a statement days ago in which it explains Resolution No. 720/022, in which it talks about the Mandatory use of the mask (face mask).
The General Directorate of Health considers that mandatory use should be in “people with respiratory symptoms who maintain contact with other people for the period in which the symptoms last, or until the correct diagnosis of said symptoms is established.”
Also in the “health personnel with regular direct attention to the public or patients following the recommendations”. In addition, the document mentions “any user who enters and/or remains in a health center, understanding as a “user” any person who uses the services of the health center, at any level of care, including providers and people who officiate. as patient companions.
It was also decided that the mask is mandatory for officials in charge of caring for vulnerable groups, such as ELEPEM, care centers for people with functional dependency or other situations with similar characteristics.
For its part, regarding the “Highly recommended use in people who, without presenting symptoms, are in certain situations, it is suggested to users of collective means of transport, at an urban, suburban, interdepartmental and international level”.
In addition, also to “people who remain in shelters, detention facilities or institutions of similar characteristics.
Given the situation table, it mentions “people who are part of spaces where the occurrence of an acute respiratory disease outbreak is suspected for the limited period until the situation is resolved, including the workplace.”
People who remain in the care of unvaccinated people for any reason, such as children under 5 years of age, among others, are also recommended to wear masks, as are people who are sharing closed spaces with crowds of people and those who perform tasks as food processors and handlers.
In that presentation, he said that “we continue with very active surveillance, and so far the GTI sequencing group has not detected any new sublineage in Uruguay”, adding that the Ómicron, BA.4 and BA.5 variants predominate. He also said that for now, the BQ.1 and XBB variants have not been detected. “That doesn’t mean they won’t be detected” in the future, he said.
Meanwhile, and in line with the topic, epidemiologist Jacqueline Ponzo acknowledged her concern about the increase in covid-19 cases in the country, adding that the issue “is a situation that is experienced worldwide.” “The problem is still present, despite the fact that we have achieved a good defense, the circulation of the virus has not stopped,” she said.
the latest data
Last Monday, the 5th, the report corresponding to epidemiological week No. 49, which was from November 27 to December 3, was released. As for active cases, until that date there were 1,490, although the number of new confirmed cases amounted to 1,527. The tests carried out were 13,195, and the rate of positive tests reached 11.6%. In that period of time there were four deaths. Since the pandemic was declared to the date of December 3, 995,402 positive cases were diagnosed, and the number of deaths reached 7,541.
