In total there are 26 pediatric patients admitted to intensive care at the Acosta Ñu Pediatric Hospital, of which 17 are due to chikungunya. The Ministry of Health urges citizens to eliminate mosquito breeding sites to stop the current arbovirus epidemic.
Dr. Leticia Pintos, general director of Health Services and Networks, confirmed that only in the “Niños de Acosta Ñu” Pediatric Hospital, of the 26 patients who are currently in intensive care, 17 are chikungunya cases. He also mentioned that more than 45 cases are registered in the reference center.
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In this regard, the director mentioned that citizens are not sizing up the serious situation that is presented with this new arbovirus epidemic. “We do not really dimension what is happening. You cannot imagine the number of patients in the emergency room and the mothers with Chikungunya with their babies also with the same disease,” he said in dialogue with 1000 AM.
In this sense, he expressed his concern about the considerable increase in hospitalizations of patients diagnosed with chikungunya and dengue in public sector hospitals.
“We urge, we always insist on the issue of eliminate hatcheries to be able to get out of all this fasterit is useless to kill adult mosquitoes, breeding sites must be eliminated, that is the main thing”, he highlighted.
How chikungunya affects pregnant women
During pregnancy, the chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is not transmitted to the baby. However, spontaneous abortions have been reported in mothers with the infection.
The highest risk of transmission occurs when the woman is infected in the intrapartum period, whose vertical transmission rate can reach 49%.
The transmission of the virus can occur in the mother to the newborn when she has a fever just at the time of delivery or days before. Cesarean section does not reduce the incidence of the disease.
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There is no evidence that the virus is transmitted through breast milk.
What happens to babies born to infected mothers
The Babies of mothers with chikungunya are usually born asymptomatic and then develop fever, pain, rash, and peripheral edema.
Those who become infected in the intrapartum period may also develop neurological disease (eg meningoencephalitis, white matter lesions, cerebral edema and intracranial haemorrhage), haemorrhagic symptoms and myocardial disease.
Warning signs and symptoms
* Bleeding from the nose or gums, vomiting blood or blood in the stool.
*Abdominal pain; It can be accompanied by nausea and vomiting, leading to loss of appetite.
* Altered state of consciousness. Older adults may notice extreme drowsiness or weakness. “They sleep a lot and stop eating and hydrating”; while children may report persistent crying, loss of appetite and general weakness.
How to access the arbovirosis test
*Have a medical indication, whether from the public or private sector, for this it is important that you go to the health facility
*The health professional (physician or graduate in nursing or obstetrics) must complete the mandatory notification sheet.
*With the medical indication, you will go to the laboratory of the nearest health service of the Ministry for the extraction of blood to carry out the arbovirosis test.
The result will be ready after 48 to 72 hours.
