The Ministry of Public Health (MSP) issued a statement on Tuesday in which he warned the population about some false messages that circulate on WhatsApp about a “new Covid variant – Ómicron XBB”. The portfolio indicated that the information that went viral “has not been issued” by it “and therefore It is not official”.
Although the “sublineage” of omicron exists, it does not circulate in Uruguay nor is it a “variant”, they explained from the MSP.
What do those fake messages that were forwarded through various devices say? Both use the ministry as a source and they mention it in the first line.
One of them claims that wallet “already published” about the emergence of a “new contagious strain” and that “goes to the lung, not to the nasopharynx, for this reason the swab is negative”. “Please in public transport and closed places we have to wear a chinstrap! Take care of us all!!! Thank you and if you can forward it”, sustains the text.
WhatsApp screenshot.
Message that circulated with false information
The other also advises the use of a mask “because the new variant of the coronavirus COVID-Omicron XBB it’s different, deadly and not easy to detect correctly”.
It is also mentioned that the “strain” is not found in the nasopharyngeal region, but directly affects the lungs “for a relatively short period of time.” “Several patients diagnosed with Covid-Omicron XBB were classified as no fever and no pain, but x-rays showed mild chest pneumonia”, details the false writing that circulates in networks.
WhatsApp screenshot.
Message that circulated with false information
official information
“The portfolio authorities urge the population to reject this type of message and inform yourself through the official channels of the ministry in a timely manner as well as through reliable sources of information,” said the statement from the ministry released yesterday Tuesday.
In this sense, from the MSP they clarified to The Observer that this sublineage of the omicron variant —not a strain or a new variant— does exist and is being studied worldwide, as reported, but it has not yet been detected in Uruguay. “There is no scientific evidence not enough analysis to identify the behavior” of the sublineagesaid the official notice of the MSP.
increase in cases
On the other hand, the Secretary of State has observed an increase in covid-19 cases recorded in your weekly report.
In the week of November 20-26, there were 1,026 active cases and 988 new cases confirmed (8.0% of positive tests). In those seven days there were seven deaths and as of Saturday, November 26, there were eight people in CTI with covid positive (1.0% of occupied beds).
These figures increased in the week of November 27 to December 3: 1,490 active cases (+464) and 1,527 new confirmed cases (+539). The percentage of positive tests went from 8% to 11.6% and the number of beds occupied in CTI due to covid-19 rose from 1.0% to 1.5%, since as of Saturday, December 3, there were 12 people hospitalized. The deceased, on the other hand, decreased, since four were registered.
| latest report on #coronavirus #COVIDー19 in Uruguay corresponding to epidemiological week 49, from November 27 to December 3, 2022 | pic.twitter.com/kErwmYy2PP
— MSP – Uruguay (@MSPUruguay) December 5, 2022
As the MSP had announced at the end of November, in March next year there will be a new reinforcement in vaccination against covid-19 for immunocompromised people and over 50 years.
