Amid rain, RS declares emergency for respiratory diseases

The government of Rio Grande do Sul declared, this Friday (3/5), a state of public health emergency throughout the state “to prevent and combat Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SRAG), with an emphasis on children”.

This decision takes place in the midst of a state of public calamity, which was decreed by Governor Eduardo Leite (PSDB) due to the impacts caused by the rains, which affected more than 350 thousand people, leaving people dead, missing and thousands displaced.

SRAGs correspond to cases of hospitalization due to respiratory conditions, largely caused by influenza (influenza) and Covid-19.

Read the decree in full here.

The state of emergency is valid for 120 days, that is, it should end in August 2024. However, it is worth noting that it can be extended, depending on the evolution of epidemiological data.

“The indicators justify the declaration of a state of emergency, as they demonstrate that there has been a significant increase in diseases caused by respiratory viruses and an increase in demand for emergency services. These factors may represent a high risk for the population, given the potential for exceeding the response capacity, especially in the pediatric area”, highlights the government.

According to data from the RS Health Department, the main respiratory viruses identified in 2024 that caused hospitalizations were:

• Covid-19 (54%)
• Influenza A (24%)
• RSV (20%)

The viruses that caused deaths were:

• Covid-19 (85%)
• Influenza A (13%)
• RSV (0.7%)

Respiratory diseases in RS

Until epidemiological week 17 (from January 1st to April 29th, 2023 and from December 31st, 2023 to April 27th, 2024), the following were recorded in total:

Hospitalizations and deaths due to SARS
2023: 4,479 cases – 720 deaths
2024: 3,996 cases – 417 deaths

Hospitalizations and deaths from SARS caused by respiratory viruses in 2024
2,025 cases
289 deaths

Hospitalizations and deaths from SARS caused by Covid-19
2023: 1,681 cases – 413 deaths
2024: 1,087 cases – 247 deaths

Hospitalizations and deaths from SARS caused by influenza
2023: 253 cases – 34 deaths
2024: 494 cases – 37 deaths

Hospitalizations and deaths from SARS caused by RSV
2023: 664 cases – 7 deaths
2024: 397 cases – 2 deaths