The State Government, through the Department of Health (SES), officially declared a state of emergency in public health throughout the territory of Rio Grande do Sul, for the purposes of preventing and combating Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SRAG), with emphasis on children. SARS are cases hospitalized for respiratory conditions, largely caused by the flu viruses (influenza) and covid-19. O decree (No. 57,598) is published in this Friday’s edition (03/05) of the Official State Gazette.
The declaration is justified by indicators that demonstrate a significant increase in diseases caused by respiratory viruses and an increase in demand for emergency services. These factors characterize a high risk to the population due to the potential for extrapolation of response capacity, especially in the pediatric area.
The state of emergency provided for in the Decree is valid for 120 days, lasting until the end of August this year, and may be extended depending on the evolution of epidemiological data. During this period, it is determined that hospital networks that provide services to the Unified Health System (SUS) must adopt urgent administrative measures to prioritize the availability of clinical beds for ventilatory support and Intensive Care Unit (ICU), for cases of SRAG. Municipalities, through city halls, will be able to establish complementary measures, according to their reality.
Epidemiological data
The measure has been studied by SES since last month. Therefore, the indicators used in the analysis are up to the first week of April, with the cuts according to the first 14 epidemiological weeks of each year: from 01/01/23 to 04/08/23 and from 12/31/23 until 04/06/24.
During these periods, a 246% increase in hospitalizations and 130% more deaths from the influenza virus in the State were recorded in 2024. In absolute numbers, this represents that last year there were 76 hospitalizations and 10 deaths, while this year there were 263 hospitalizations and 23 deaths due to the infection.
Another virus of concern in this scenario is the Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), which accounts for the vast majority of hospitalizations in children. In 2024, in an interval of four weeks, from the first of March to the first of April, there was a 343% increase in hospitalizations: from 14 to 62 cases (95% of them in children under five).
The circulation of respiratory viruses is also monitored in the State during outpatient care, without the need for hospitalization. This work takes place through sampling in the so-called Sentinel Units (in Canoas, Caxias do Sul, Passo Fundo, Porto Alegre, Santa Maria, Uruguaiana and Pelotas). In 2024, until the beginning of April, there will be a 710% increase in cases of infection with type A influenza virus compared to last year: from 20 to 162 cases.
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) in RS (up to Week 17*)
*Weeks 1 to 17 of 2023: 01/01/23 to 04/29/23
*Weeks 1 to 17 of 2024: 12/31/23 to 04/27/24
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
Main respiratory viruses identified in 2024
Hospitalizations: 54% covid-19, 24% influenza A and 20% RSV
Deaths: 85% covid-19, 13% influenza A and 0.7% RSV
Hospitalizations and deaths from SARS due to covid-19
2023: 1,681 cases – 413 deaths
2024: 1,087 cases – 247 deaths
Hospitalizations and deaths from influenza SARS
2023: 253 cases – 34 deaths
2024: 494 cases – 37 deaths
Tags: State public health emergency declared due respiratory diseases
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