In 2024, the number of notifications and confirmed cases of dengue will increase in Santa Maria. According to the panel updated by the State Department of Health, the municipality has already issued 744 notifications of possible cases of the disease. From a quantitative perspective, 219 diagnoses were confirmed, 276 are still under investigation and 245 were discarded. To date, only four tests have been classified as inconclusive by the Central Laboratory of Rio Grande do Sul (Lacen), linked to the State Health Surveillance Center (Cevs).
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In an interview with Diário, the superintendent of Health Surveillance, Alexandre Streb, spoke about the scenario:
– It is a number that puts us on alert, but in proportion to the other municipalities in Greater Porto Alegre and some in the North, we are still in a favorable situation. We were able to achieve more effective control. That doesn’t mean we can relax. With more than 200 cases, we really need the population to do their part and at least once a week, dedicate 10 minutes to look at the patio, take care of cleaning, see if there are any containers with water accumulation, among other measures. There are a lot of cares. 80% of the result is in the removal of stagnant water. So, this is an appeal that we make.
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In 2023, Santa Maria recorded a widespread outbreak of dengue, with more than 8,400 cases and five deaths. Before that, the municipality had never recorded more than 250 confirmed cases. To prevent the scenario from repeating itself, several actions are being taken in 2024.
The planning involves home visits, responding to complaints and spraying insecticides in neighborhoods in the West Region, where a greater number of mosquito outbreaks have been recorded in recent years. At the beginning of March, a joint effort to combat the Aedes Aegypti mosquito was carried out. The initiative took place in partnership with the Brazilian Army and the Federal University of Santa Maria (UFSM). According to Streb, the task force carries out actions during a pre-determined period, as was done in May 2023. Throughout the year, other measures are adopted.
– We have larvicide, which is to kill the larva before it evolves into a mosquito, and insecticide, which is a chemical product, to kill the adult mosquito. Either of the two has technical criteria, such as being applied in places where a mosquito infestation has previously been verified or where cases have been reported as positive. In these locations, a technical study is carried out to apply the chemical or biological product. But this is done all year round. There is no cessation. Our endemic agents work throughout the year, with visits and guidance in homes – comments Streb.
Do your part!
- Always keep the water tank closed
- Fill pots and plant pots with sand up to the brim.
- Don’t let rainwater accumulate in containers
- Keep barrels and water barrels covered
- Store bottles upside down
- Collect your waste
- Use repellent
- Use insecticide in dark places (near the ground and near a swimming pool)
- Be careful with swimming pools, especially plastic ones
- For reports of stagnant water, call (55) 3174-1581
Symptoms and diagnosis
When experiencing symptoms characteristic of dengue, seek medical attention. The guidance seeks to prevent the worsening of the condition and, consequently, death as a result of the disease. Symptoms are high fever lasting two to seven days, pain behind the eyes, headache, body and joint pain, vomiting, diarrhea and general malaise. In some cases, the patient may experience red patches on the skin, with or without itching.
According to the Secretary of Health of Santa Maria, Guilherme Ribas, currently, Dengue test results have taken less than a day to be released.
–Currently, it takes 3 to 6 hours. In urgency and emergency units, notification, request and examination are carried out. They do not release the patient until the results are out. In Primary Care, when there is a suspected case, notification is made. The user should not wait for the week’s collection. He needs to go to a laboratory immediately. As the test takes 3 to 6 hours, they are asked to return to the healthcare facility the next day. If it is positive, the team will begin clinical treatment – says Ribas.
Dengue in Santa Maria
- Number of notifications – 744
- Confirmed cases – 219
- Under investigation – 276
- Inconclusive cases – 4
- Discarded – 245
- Deaths – 0
Data updated on March 28, 2024
Source: State Dengue Case Panel
