Santa Catarina declared a public health emergency following the growing number of cases of respiratory diseases in the state. The measure was made official in the Official Gazette of Santa Catarina this Monday (29).
Santa Catarina declares a state of emergency after the increase in respiratory diseases – Photo: Divulgação/Freepik/ND
The state of emergency
According to the document, decree No. 574 declares the existence of an “abnormal situation”, characterized as a public health emergency throughout the territory.
According to the text, the declaration was made to promote the prevention and confrontation of SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome).
The document also describes that the measure is also motivated by the significant increase in admissions to neonatal, pediatric and adult ICUs (Intensive Care Units). Thus, fulfillment centers are becoming overcrowded. This, according to the decree, represents a high risk to the health of the population.
The decree also gives authorization for the SES/SC (State Department of Health) to request goods and services from private entities and issue complementary rules for the situation.
After all, what is SARS?
According to the Minas Gerais State Health Department, SARS can be defined, in practice, as:
- Individual with at least two of the following signs and symptoms: sudden onset fever (thermometry or not);
- Chills or headache;
- Cough or runny nose (runny nose);
- Sore throat or problems with smell or taste;
- Difficulty or discomfort breathing; or feeling of heaviness or pressure in the chest;
- Or lower blood oxygenation (oxygen saturation < 95%);
- Blue or purplish face or lips.
In children, signs such as:
- Shortness of breathe;
- Dehydration;
- Lower appetite.
Bed occupancy
According to the bed occupancy panel in Santa Catarina, the state already has 93.07% occupancy this Tuesday morning (30).
The region with the highest occupation is Foz do Rio Itajaí, where there is no bed available. Next comes Greater Florianópolis, with 98.19%, and then Planalto Norte with 97.18%.
