Rising cases of severe acute respiratory syndrome fill children’s hospitals

The country has been facing a high number of hospitalizations caused by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) in children; the numbers have been recorded in 13 of the 27 Brazilian states.

Amazonas, Alagoas, Amapá, Bahia, Ceará, Espírito Santo, Maranhão, Pará, Paraíba, Piauí, Rio Grande do Norte, Rondônia and Sergipe, registered a large increase in cases.

In Piauí, the Hospital Infantil Lucídio Portella (HILP) had to reorganize the beds in order to try to help as many children as possible. The hospital’s on-duty pediatrician, Ramon Nunes, comments on the changes: “They are bronchiolitis in babies up to two years old, with severe acute respiratory syndromes, and also in older children, which required the hospital to need new beds to reorganize the wards”.

The state of Amapá is currently asking for help, there are more than 200 children hospitalized, 30 intubated, and two obtained registered. The pediatric population suffers from the numbers that have been increasing significantly.

_{Ramon Nunes, pediatrician at the HILP in Piauí. (Photo: Reproduction/ Ascom/ Gov)}

According to the survey, the state showed an increase of 53% in the increase in cases of flu-like illness, and 300% in the most serious cases, compared to the same period last year.

The picture caused by the Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), is the main cause of diseases such as: bronchiolitis (inflammation that prevents the arrival of oxygen to the lungs), influenza A and B, rhinovirus and Covid-19.

We emphasize the importance of vaccination, as it is noteworthy that only 16% of children in Amapá aged between 6 months and 6 years have the complete vaccination schedule. Even though they are made available free of charge by the government, Brazil has the lowest levels of adherence in the last 30 years.

Symptoms

– High fever;

– Persistent cough;

– Difficulty breathing;

– Chiado in the chest;

– Apnea;

– Cyanosis (bluish discoloration of the skin, due to lack of blood oxygenation);

– Groaning;

– Prostration;

– Thoracic Retraction.

Feature Photo: Child receiving help with inhalation to cope with breathing difficulties. Playback/ CNN.