The area has seen an increase in reported cases in recent weeks, with unions calling on the community to take “extreme hygiene measures”.
August 4, 2023 – 12:34
In recent weeks, epidemiologists have expressed concern about the increase in Covid-19 cases caused by the new Ómicron outbreak, which will lead to an increase in patients with symptoms of respiratory infections, pneumonia and acute diarrhea.
Faced with this situation, the Faculty of Medicine of El Salvador said in a recent statement that people are asked to “maintain and implement hygiene and biosecurity measures, such as washing hands frequently and before eating or preparing food”.
Health experts say the rise in cases could be closely linked to the country’s influx of tourists during the Central American and Caribbean Olympics, so El Salvador would be part of an international trend that they have announced such as the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO). ).
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The Ministry of Health has recorded a total of 796,651 cases of acute respiratory infection so far this year. Another 12,148 cases of pneumonia are being treated in the national network. In the past two months, the authorities have recorded 47 positive cases of Covid-19, only among people seeking medical treatment in the public network.
In the private sector, Jorge Panameño, an infectious disease doctor, confirmed that about 20 patients are being treated in the private sector each week, all cases with moderate symptoms and no need for hospitalization.
Within the framework of the August festivities, the medical community asks people to maintain a careful distance and to avoid gatherings of people due to possible religious, fair or sporting events in the coming days.
It is emphasized that masks must be worn again when going out to avoid contact with carriers of different viruses and bacteria.
Dr. Roberto Eduardo Montoya, president of the Faculty of Medicine of El Salvador, emphasized that “coronavirus will not disappear, it will continue to circulate, maybe we will have fewer cases or fewer deaths, but they will appear.” August 2 “Climate change exacerbates the emergence of diseases”, through a radio interview, when some international alarms were raised at the Central American level in 2019.
In view of cases of death from acute diarrheal symptoms, Dr. “Surprisingly, we have fewer cases of diarrhea than in other years, but more deaths,” Montoya said. Factors that may have affected include late arrivals to medical centers, as well as the patient’s own condition. -drug.
Even Montoya debunked the widely circulated myth that when I had diarrhea I was told to “clean out” my stomach and avoid meds, by pointing out that having diarrhea over six seats or going to the bathroom did not represent a benefit, but a benefit. Complications of stomach infection can dehydrate patients and increase the risk of death.
Dr. Rolando Pajón: “Vaccination remains the most important weapon against hospitalizations and deaths” due to COVID-19
Distributing solidarity packages to families most affected during the pandemic is one of the least transparent points in the El Salvador government’s emergency management. Photo EDH / @EducacionSV
Friction between unions and authorities
Subsequently, the Dean of the Faculty of Medicine emphasized in a statement on August 4 that “the medical union is increasingly outraged by the actions and lack of status of those responsible for health policy”. This comes at a time when the law silences suspended physicians who are unable to continue their professional practice, thereby delaying their educational progress.
“About the illegal labor treatment of doctors. A flagrant violation of freedom of speech, requiring prisoners to delete any information or mentions related to the medical society,” added the director of the union, which has been excluded from a recently established dialogue table to address issues in the sector. outside.
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