Fourth wave: Amazonas returns to the orange phase of Covid-19 and sees significant increase in infections

Orange phase represents the moderate risk of Covid-19 transmissibility and requires attention (Dado Ruvic/Reuters)

July 12, 2022

15:07

Bruno Pacheco – Amazon Agency

MANAUS – Exactly ten days after entering the yellow phase of the pandemic, low risk for transmission of the virus, the Amazonas has returned to the orange phase of Covid-19, on Monday, 11, according to the Health Surveillance Foundation of Amazonas – Dr. Rosemary Costa Pinto (FVS-RCP). Since March this year, the state was not at this level, which represents the moderate risk of transmissibility of the disease and requires attention. The measure was installed amid the fourth wave of the coronavirus experienced by Manaus and the countryside municipalities, already warned by experts.

See also: AM has increase in cases of Covid-19 with Manaus experiencing fourth wave and ‘silent flu’, alert experts

According to FVS-AM, the daily moving average of cases of Covid-19 in Amazonas increased from 48 to 411 in the 14-day period (June 22 to July 5). The data represent a 756% increase and can be found in the new bulletin of the Epidemiological Situation of Covid-19 in the State, available at this link. In the same period of time, the folder observed a 692% increase (from 39 to 309 cases) in the average daily number of cases recorded in Manaus, and a 1,033% increase (from nine to 102 cases) in the countryside.

In a note, the foundation highlighted that the change of phase also occurs because of the increase in the occupancy of hospital beds, Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and clinical beds, public and private health networks intended for patients with Covid-19. “From June 22 to July 5, the occupancy varied from five to 12 ICU beds and from ten to 57 clinical beds. In the same period of 14 days analyzed, there were two deaths, in Manaus, which occurred on June 26 and July 4”, said the FVS-AM.

Asked if he intends to adopt tougher restrictions to combat Covid-19 with the return of the “orange phase”, such as, for example, determine mandatory return of the use of masks indoors and outdoors, the FVS-RCP highlighted that the use of respiratory protection masks is optional and the recommendation of the use of this equipment, in any environment, is for people 70 years or older, as well as people with comorbidities, immunosuppressed and with flu symptoms.

“The FVS-RCP stresses the importance of Municipal Health Secretariats intensifying efforts to vaccinate the population against Covid-19 and also to expand the supply of diagnostic tests in health units. The FVS-RCP continues to monitor daily the indicators of Covid-19 and, at any sign of resurgence of the disease, alerts will be issued”, emphasized the folder.

Fourth wave

In June this year, the scientist and epidemiologist Jesem Orellana, from Fiocruz Amazônia, anticipated to AMAZON AGENCY that the fourth wave of the Covid-19 was already in Manaus. According to the specialist, the increase in the number of pandemic cases was expected, given the constant evolution of the new coronavirus, in particular, the most contagious mutations, such as the descendants of the Ômicron variant and the relaxations fostered by health authorities.

“The fact that we are seeing this curve of increase in severe cases in the fourth wave proves that we were already having thousands of cases in the community for a longer time and they were simply going blank in the official statistics, which characterizes a silent or hidden epidemic, as we saw at the turn of 2021 to 2022, when suddenly the hospitalizations began to increase”, Orellana stressed, in June, to AMAZON AGENCY.

In addition, Orellana highlighted that the number of people still without vaccine or with incomplete scheme, especially, of the booster doses, implies the increase of cases of Covid-19 in Amazonas, due to the immunizers being important to combat variants such as Omicron. “These numbers of new cases must be largely under-reported or not reflecting the real strength of viral circulation in the State of Amazonas”, Jesem Orellana said at the time.

For the epidemiologist, Amazonas should have imposed the mandatory use of masks in closed environments weeks ago, as in public transportation, shopping malls, and commerce in general, besides schools, universities, fairs, markets or closed environments with high contagion potential.

Covid-19 and vaccine

With the increase of Covid-19 cases in Amazonas, the FVS-RCP released the application of the fourth dose of the vaccine against the virus for people over 18 years who have taken the third dose at least four months ago. The locations with schedules and vaccines available can be found on the website of Semsa and also in the social networks of the secretariat (@semsamanaus on Instagram and Semsa Manaus on Facebook).