PAHO warns that four health emergencies threaten America

The region of America It is threatened by four health emergencies, cholera, polio, COVID-19 and monkeypox, although the latter two have downward trends, warned this Wednesday the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO).

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“There are four health emergencies that threaten our region”said the director of the PAHOCarissa Etienne, in a virtual press conference.

“The resurgence of cholera in Haiti is a reminder of how quickly diseases can spread,” he warned, recalling that just a few months ago, that Caribbean country was about to be declared free of this disease.

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Etienne specified that “The spread of monkeypox appears to be slowing down,” although last week more than 2,300 new infections were reported in the Americas, which with more than 45,000 cases concentrates 63% worldwide.

According to PAHO95% of the cases have been among men and 56% in people with HIV, and have occurred mainly in the United States but also in Brazil, Colombia and Mexico.

On October 4, Brazil was the first country to receive an initial shipment of 9,800 doses of vaccines against the disease, followed by Chile. Other stakeholders include the Bahamas, Belize, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guyana, Honduras, Jamaica, Panama, Peru, and Trinidad and Tobago.

A patient is treated after being diagnosed with monkeypox, on August 24, 2022, at the Cayetano Heredia hospital, in Lima, Peru. (Photo: EFE/ Paolo Aguilar)

COVID-19 in control phase

Regarding the pandemic COVID-19downward trends globally and in the Americas “They are an encouraging sign that we may be moving from the acute phase of the pandemic to a phase of sustained control”estimated the director of the PAHO.

Even so “the pandemic is still with us”, insisted. Proof of this, last week more than 178,000 new cases were registered in the region, where more than 70% of people have been fully vaccinated against the COVID-19.

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The PAHO He stressed the importance of improving vaccination rates, especially among the most vulnerable, and strengthening epidemiological surveillance.

He gave as an example the case of another health emergency, poliomyelitis, which causes paralysis and for which there is no cure or treatment.

In addition to USAwhich reported a case earlier this year, Brazil, the Dominican Republic, Haiti and Peru are in “very high risk” of polio transmission, warned the PAHO.

“Our region is under pressure”which is why you have to “invest and strengthen health systems”, Étienne repeated.

A medical worker attends to a patient who has covid-19 in a negative pressure room in the intensive care ward at UMass Memorial Medical Center in Worcester, Massachusetts, on January 4, 2022. (Photo by Joseph Prezioso / AFP) ( JOSEPH PREZIOSO/)

Concern for Haiti

A country of great concern to the PAHO it is Haitiscene for several weeks of violent demonstrations and looting after the government announced a rise in fuel prices.

More than three years after an epidemic that killed more than 10,000 people, Haiti confirmed until October 9 32 cases and 18 deaths from cholera.

More than 260 suspected cases are pending confirmation in the area surrounding the capital Port-au-Prince and almost a quarter of them have been found in children between 1 and 4 years old, according to the PAHO.

Etienne considers it likely that the figures are lower than the real ones since the cases are concentrated in areas affected by the escalation of violence and gang activity.

“Cholera has arrived in the midst of serious social and political unrest” that “hinder efforts to contain” this outbreak, he warned.

Source: Elcomercio