Slow infection rate before health system is overwhelmed – PAHO Director warns countries

Cases of COVID-19 infections have nearly doubled within the Americas over the past week, prompting calls for countries to institute actions to slow down transmission.

Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) Director Dr Carissa Etienne, during her weekly press briefing on Wednesday, cautioned countries within the region to limit new infections so that health systems do not become overwhelmed.
“Saving lives remains our highest priority. Once again, we must slow down new infections to avoid overwhelming our health systems. Governments must act, guided by evidence, to limit new infections. And we all have a personal responsibility to keep each other safe by following proven public health measures like mask wearing, social distancing, and avoiding large gatherings; by getting vaccinated when it’s our turn, and by getting tested if we suspect that we are sick,” said Dr Etienne.
In the first week of January, cases rose from 3.4 million to 6.1 million. During the week ended January 8, 2021, the Americas had reported a total of 2.4 million cases, while this year, by the same date, there were 6 million reported cases. This represents a 250 per cent increase year on year.
“Infections are accelerating across every corner of the Americas, and once again, our health systems are being challenged as emergency room visits and hospitalisations are rising. Nonetheless, thanks to the protective power of vaccines, COVID deaths are not rising with the current wave of infections,” Dr Etienne has said.
In the Caribbean, Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic are reporting the highest numbers of new infections, although other islands like Jamaica, Aruba, Curaçao and Martinique are also seeing significant jumps in COVID cases. Meanwhile, Belize and Panama are reporting the highest incidents of COVID in Central America.
Further south, Bolivia, Ecuador, Peru, and Brazil are experiencing significant increases in new cases. COVID hospitalisations are also up throughout Brazil, particularly in densely populated states around the central and eastern parts of the country. Dr Etienne has insisted that all eyes are on Omicron, which has reached nearly every country in the world.
“Some countries are already experiencing widespread community transmission as Omicron spreads more quickly than other detected variants, and more likely via airborne transmission in closed spaces. And while Delta is still causing new infections in the Americas, based on current trends, Omicron is on track to become the dominant strain in our region. It also has led to a rise in reinfections, even among those who are fully vaccinated,” Director Etienne said in her briefing.
One of the characteristics that set Omicron apart is the apparently milder symptoms, but she highlighted that Omicron infections can be lethal, especially for the immunocompromised and the unvaccinated.
“The time to act is now, using the many tools we now have at hand. Prioritising symptomatic individuals for testing and making rational use of these resources is critical to catch infections quickly and early, maintaining and reinforcing the public health measures is paramount to slow transmission.”
The PCR and rapid antigen tests recommended by PAHO remain effective at detecting the Omicron variant, and countries should continue existing protocols with rational use of tests. (G12)