05/22/2020 - 15:16
- Clarín.com
- World
The new coronavirus emerged in Wuhan, China, and was spreading throughout the world. First it hit Asia, out of proximity. In February it already had an impact in Europe and soon after in the United States. Now, cases are multiplying in Latin America, mainly in Brazil, the largest country in the region and in which Jair Bolsonaro, its president, is opposed to establishing a quarantine because he considers COVID-19 "a flu".
This Friday, the World Health Organization (WHO) assured that South America is "a new epicenter" of the pandemic , in particular Brazil, the most affected country. "South America has become a new epicenter of the disease. We are seeing the number of cases increase in many South American countries," WHO chief emergency officer Michael Ryan said in a conference call from Geneva.
"There is a lot of concern around those countries, but clearly the most affected at the moment is Brazil, " Ryan said. It is that by COVID-19 more than 20 thousand people have already died in Brazil, according to the latest balance that also marked a new record of deaths in 24 hours, with 1,188 on Thursday.
Meanwhile, Brazil has already registered more than 310,000 cases, although experts say that the lack of diagnostic tests implies that the numbers are probably higher. According to the Ministry of Health, which has already changed its responsibility twice during the pandemic, the number of deaths - the world's sixth - has doubled in 11 days.
"Most of the cases are from the Sao Paulo region. But in terms of percentages, the highest rates are found in Amazonas: about 450 infected people per 100,000 inhabitants, which means a fairly high percentage," said Ryan.
In addition, during the meeting, the WHO also indicated that it does not support the decision of the Brazilian Government to approve the use of chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine for the treatment of COVID-19, because there is no scientific evidence that establishes that it is a safe and effective medicine against this disease.
"The clinical evidence does not support the use of this medication and it is not recommended at least until clear clinical trial results are available," Ryan said. And he added that the investigations of the WHO regional office for the Americas, known as the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), have not reached conclusions that would recommend it either.
The Ministry of Health of Brazil published this Wednesday, at Bolsonaro's indication, a protocol for the treatment of patients with coronavirus, which covers the use of chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine in mild cases.
Chloroquine is a medicine widely known as an antimalarial and to treat rheumatic diseases, and hydroxychloroquine is its derivative (they have the same components), but it is considered to be better tolerated.
Ryan recalled that there is no evidence to support its utility as a treatment or as prophylaxis, that is, to prevent the new coronavirus. "Some regulatory authorities have advised that this medication should be reserved for the clinical setting and (its eventual use should be made) under close medical supervision for the side effects it may have in seriously ill patients, such as cardiac complications and arrhythmias," the doctor said.
The WHO, Ryan added, is assisting the Government of Brazil in its fight against the pandemic.
With information from EFE
