Source:
http://diario1.com/nacionales/2020/...a-de-letalidad-de-neumonias-sigue-en-ascenso/
June 24, 2020
Deaths and fatality rate of pneumonia continues to rise
The number of deaths from pneumonia is higher than in 2019 and the case fatality rate continues to rise week after week.
Luis Duarte
The Ministry of Health (MINSAL) reports a new increase in the case fatality rate of pneumonia in El Salvador, in addition to its latest weekly epidemiological report, corresponding to the period from June 7 to 13, registering 522 new cases of the disease and 46 deaths .
Those 46 new deaths bring the total number of victims to 450 this year alone, while during the same period in June 2019 there were 403 victims (47 fewer).
The comparative statistics of the last epidemiological week reported (June 7 to 13) and the previous report (May 31 to June 5).
The comparative statistics of the last epidemiological week reported (June 7 to 13) and the previous report (May 31 to June 5).
The case fatality rate has also risen from 12.2% in the previous epidemiological week (May 31 to June 5) to 12.9% until the last reported week (June 7 to 13).
The MINSAL report also indicates that the case fatality rate in hospitals "is higher for 2020 (12.9%) compared to the case fatality rate for 2019 (7.2%)". In other words, compared to the same period in 2019, the rate has increased by 5.7%.
MINSAL also warns that "67% (303 people) of deaths occur in adults over 60 years of age."
This is the total number of pneumonia cases by age group and department (Graphic).
In addition, MINSAL confirms that in the week of June 7 to 13 there were 522 cases of pneumonia more than in the previous week (May 31 to June 5), totaling already 9,174 cases treated for this disease so far this year. .
In recent weeks there has been an increase in deaths from pneumonia, which also coincides with an upturn in more cases and deaths from coronavirus (COVID-19), although health authorities warned that this increase in statistics is characteristic of the effects of the rainy season in the population.
To this is added that the suspected cases of COVID-19 are not a priority in the tests carried out by the Government to rule out or confirm the presence of the virus; The same goes for those who die with symptoms of the disease originated in China.
The Executive has recognized that due to this lack of evidence in suspected cases and deaths - many due to atypical pneumonia - there is an underreporting of victims of coronavirus, which has not yet been calculated.
10 thousand IRA cases in one week
On the other hand, acute respiratory infections (ARI) are also on the rise, a factor that could be attributed to the rainy season in the country, as mentioned by representatives of the Health portfolio weeks ago.
In total, this year 653,734 cases of ARI are registered. Compared to the previous week, from May 31 to June 6, there was an increase of 10,969 cases, according to official figures.
The most affected departments are San Salvador (240,844 cases), La Libertad (74,748), Santa Ana (46,495), Sonsonate (44,670), Usulut?n (39,632) and San Miguel (36,956).
Acute respiratory infections mostly affect children aged 1 to 4 years (Graphic)
While the age groups most affected are those aged between 1 and 4 years (105,170 cases), adults between 20 and 29 years (98,894) and minors between 5 and 9 years (86,107).
ARIs range from colds (rhinitis), sinusitis, ear infections, pharyngitis, to bronchiolitis or pneumonia. According to medical experts, these can last less than two weeks and start suddenly.
