Co-infection, a simultaneous contamination by two types of virus, is a phenomenon frequently observed in disease outbreaks, according to Rômulo Neris, a virologist at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), in an interview with CNN this Tuesday night (4).
At least six Brazilian states registered cases of double contamination by the coronavirus and the influenza virus, known as “Flurona”, according to a survey by CNN Agency with the state health departments. They are: Ceará, Rio Grande do Norte, Mato Grosso do Sul, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo and Bahia; Santa Catarina investigates possible cases of coinfection.
According to Neris, this phenomenon has been registered since the beginning of the pandemic, not necessarily with these two viruses. During the Zika and Chikungunya epidemics, there were several cases of co-infection between the diseases, also according to the virologist.
“We need to emphasize that it is not a single virus that does this, nor a new virus. It’s a natural phenomenon”, he said.
He warns that it is necessary to expand the capacity for testing and sanitary surveillance to understand how this can actually affect Brazil.
Neris also stated that it is not possible to be sure whether the co-infection causes more serious conditions, but that the main risk group continues to be older people.
Ômicron and Carnival
Rômulo Neris said during the interview that the Ômicron variant is a concern, as, considering previous moments of the pandemic, Brazil is a “mirror” of what happens in other countries, but with a time difference.
There is a “boom” of cases in several places on the planet due to the new variant. In the United States, for example, more than one million cases of Covid were registered in 24 hours on Monday (3).
“We know that Ômicron is circulating in Brazil, but we still don’t have the dimension. Even with the decrease in deaths due to vaccination, a movement that has occurred since last year, it is possible that there is an increase [na quantidade de mortes] due to the large number of infections”, said the virologist.
According to the researcher, most hospitalizations and deaths due to Covid-19 occur in individuals who have not had the complete vaccine cycle, and it is necessary to take three doses of immunizing agents against the disease, as they generate a greater degree of protection.
About Carnival, Neris said it is a “difficult, but right” decision. “We have seen an increase in cases of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome [SRAG], not only for Covid, but also for the flu. Promoting, in about 50 days, another national agglomeration could undermine our efforts to control the number of cases”, he pointed out.
Finally, the virologist stated that vaccinating children against Covid-19 is “fundamental”. He stressed that immunization helps to protect a large number of people, and that, although hospitalizations and deaths of children from the disease are not so significant, they still happen, being a reason for the group’s vaccination.
Furthermore, he explained that new variants are created whenever the virus multiplies. Thus, the emergence of a new strain capable of infecting children more quickly and with greater severity is possible, with immunization being essential. “There is nothing to fear. As soon as possible, vaccinate your children”, he concluded.
Reference: CNN Brasil
