The transmission rate of covid-19 in Brazil rose again this month and is the highest since July 2022. The number of cases raises an alert for the possibility of a new wave of the disease worldwide.
According to data from the InfoTracker platform, the transmission rate recorded this Wednesday (9) is 1.18. That is, 100 infected people can transmit the disease to 118 people. On July 25, the rate was 1.19 and since then the number has been falling.
The InfoTracker tool is developed by UNESP, USP and CeMEAI and also calculates the projection for the coming weeks.
For the 15th of November, a public holiday for the Proclamation of the Republic, which takes place on a Tuesday, the estimated rate is 1.35.
A transmission rate above 1 means an acceleration of cases and that each infected person is transmitting the virus to more than one person. Ideally, the rate should be equal to or less than 1.
The increase in cases of the disease has been caused by the emergence of a new subvariant, which is being called BQ.1. This is an offshoot of the ômicron variant, which caused a wave of cases in Brazil between the end of 2021 and the beginning of 2022.
The World Health Organization (WHO) is monitoring the new subvariant, which is already in circulation in about 70 countries. In Brazil, at least five states already register cases of BQ.1.
From October 31 to November 7, Brazil recorded a 4% growth in the number of cases of covid-19.
It is not yet known whether BQ.1 is more or less transmissible and lethal than the previously identified variants. Another point that is being researched is whether existing vaccines provide protection against the omicron branch.
Vaccination
The Ministry of Health begins to distribute this Thursday (9) vaccines for children from 6 months to 3 years of age. At this first moment, 12 states will receive Pfizer immunizers.
The use of the vaccine for this public was approved by Anvisa on September 16, but so far, no immunizing agent has been applied to the group.
The doses that will be distributed, 1 million in total, were received by the Ministry of Health on October 27.
The priority, according to the folder’s guidelines, should be for children of the age group covered who have comorbidities.
*Published by Carolina Cerqueira, with information from Diego Barros and Iara Maggioni
Source: CNN Brasil
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