After confirming the second case of the Ômicron variant in Rio de Janeiro and seeing the Covid-19 positivity figure jump from 0.7% to 13% after the holiday season, health authorities discuss restrictions on the Carnival of street in the capital of Rio de Janeiro.
“On Carnival, we are going to analyze the data on the increase in the number of cases, the maintenance of hospitalizations and the reduction in the number of deaths. So that we can, in fact, make a safe, epidemiological decision. But with this panorama, it is more and more difficult for us to have a Carnival without any kind of restrictions”, revealed the Municipal Health Secretary of Rio, Daniel Soranz.
Riotur confirmed having received around 500 requests for blocks to be disaffiliated in the Rio de Janeiro capital during Carnival. But due to the worsening of the pandemic, there is uncertainty about whether or not to carry out the parades. Banda de Ipanema and Bloco Preta Gil have already announced that they will not participate in the party this year.
To try to reach a conclusion, representatives of blocks are meeting this Tuesday (4), at 5 pm, with the mayor of Rio, Eduardo Paes. The meeting will count with the presence of the secretary, who does not rule out the possibility of taking steps backwards in the flexible measures adopted in the city, if necessary.
The Municipal Health Department already confirms the community transmission of Ômicron in the city. “There are two cases that we already have the result of genotyping, they are confirmed, but we have 182 cases with a very high probability of being micron. In most of these cases, we are unable to define, in fact, where this person became infected. So, we already consider the city of Rio de Janeiro that has a local spread of the Ômicron variant, an increase in the number of cases per Ômicron variant. It’s easy to see why we have an increase in the positivity of Covid-19 tests”, he explained.
Soranz, however, explains that the epidemiological panorama of Rio is still favorable with regard to admissions and deaths caused by Covid-19. “Fortunately, it seems that it is being confirmed that the Ômicron variant does not increase hospitalizations and does not increase severe cases, but it is still too early to say. We will be analyzing these numbers over the next few days in order to be able to take a decision in relation to protective measures, but also to take a decision in relation to Carnival”, he revealed.
The secretary took the opportunity to make an appeal for the population to continue following the rules that are already in force. “I need people to wear a mask indoors, something that people are seeing is not always happening, for people to continue charging for the health passport…”, he explained. Soranz also remembers the importance of the booster dose on time. “Currently 30% of Cariocas have already taken the third dose. This is the main strategy to prevent the advance of the Ômicron variant”, he concluded.
Reference: CNN Brasil
