Panel SA: Demand for a test to detect dengue grows

The surge in dengue cases in recent weeks has boosted the market for tests to detect the disease.

Medical products company MedLevensohn reported a 300% increase in sales of its two types of dengue tests between April and May and says it had to request emergency shipments from suppliers.

At DB Diagnósticos, the increase was 72% in the number of tests performed from January to April, in addition to an increase of 86% in the number of positives compared to the same period last year. According to the laboratory, the average of positives was 46%.

The South and Midwest regions were the ones that showed the most increase in positive cases, according to the laboratory, which also observed a growth of approximately 70% in tests for chikungunya in the period. Disease diagnoses doubled on the same basis of comparison.

In Dasa’s laboratories, dengue cases also advanced.

In Rio de Janeiro, in April, positive results accounted for 38% of the tests performed. In May, the volume jumped to 69% in the accumulated from May until this Monday (23). In São Paulo, the positivity index rose from almost 47% to 54% on the same basis of comparison.

Joana Cunha with andressa Motter and Paulo Ricardo Martins