The race for Covid tests in pharmacies seems to have cooled down. The new survey by Abrafarma (pharmaceutical retail association) points to a drop in both the volume of tests performed and positive diagnoses.
In the first week of February, there were 450,000 tests compared to the previous seven days. The number of positives fell by almost 40%, to 165,500 in the period.
The downward trend had already been observed in the last week of January.
According to the entity, despite the slowdown, the percentage of positive cases is well above the average of 18.7% recorded in 2021.
The situation of positive cases is more critical in Northeastern states, where about half of the rapid tests performed show positive results. This is the case of Sergipe, Alagoas, Bahia and Pernambuco. In the North region, Roraima stands out with a percentage of 73% of diagnoses for the disease.
Joana Cunha with andressa Motter and Ana Paula Branco
your subscription can be worth even more
Do you already know the advantages of being a Folha subscriber? In addition to having access to reports and columns, you have exclusive newsletters (find out here). You can also download our free app from the Apple Store or Google Play to receive alerts on the top news of the day. Your subscription helps us to make independent and quality journalism. Thanks!
your subscription is worth a lot
More than 180 reports and analyzes published each day. A team with more than 120 columnists. A professional journalism that supervises the public power, conveys useful and inspiring news, counterpoints the intolerance of social networks and draws a clear line between truth and lie. How much does it cost to help produce this content?
sign the sheet
I have over 8 years of experience in the news industry. I have worked for various news websites and have also written for a few news agencies. I mostly cover healthcare news, but I am also interested in other topics such as politics, business, and entertainment. In my free time, I enjoy writing fiction and spending time with my family and friends.