The positive rate of tests for Covid in January reached 60% in diagnostic laboratories linked to Abramed (Brazilian Association of Diagnostic Medicine), an entity that brings together services in all states of the country. This means that, for every ten tests carried out in the associated laboratories, six were positive for the coronavirus.
This index was recorded in the last week of the month, which ended on the 30th. A total of 390,000 tests were carried out between the 24th and 30th. Abramed estimates that in its survey it gathers 65% of the tests carried out in Brazil.
According to the association released this Wednesday (2), the number of tests in the last week of the month represents an increase of 18% compared to the previous week, when 320,000 tests had been carried out.
On the other hand, the search for flu tests, caused by an epidemic of the influenza A H3N2 virus between December and January, fell by 12% in the same period, with 150 thousand tests for the flu virus carried out in the last week of the month. The influenza positivity rate also dropped in the range: it went from 7.7% to 2.8%.
The peak of confirmed cases of flu, according to the entity’s survey, was in the last week of December, when the positivity rate reached 41%, a situation that has already stabilized in the month of January.
According to the executive director of Abramed, Milva Pagano, the slowing down of the flu epidemic is well evidenced in the data for the last week of January.
“We are monitoring the numbers of exams weekly and we saw with the results until the 30th a clear cooling of the flu outbreak, at the same time that the exams for Covid continue to increase, as well as the positivity rate”, he says.
The simultaneous search for tests for Covid and influenza at the beginning of the year meant that many pharmacies and laboratories ran out of tests for the two respiratory viruses, and the release of the test report in public and private hospitals was taking up to seven days.
As reported by the leaf, the search for medical care in the capital of São Paulo led to long waiting lines and lack of exams in the laboratories. Tests carried out in pharmacies with a positive result for Covid jumped from 500 to 5,000 at the end of the year, an increase from 5% of positivity to 17%.
Due to the high demand, Abramed came to guide that only patients in serious condition seek the tests. This Wednesday (2), the entity said that test stocks are being replenished and that some regions already have normal service.
The release of inputs is made by the board of ports and airports of Anvisa (National Health Surveillance Agency) and, according to Abramed, the agency has facilitated the approval of imported reagents.
“Abramed has been monitoring the scenario daily and will report on updates,” said the entity in a statement.
Source: Folha
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