UPAs in Caxias report a 300% increase in the number of people with influenza symptoms | Rio de Janeiro

At UPA Beira Mar, in Caxias, during the night of Wednesday (1) the demand for assistance was very high. And this Thursday morning, traffic was already picking up around 7:30 a.m.

Patient William, who arrived early at the unit, said he was unable to go to work. The patient, who did not receive the vaccine during the middle of the year, said: “I had a severe headache, a high fever in my body, and my eyes hurt a lot. Today, unfortunately, I could not go to work.” Campaign. William had already undergone an examination, and was awaiting treatment at UPA Beira Mar.

The seller, Clayton de Oliveira, complained of a headache, fever, body aches and a lot of pain in his chest when he coughed. He said he was unable to get help in São João de Merete, in Baixada Fluminense, so he went looking for UPA Beira Mar, in Caxias.

The patient complained, “UPA and PAM in São João de Merete are closed. The UPA in Jardim Iris does not provide decent care.”

According to the information received from the patients, there was only one doctor working in the unit. Complaints about capacity and delays in service were also common at UPA Parque Lafaiete and UPA Pediátrica Walter Garcia Borges.

The Caxias Ministry of Health reported that this year’s influenza vaccination coverage has not been good. Less than 50% of the target audience – children, pregnant women, and the elderly – have not received the vaccine.

Influenza vaccination is carried out at Duque de Caxias stations from 8:00 am to 3:00 pm, Monday through Saturday.

Queues drop in Rio de Janeiro

In Benha, in the northern region of Rio, after three days of great amplitude, on Thursday morning, there was much less movement. Average service time is 20-30 minutes and there were no queues.

On Wednesday, at the UPA in Madureira, the movement of influenza patients was very large. The unit was full and patients had to wait two to three hours for care.

At the Injinho Novo unit, in the northern district, the wait was so long on Wednesday that patients ended up lying on the floor of the waiting room, which was quite full. The Tijuca UPA, also in the Northern District, was also crowded.

This Thursday, at the UPA in Copacabana, the movement was also very quiet, during the morning. Unlike the day before, when the UPA was full and service was delayed.

According to the Rio Health Department, in 90% of units there were no records of Covid cases, which indicates the spread of influenza A virus throughout the city.

Rio’s special units are also seeing a large movement of patients with flu symptoms. In the city, about 40% of the population has not been vaccinated against influenza.