The Ministry of Health issued an alert on the morning of this Thursday, March 9 due to the increase in the number of Acute Respiratory Infections (ARI). According to the entity, the country would not have sufficient capacity to serve the citizens affected by it.
In dialogue with RCN Radio, the Vice Minister of Health, Luis Alberto Martínez, warned that children are the most vulnerable national population, especially in the largest cities of the national territory.
“We do not have enough supply to care for children, especially in large cities, because they have been closing and that is another situation that we have to correct structurally, in order to have adequate care centers permanently with doctors and pediatricians who meet the needs of this population,” the official told the Bogotá radio station.
And it is that, according to the most recent epidemiological bulletin published by the National Institute of Health (INS), 51 probable deaths due to Acute Respiratory Infections in children under five years of age were reported in the country.
Of that number, according to the INS, two were confirmed, five ruled out, and 44 are under study, which meant a mortality rate of 1.13 per 100,000 children under five years of age.
“A decrease in the number of cases was observed in Antioquia and Córdoba compared to the historical corresponding to epidemiological week 08 between 2016 and 2022. In the remaining territorial entities, no variations were observed,” added the National Institute of Health.
In dialogue with RCN Radio, the Compensar EPS pediatric pulmonologist, Ingrid Rodríguez, assured that during the winter seasons of March and May and October and the first weeks of December, new peaks of respiratory diseases will be registered in the country due to the meteorological conditions.
Taking into account the panorama, the specialist advised Colombians before the microphones of the station to follow the following recommendations:
– Optimize hand washing.
– Use the mask if there are respiratory symptoms.
– And maintain care at home in case of symptoms of the common cold, flu or acute respiratory infection to prevent an increase in infections.
“The main recommendation is to try to learn to recognize the simple symptoms of the common cold; What can be done is to care for children at home if they have signs of flu or diarrhea with acetaminophen to manage fever, offer soft food and fluids frequently, as well as clean the nose with saline nasal spray. On the other hand, encourage and teach frequent hand washing and use of face masks in people over two years of age when they present symptoms,” the pediatrician concluded in her interview with the same outlet.
Bogotá three years after the first case of covid-19 confirmed in the city
In other health news, last Wednesday, February 8, Bogotá celebrated its three-year anniversary since the first case of covid-19 was confirmed in the city. As part of the commemoration, the District donated some items used to attend the health emergency to the National Museum.
According to the Bogotá Ministry of Health, among the items they donated was a mechanical ventilator used by one of the city’s hospitals.
“This equipment belonged to the Integrated North Health Services Subred, it was used in the care of the COVID-19 pandemic in the Suba Hospital Intensive Care Unit and saved the lives of hundreds of patients who were admitted with respiratory failure and they had to be intubated to receive assisted ventilation,” the entity explained.
These elements, as the District stressed, “are part of the history of medical care during the pandemic.” with Infobae