As of Saturday morning (19), the number of people confirmed with coronavirus was 19. In total, the state has 228 suspected cases.
Two cases of community transmission of the coronavirus have now been confirmed in Rio de Janeiro. This situation occurs when it is no longer possible to identify the chain of infection of a virus. This means the virus continues to circulate freely among the population. In São Paulo, two cases of this type of transmission have already been confirmed.
Until now, there had only been records of local transmission or imported cases, where the source of the infection could be identified.
Virus in Rio
As of Saturday morning (19), in Rio de Janeiro, the number of confirmed cases of people with the disease was 19. In total, the state has 228 suspected cases.
Initially, Rio de Janeiro only had imported cases of the infection. This situation encompasses people who travel or have contact with someone who has come from outside the state. As of Thursday (12), there was only one confirmed case of an infected patient who had not left the state.
According to the state health secretary, the virus is currently circulating only in the city of Rio de Janeiro. There is one confirmed case each in Niterói and Barra Mansa.
Prevention measures
According to the government, the need for preventive measures exists because it prevents the number of infected people from increasing.
Without preventive measures, the likelihood is that one person with the virus will infect three others. But with proper protective measures in place, the government expects that one person infected will infect only one other person.
The municipal and state governments of Rio de Janeiro announced this Friday (13) measures to prevent the spread of Covid-19, the new coronavirus. Starting Monday (16), events with large gatherings of people are prohibited and public school classes are canceled.
According to Mayor Marcelo Crivella, previously authorized events will have their permits revoked, and the public will receive refunds. Crivella issued a decree regulating the city's response to the coronavirus.
The city government also determined the attention stage, the third on a scale of five monitoring levels.
Governor Wilson Witzel created a Crisis Cabinet and issued a decree aimed at preventing crowds in the city. The measures, he said, will be in effect for 15 days and will be reassessed at the end of that period.