The pandemic leaves more than 18 thousand deaths worldwide
Three months after the COVID-19 and coronavirus epidemic began in China in December 2019, more than 400,000 cases and 18,000 deaths have already been recorded worldwide. Experts nearly agree that this number will rise considerably in the coming months.
In Brazil, more than 2,200 cases and 47 deaths from COVID-19 have been confirmed. It's important to emphasize one detail: These figures refer to a scenario that developed over a period of approximately two weeks, counting from the confirmation of community transmission of the infection in the cities of São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro.
It's just the tip of the iceberg.
Research from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, England, estimates that the cases reported in Brazil represent approximately only 11% of the real number.
Researchers call attention to the fact that Brasília, although it has a smaller number of cases compared to São Paulo to date, has a higher risk of infection when taking into account the size of the population that can contract the infection, and not exclusively the number of cases.
COVID-19 and Coronavirus
"We are experiencing an unprecedented global public health crisis. The restrictive measures adopted in several countries, based on scientific studies, have yielded concrete results. Believe in science! It can help us reduce suffering and save lives. Stay home," reads the article written by some of the country's most respected and experienced health experts.
The cited article was published this Wednesday and is signed by Afrânio Kritski (UFRJ), Domingos Alves (USP), Guilherme Werneck (UFRJ), Mauro Sanchez (UnB), Rafael Galilez (UFRJ), Roberto Medronho (UFRJ) and Ivan Zimmermann (UnB).
They further emphasize that "any delay in implementing these measures could have very serious repercussions, with an increasing number of deaths and a substantial increase in the difficulty of controlling transmission in the medium and long term. Therefore, it is essential that everyone stays home. We reiterate the importance of science in preserving human life."
And they explained that the decision of the federal government of no longer register suspected cases after community transmission was declared nationwide. The reason is simple. Without suspected cases, it is much more difficult to assess the progression of the epidemic and the effects of the control actions implemented.. The population will have no way of knowing what is actually happening in the country, the researchers explain.
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