Lima, Peru: 46.6% of COVID-19 cases in South Lima, Canine rabies risk Outbreak news

 Of the total accumulated positive cases of COVID-19 in Metropolitan Lima (480,438), the jurisdiction of South Lima represents 46.6% (223,972) so far in the pandemic, reported the Directorate of Integrated Health Networks (Diris) South Lima of the Ministry of Health (Minsa).

The executive director of Health Monitoring and Management of the Diris Lima Sur, Oscar Manuel Espejo Fernández, explained that, according to what was reported in the COVID-19 Situation Room of the Diris Lima Sur, as of February 3 of this year, 86.1% of active cases are found in 5 of the 13 districts of this jurisdiction, being Santiago de Surco (994), Villa El Salvador (818), San Juan de Miraflores (744), Villa María del Triunfo (713) and Chorrillos (688) the districts where the increase has been observed since the beginning of January.

Additionally, the specialist pointed out that the number of confirmed cases of this disease compared to the total population shows infections in younger people and adults, while in relation to the fatality rate, the elderly are the most affected, where 1 in 7 die.

In this sense, Diris Lima Sur reported that a series of actions are being carried out that promote the reactivation of the first level of care and the strengthening of community action, especially in the areas most affected by the disease.

“We urge the population to reinforce preventive and protective actions to contain the rapid spread of the virus, through frequent hand washing, correct use of the mask, respect for physical distance of at least one and a half meters, as well as leave home only for what is strictly necessary, “he concluded.

Canine rabies

The Departmental Veterinary Medical College of Lima warned that there is a risk that canine rabies could be reintroduced in the capital.

This situation could be due to the “weakness” of the epidemiological surveillance system in the capital, a vital tool to identify the increase in cases. Last year, in Lima only 11 samples were received and processed for the diagnosis of rabies, when in the capital there are about two million dogs.

“(…) There should be an approximate of four thousand annual samples as epidemiological surveillance, considering the recommendations of the Pan American Health Organization and the current regulations on rabies surveillance in the country,” warns the aforementioned union through of a statement.

This situation is complicated if we take into account that in 2020 the Ministry of Health detected 24 cases of canine rabies in the country, of which 20 corresponded to Arequipa and four to Puno.

Meanwhile, in January of this year alone, 10 cases of rabies were reported in Arequipa. “This highlights the high risk of presenting cases of human rabies in Arequipa and canine rabies in other cities of the country, as well as in Lima,” he said.

For this reason, he recommended that veterinarians from the private sector send samples to a nearby health facility or to the Zoonosis Control Health Center (formerly the Anti-Rabies Center), located in Cercado de Lima.

“All colleagues from private clinics, as well as the Comprehensive Health Directorates (Diris) of Lima, are urged to carry out the important work of epidemiological surveillance by reporting and sending samples of dead animals with nervous symptoms compatible with rabies or deaths from being run over”, according to the alert.