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Confirmed Microcephaly Cases In Brazil Increase To 745


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Since Oct. 22, when reporting microcephaly became obligatory in Brazil, there have been a total of 745 confirmed microcephaly cases, the ministry said. Lab testing has confirmed the presence of the mosquito-borne Zika virus in 88 of those cases so far.

Read more: http://www.nasdaq.com/article/brazil-releases-new-figures-on-zika-cases-20160309-01174#ixzz42V68aufk

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Brazil Releases New Figures on Zika Cases

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SÃ O PAULO—The Brazilian government released new figures Wednesday showing the number of suspected and confirmed cases of babies born with undersized skulls and brains continues to rise.

Brazil's health ministry released figures confirming 104 additional cases of infants born with the congenital abnormality called microcephaly in the past week.

Since Oct. 22, when reporting microcephaly became obligatory in Brazil, there have been a total of 745 confirmed microcephaly cases, the ministry said. Lab testing has confirmed the presence of the mosquito-borne Zika virus in 88 of those cases so far.

For male babies, the new measure will be 31.9 centimeters or less; for females it will be 31.5 cm or less. Previously, the ministry standard was 32 centimeters or less for both male and female newborns.

The ministry's decision is aimed at reducing the number of false positives when diagnosing suspected microcephaly cases. Reporting and testing has been hampered, in part, because of different measuring standards globally. Some health authorities and researchers have been calling for the adoption of a uniform international standard.

"The change is in line with the recommendation recently announced by the World Health Organization, and aims to standardize the references to all countries, valid for babies born at 37 or more weeks of gestation," the Brazilian ministry said in a statement.

Although the link between Zika and microcephaly hasn't been scientifically proven, many doctors, researchers and health authorities in Latin America, the U.S. and elsewhere regard it as increasingly probable. Earlier this week, World Health Organization officials said there is gathering evidence of a link between microcephaly and the Zika virus, which has swept across the Americas in recent months.

Of the 6,158 cases initially suspected to be Zika-related microcephaly reported in Brazil since October, a total of 1,182 have been rejected, either because tests showed they weren't microcephaly at all or they were microcephaly caused by other factors. Microcephaly can have many causes, including toxins, various infectious agents such as syphilis and rubella, or maternal alcohol or drug abuse.

A total of 4,231 suspected microcephaly cases are still being investigated, up from 4,222 cases under investigation last week.

Between last Oct. 22 and March 5, there have been 157 suspected microcephaly-related infant deaths nationwide in Brazil. Of these, a total of 37 have been confirmed as related to microcephaly or some other alteration of the nervous system, the ministry said. Eighteen deaths have been ruled unrelated to microcephaly, and 102 cases are still under investigation.

Wednesday's new figures buttressed remarks made Tuesday evening in Geneva by Dr. Margaret Chan, director-general of the World Health Organization, and David Heymann, chair of WHO's emergency committee on Zika.

The international health organization on February 1 declared Zika and its suspected side effects, including microcephaly and the neurological disorder Guillain-Barré syndrome, to constitute a global health emergency.

Ms. Chan and Mr. Heymann acknowledged that although there still is no definitive scientific proof of the Zika- microcephaly link, they reiterated previous assertions made by WHO officials and other international health authorities that signs of a causal connection between the virus and microcephaly are mounting.

The WHO is advising pregnant women to avoid traveling to areas of countries where Zika is prevalent, although Ms. Chan emphasized that it is incumbent on each individual woman to make her own decision. The WHO also is advising pregnant women to practice abstinence or safe sex, so as to prevent possible transmission of the Zika virus through intercourse.

The organization's emergency committee also is urging "intensified" research into the suspected links between Zika, microcephaly and a host of other neurological disorders.

Write to Rogerio Jelmayer at [email protected] and Reed Johnson at [email protected]



Read more: http://www.nasdaq.com/article/brazil-releases-new-figures-on-zika-cases-20160309-01174#ixzz42V79srDU

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Registration Date: 09/03/2016 18:03:00 the amended 09/03/2016 19:03:59 the
REPORT CARD

It has been confirmed 745 cases of microcephaly and other nervous system disorders, suggestive of congenital infection. Other 1,182 cases were discarded

The Ministry of Health is investigating 4,231 suspected cases of microcephaly and other nervous system disorders, suggestive of congenital infection. Cases already analyzed, 745 were confirmed and 1,182 discarded.Since the beginning of the investigation have been reported 6,158 suspected cases of microcephaly. Data from epidemiological report from the Ministry of Health are sent weekly by the state departments of Health and were closed on Saturday, March 05.

The 745 confirmed cases occurred in 282 municipalities located in 18 Brazilian states: Alagoas, Bahia, Ceará, Maranhão, Paraíba, Pernambuco, Piauí, Rio Grande do Norte, Sergipe, Espírito Santo, Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro, Pará, Rondônia , Goiás, Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul and Rio Grande do Sul. the 1,182 cases were classified discarded because they had normal exams, or submit microcefalias and / or changes in the central nervous system by an infectious causes.

The 6,158 cases reported since the beginning of the investigation, are distributed in 1,179 municipalities, from all regions of the country. Most were registered in the Northeast (4,827 cases, which corresponds to 80%), and the state of Pernambuco is the federation of the unit with the highest number of cases are still being investigated (1214). Next are Bahia (609), Paraíba (447), Rio de Janeiro (289), Rio Grande do Norte (278) and Ceará (252).

It should be noted that the Ministry of Health is investigating all cases of microcephaly and other disorders of the central nervous system, informed by the states, and the possible relationship with the Zika virus and other congenital infections. Microcephaly can be caused by various infectious agents beyond Zika as Syphilis, Toxoplasmosis, Other Infectious Agents, Rubella, Cytomegalovirus and Herpes Viral.

Until March 5, there were 157 suspected deaths of microcephaly and / or alteration of the central nervous system after birth or during pregnancy (miscarriage or stillbirth). Of these, 37 were confirmed to microcephaly and / or alteration of the central nervous system. Another 102 are still under investigation and 18 were discarded.

Of the total confirmed cases of microcephaly, 88 tested positive for Zika. In these cases, specific laboratory test was used to Zika virus. However, the Ministry of Health points out that this figure does not represent adequately the total number of cases related to the virus. That is, the folder considers that there was infection Zika most of the mothers who had babies with a final diagnosis of microcephaly.

To date, signaled to the Ministry of Health to indigenous circulation of Zika virus 22 Brazilian states: Goiás, Minas Gerais, Federal District, Mato Grosso do Sul, Roraima, Amazonas, Pará, Rondônia, Mato Grosso, Tocantins, Maranhão, Piauí, Ceara, Rio Grande do Norte, Paraiba, Pernambuco, Alagoas, Bahia, Espirito Santo, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo and Paraná.

Distribution of reported cases of microcephaly by UF until March 5, 2016

Regions and Federative Units

Microcephaly cases and / or malformations suggestive of congenital infection

Cumulative total  of reported cases from 2015 to 2016

research

confirmed

discarded

Brazil

4,231

745

1,182

6,158

Alagoas

95

30

104

229

Bahia

609

156

98

863

Ceará

252

41

70

363

Maranhão

143

32

26

201

Paraíba

447

71

308

826

Pernambuco

1,214

241

267

1,722

Piauí

65

50

24

139

large northern river

278

78

27

383

Sergipe

162

26

13

201

Northeast

3,265

725

937

4,927

Holy Spirit

78

3

9

90

Minas Gerais

27

1

43

71

Rio de Janeiro

289

two

4

295

Sao Paulo

137

0

44

181

Southeast region

531

6

100

637

Acre

26

0

0

26

Amapá

0

0

0

0

Amazon

8

0

0

8

For

17

1

0

18

Rondônia

6

two

3

11

Roraima

14

0

0

14

Tocantins

108

0

17

125

North region

179

3

20

202

Federal district

11

0

20

31

Goiás

84

6

14

104

Mato Grosso

123

3

52

178

Mato Grosso do Sul

9

1

5

15

Midwest region

227

10

91

328

Paraná

two

0

17

19

Santa Catarina

1

0

1

two

Rio Grande do Sul

26

1

16

43

South region

29

1

34

64

 

By Camila Bogaz, Health Agency 
Service: (61) 3315.3580 

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