Recently, a survey released by local scientific research institutions in Brazil pointed out that due to the impact of crowd gatherings still appearing in many places during the year-end holiday, the number of deaths and hospitalizations in the southeastern state of São Paulo, where the COVID-19 epidemic situation is serious, has increased significantly in the past two weeks compared with the pre-festival.
The data shows that between December 29, 2020 and January 12, 2021, the number of patients hospitalized with COVID-19 in public and private hospitals in the state of São Paul increased from 11,070 to 13,175, an increase of 19 percent.
Currently, the proportion of intensive care beds occupied by COVID-19 patients in all hospitals in the state is 66.3%. During the same period, the number of deaths statewide increased by 2,467, from 46,195 to 48,662.
In São Paulo, the state capital and Brazil’s largest city, the number of COVID-19 deaths has increased from 16,163 to 16,990 in the past two weeks, an increase of 827, compared with the previous two weeks, that is, from December 16 to 29, 2020.
It is 79%. Of the 43 urban areas in the city with intensive care beds for COVID-19, 32 have seen an increase in bed occupancy in the past two weeks.
The researchers pointed out that the above situation indicates that the local epidemic may enter a more severe stage, and under this trend, the health care system may also usher in the maximum load.
According to the study, the basic number of COVID-19 infections in São Paulo was 0.78 at the end of last year, compared with 1.4 as of January 13, indicating that the spread of the novel coronavirus is accelerating.
If this high number of infections continues, it may occur in February even if vaccination is launched. The condition that hospitals are overloaded due to the excessive number of confirmed cases.
Local epidemiologist Paul Menese believes that while the state’s new deaths and hospitalizations have risen significantly, it cannot be denied that the government’s efforts to tighten quarantine restrictions at the end of last year to prevent the pandemic, without which the current situation is expected to be even worse.
