Rio de Janeiro state again recommends wearing masks after 300% increase in number of Covid cases

In one week, there was a 330% increase in the number of confirmed cases of Covid-19 in the entire state of Rio de Janeiro.

There were 4,368 records of the disease in the week from Oct. 30 to Nov. 5. In the following week, from Nov. 6 to Nov. 12, the number jumped to 18,799 occurrences.

On Friday, 10,633 new cases of the disease were confirmed.

Given the increase in cases, the State Health Department recommended using masks, which remains optional.

The positivity rate for Covid-19 is 37% in the state of Rio de Janeiro. The data is still preliminary since the epidemiological week will only end this Saturday.

However, the rate is higher than the percentage of the last two weeks, when 25% and 32% were registered.

The number of people waiting in line for a Covid-19 bed has also grown.

In the state of Rio, on Nov. 11, there were 17 people awaiting transfer – seven to an ICU. On Friday, 73 patients were waiting for a hospital spot – 28 for ICU – four times more than a week before.

In the capital, the growth in the number of cases between the last two epidemiological weeks was 155%.

The jump was from 8,177 cases in week 44 – between Oct. 30 and Nov. 5 – to 20,889 in week 45 – between November 6 and 12.

The positivity rate also grew. It is now at 32%. In week 45, it was at 30%, and in week 44, it was at 24%.

There are 164 people hospitalized with the disease and 24 waiting for a vacancy.

The cases of flu syndrome, suspected to be Covid-19, grew from 35,024 in week 44 to 83,211 in week 45 and 344,975 in the current week.

In a statement, the State Health Secretariat (SES) said that it follows the recommendations and guidelines of the Ministry of Health regarding Covid-19.

The use of the mask remains optional for everyone.