Health officials announce strengthening of measures after COVID-19 case is confirmed in Brazil
These include changing the protocol for identifying a suspected case, the application of a sworn health statement at points of entry and the installation of a sanitary control unit in the Santiago airport.
Following reports of a confirmed case of COVID-19 coronavirus in Brazil -the first in Latin America-, Chile’s Health Ministry announced today that it is reinforcing surveillance measures at points of entry into the country. The government has implemented a sworn health statement that must be completed by travelers on international flights and the installation of a sanitary control unit where passengers from high-risk areas will be administered the coronavirus test.
Health Minister Jaime Mañalich indicated that “what is happening with the coronavirus outbreak is a pandemic that affects many countries and changes every day. We must manage all of the new information.” He added that “as the Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO) has stated, Chile has a very high level of preparedness for a possible coronavirus outbreak and in that sense I would like to call on the public to remain calm.”
The Minister explained that we have three phases. “The first is that it seems that this virus could reach Chile. Second, when it comes, we will have isolated cases of people who are coming from a place in which there has been an outbreak. During that phase, the focus will be on monitoring them and preventing them from reaching their close nucleus. During the third phase, there may be independent outbreaks or an epidemic, as is occurring in Italy.” He clarified that Chile remains in the first stage.
Measures
However, due to the proximity of the virus and the likelihood that it will come to Chile, Public Health Undersecretary Paula Daza reported that beginning next week “everyone who comes to our country will be asked to complete a sworn statement reporting where they are coming from and the countries they have visited in the last month.” In fact, today the Health Ministry met with airline representatives to give them information and coordinate the implementation of the new mandatory survey.
She explained that “we are also strengthening inspection at the airport. We will be installing a sanitary control unit to provide care to individuals who come to our country.”
The Ministry also is seeking to expand the definition of a suspected case to include passengers who present symptoms and come from areas with a high circulation of the virus besides China, including South Korea, Italy, Singapore, Japan and Iran. “And if it begins to circulate in Brazil, it also will be extended to include that country,” he explained.
Preparing the healthcare system
Minister Jaime Mañalich remarked that once the World Health Organization stated that the new COVID-19 coronavirus was an illness of international importance, the President of Chile called on Health Ministry officials to attend a meeting to design a plan of action in case people with the virus come to the country.
As such, health officials implemented various measures beginning in January. These include reinforcing the surveillance network at points of entry (air, sea and land), the expansion of hospitals’ diagnostic capabilities, training healthcare workers, and developing protocols for identifying and controlling cases and overseeing the operation of the healthcare network.
“We have strengthened the network of laboratories. Within the first month, the Public Health Institute already had a test for detecting the virus in a timely manner, and today we have the test in six regions of the country so that the diagnosis can be made quickly,” the Undersecretary said.
She also noted that health officials have been trained during this period and that they have acquired the tools necessary to protect staff if a case comes up. In addition “we have created action protocols for suspected cases and have worked very closely with the other government entities. We have been in touch with the Foreign Affairs Ministry, Police, Agriculture and Livestock Service, Interior Ministry and Ministry of Defense,” she said.
In regard to the country’s network of hospitals, the Undersecretary mentioned the Health Ministry announcement that five new hospitals will be opened, increasing the number of available beds by 1,700 in case we face a COVID-19 epidemic this winter, which is always a difficult time of year for respiratory illnesses.