Brazil: Health officials investigate possible case of coronavirus in São Paulo

The Ministry of Health, in conjunction with the state and municipal departments of São Paulo, investigates a possible case of Coronavirus disease in the municipality of São Paulo.

On February 25, 2020, after 12 pm, Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein registered the notification of suspected case of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). In attendance, he adopted all preventive measures for droplet transmission, collected samples and performed tests for common respiratory viruses and the specific exam for SARS-CoV2 (RT-PCR, according to the Charité protocol), as recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) .

With preliminary results performed by the health unit and in accordance with the National Contingency Plan, the hospital sent the sample to the national reference laboratory, Instituto Adolfo Lutz, for counterproof.

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This process of validating the results is underway and the Ministry of Health will release the final report of the investigation in due course. The portfolio therefore recommends caution about any information other than official information, since the investigation is not completed.

He is a 61-year-old man, residing in São Paulo / SP. It brings the history of travel to Italy, in the region of Lombardy (north of the country), to work, alone, in the period from the 9th to the 21st of February. It started with signs and symptoms (fever, dry cough, sore throat and runny nose) compatible with the suspected Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The patient is well, with mild signs and has received standard precautionary guidelines.

SES / SP and SMS / SP are carrying out the identification of contacts at home, hospital and flight, with support from Anvisa with the airline.



