The rise in dengue cases has also prompted Itajai, on the north coast of Santa Catarina, to set up a disease monitoring center. In real and remote time, the action aims to help the health care system fight dengue, hoping to prevent the disease from worsening in positive patients.

Itajaí establishes dengue monitoring center – Photo: Marcos Porto/Prefeitura de Itajaí/Disclosure/ND

The service began on Monday (15) and serves the Itajaí population every day from 7:00 am to 7:00 pm. Patients who test positive for dengue are followed up by telephone by four specialists.

During this contact, recommendations are given for hydration care, warning signs of a possible worsening of the disease, as well as the need for daily monitoring of blood pressure and temperature in the first-aid post. The service also monitors hospitalized and discharged patients at the Marieta Konder Bornhausen hospital.

“The service is very important to us in order to expedite service in serious cases and help in the fight against dengue fever in the municipality. While we are running this remote service, patients need to go to the clinic if they have warning signs of worsening disease,” said Dengue Monitoring Center Coordinator Nurse Kelly Mara Emming.

Mild patients receive at least four calls from the center: on the first day after a positive result, on the third, sixth and eighth day of observation. If he shows improvement, he is discharged by professionals.

When a patient develops warning signs such as abdominal pain, body spots, persistent vomiting, diarrhoea, bleeding from the nose and gums, among others, they are referred to the Primary Health Care Unit or ACU (Emergency Department). ). CIS (Unified Health Center).

The center monitors the symptoms of patients who test positive for dengue – Photo: Marcos Porto/Prefeitura de Itajaí/Disclosure/ND

The initiative belongs to the DVE (Epidemiological Surveillance Council) and the Department of Health. The center is currently seeing 344 dengue patients in addition to 27 who remain under observation/admission at Marieta Hospital. The service is located next to the CIS.

Fight against dengue

“The municipality has taken several measures to combat dengue fever, such as a case monitoring center to prevent the disease from worsening, and the introduction of a rapid dengue fever test to speed up the process of patient care. Outbreak control activities such as home visits, insecticide application and clean-up activities are also carried out. However, we need the community to contribute and help us in the fight against Aedes aegypti” emphasizes Health Minister Itajai Emerson Duarte.

It is important that patients always keep their personal details, such as their phone number, up-to-date with their respective medical institutions, in order to facilitate contact with healthcare professionals if necessary.