The State Department of Health has recorded since the 1st of January, 215 deaths from influenza A (H1N1) in São Paulo. According to general data of the Ministry of Health computed until the 25th of June, in the country, there were 339 deaths caused by this type of flu. The ministry did not disclose the balance sheet data for each state.

The most recent case in the state of Sao Paulo was confirmed yesterday (1) by the Municipal Health Jundiaí city which is about 60 kilometers from the state capital. The city recorded the sixth death from influenza. This is a man of 56 years old, diabetic and hypertensive, which, being with chronic disease, should have been vaccinated.

"The truth is we do not have any deaths, since it is an immune-preventable disease. But these deaths occurred in people who were susceptible and did not take the vaccine. [This number] is as expected", said the manager of Surveillance Jundiaí, Solange Marchezini Nogueira.

Brazil had 1,754 cases of the disease, according to balance ministry until June 25. The state of São Paulo, in turn, had 1,367 confirmed cases, according to a survey from the state today (2). The majority (60%) of the cases are concentrated in Greater São Paulo. In Jundiaí were 32 cases, six of which resulted in death, 17 are recovering at home, eight were discharged and one remains hospitalized. The Municipal Secretariat of Health reported that the hospitalized patient has stable framework.

"The strategy that we adopt [the city] was to go as fast as possible with oseltamivir [known by the trade name Tamiflu]. Intensified this guidance to health professionals, the public and private, and can block the aggravation of the disease in the city" explained Solange.

The manager reported that coverage of people with chronic diseases was the lowest in the city, having reached 80%. "These are people who are more fragile, are tired of interventions and end up leaving for another," he noted. Moreover, all health professionals and women who have had children recently took the vaccine. The percentage was also high (96%) among children aged between 6 months and 2 years. Among seniors, the coverage reached 85.1% and among pregnant women, 81%.

Solange Marchezini stressed that the body follows the history of each case of serious illness to implement adequate control measures. "If we kill people outside the group risk, for example, would have to broaden the vaccine for other segments. Americans can rest easy." For her, the data show that Jundiaí, despite the deaths, the policy against the flu is on the right track, because patients who died had an indication for the vaccine.

The Department of Health does the same warning regarding the risk groups, given that 70% of deaths from severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) are people who had other diseases. The notification is made only in the state of SARS cases, including instances of severe influenza A (H1N1).

How to prevent Influenza A virus (H1N1), especially for people who have no indication of vaccination, Solange Marchezini explains that universal measures should be adopted, such as outdoor activities, healthy eating, wash hands, and protect your mouth and nose sneezing, preferably with a disposable tissue. "Winter is the most delicate period. This year, with the anticipation of the cold, we began to have more severe cases as early as May. Rather, it was intensified in July," he warned.

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