Coronavirus: The deadly 3rd wave has hit Brazil; I fear we’re next

Mar 14, 2021 Dr Zulfikar Bux, Features / Columnists

By Dr. Zulfikar Bux
Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine, Vanderbilt Medical Centre

Kaieteur News – This past week culminated one year for the pandemic which was also the same date that Guyana had its first case of COVID-19. I had planned on sharing the difficulties of the health workers and the ordeal we went through at the beginning of the pandemic, but the situation in Brazil has made me change plans. I am worried that a similar situation can soon occur here and lead to a devastation that we’ve never experienced before. Today, I will therefore enlighten you on what can occur if the mutated strain from Brazil hit us so that you can see why we all need to get vaccinated ASAP.
The current situation in Brazil
The mutated strain in Brazil has triggered a third wave there and most hospitals are above 90 percent occupancy rate. It is also responsible for Brazil having the highest death toll in the world for the past week. One of the main hospitals is turning away patients as it is full to capacity and cannot see more cases. While experts have linked this to the mutated strain, they are also associating it with the poor vaccination rate in Brazil, where less than three percent of the population has been vaccinated so far. The WHO is urging that serious measures be taken there before the situation gets worse.
What does this mean for Guyana?
The WHO has sent a warning that the situation in Brazil can become similar in neighbouring countries if immediate actions are not taken. Given my recent observations and the rise in cases locally, I fear that this is beginning to occur here. We saw a similar pattern with a previous mutated strain (D614G mutation) that crossed over from Brazil and was responsible for the 2nd wave that we faced here at the end of last year. This new mutation from Brazil has a higher death toll and is causing more hospitalizations than usual. It will be difficult for us to keep up if a similar surge in infections does occur here. This has the potential to accelerate our death rate and leave more patients with long term morbidities.
The recent rise in cases locally
I have noticed an increase in cases and hospitalizations over the past week and I am beginning to worry that my fear is becoming a reality. We have become accustomed to seeing COVID-19 patients but in the past few weeks, the way cases are presenting is different from what I have gotten used to and it worries me. Patients are presenting earlier with moderate to severe disease which seems to be affecting younger adults more severely than previously. I am therefore concerned that there may be a new mutated strain circulating but this is just my clinical suspicion and I do not have laboratory evidence to back it up. My intention here is not to create panic but to detect early trends and share with you so that we can take preventative actions to prevent an escalation and avoid the fate that Brazil is currently facing.
Get vaccinated ASAP!!!
Preliminary data over the past week indicates that the Sinovac and AstraZeneca vaccines are effective against the new mutated Brazilian strain. While this still has to be reviewed, it is very encouraging as these two vaccines are currently being distributed here in Guyana. We therefore need to get ahead of the curve and beat this mutated strain by getting vaccinated as soon as possible. If you are eligible, do not hesitate; go to the nearest vaccination centre and get vaccinated! This is the best armour we currently have against the mutated strain and is the most practical way for us to avoid this deadlier third wave. Avoiding the third wave is therefore firmly under our control; get vaccinated and continue to practice preventative measures and you will help us to avoid this deadly threat.