In the Americas, three out of ten people \u2013 or nearly 325 million \u2013 are at increased risk of developing severe COVID-19 illness due to underlying health conditions, Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) Director Carissa F. Etienne said.<\/p>\n
Certain underlying, chronic conditions like diabetes, kidney disease, and hypertension, as well as infectious diseases, such as tuberculosis, or immunosuppression, place people at increased risk for more severe COVID-19 disease.<\/p>\n
\u201cUnfortunately, many of these medical conditions are widespread in the Americas, which leaves our region more vulnerable to severe illness,\u201d Etienne told a media briefing today.<\/p>\n
To help address this, PAHO has developed a new data model in partnership with the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine that provides a more accurate picture of the prevalence of health conditions in the Americas.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat we see is worrisome,\u201d she noted. \u201cWe are talking about 186 million people in Latin America and the Caribbean,\u201d and in the U.S. Canada and Mexico, one in three people are at increased risk of severe COVID-19.<\/p>\n
In the Americas, there are 43 million people at high risk, \u201cwhich means they would require hospitalization due to their underlying health conditions. And within this group, men are twice as likely as women to be at high risk of developing severe COVID-19,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
People over the age of 65 are at greater risk of experiencing more severe disease since the likelihood of developing multiple health conditions increases with age, PAHO\u2019s director said.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut working-age adults \u2013 which refers to people from 15-64 \u2013 are not immune, as many of them live with one or more underlying health conditions. Diabetes and chronic kidney disease, in particular, are especially prevalent among adult populations,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n
Strategies to protect people with co-morbidities<\/strong><\/p>\n The new tool developed with the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine will help countries with specific data \u201cto adapt their COVID-19 responses and better protect vulnerable populations from chronic conditions that threaten their health,\u201d Etienne said.<\/p>\n Strategies to protect people with underlying conditions, which range \u201cfrom self-isolation with assistance, to providing adequate resources and support systems,\u201d can help countries reduce deaths among vulnerable groups, flatten the curve and preserve the capacity of health services, Dr. Etienne added.<\/p>\n \u201cWith the surge in COVID-19 patients, many health systems lack the staff, space, and supplies to adequately offer routine care. Such disruptions have delayed treatments for cancer patients and dialysis for those with chronic kidney disease. People with diabetes are running out of insulin, and HIV patients have to worry about continuing their treatment,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n \u201cWith the new tool, countries can tailor their response to protect vulnerable groups from risk and implement innovative programs to help people safely and more consistently manage their conditions. This includes increasing telemedicine capabilities and establishing surge points for care, which allows people with chronic conditions to be seen by a doctor away from suspected COVID-19 patients.<\/p>\n \u201cCountries should ensure that vulnerable groups are advised to connect with their health care providers to ensure they have the medications and supplies they need to safely manage their conditions,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is also the time to rely on their friends and families to run errands so they can minimize trips outside their homes. And as much as possible, people should maintain a healthy routine at home that includes regular exercise and nutritious food,\u201d Etienne added.<\/p>\n The pandemic is not slowing down<\/strong><\/p>\n As of July 20, 7.7 million cases have been reported and more than 311,000 people have died in the Americas. In the last week alone there were almost 900,000 new cases and some 22,000 deaths, most in Brazil, Mexico, and the United States.<\/p>\n In the Amazon basin, COVID-19 continues to spread with significant surges in localized hot spots in Bolivia, Ecuador, Colombia and Pero, she noted, while Central American countries \u201care reporting their highest weekly increases of COVID-19 cases since the pandemic began.\u201d<\/p>\n \u2014 (PAHO)<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" In the Americas, three out of ten people \u2013 or nearly 325 million \u2013 are at increased risk of developing severe COVID-19 illness due to underlying health conditions, Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) Director Carissa 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News<\/a>","rttpg_excerpt":"In the Americas, three out of ten people \u2013 or nearly 325 million \u2013 are at increased risk of developing severe COVID-19 illness due to underlying health conditions, Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) Director Carissa 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