QUITO, Dec. 17 (Xinhua) — Ecuador identified its first case of the BA.2.86 variant of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, dubbed “Pirola,” in a patient in the city of Quito, the country's capital, Capital reported today. Ministry of Public Health (MSP).
The patient's health condition is “stable and she is being treated as an outpatient at home,” the Ministry of Health said in a statement.
He added that an MSP surveillance team, with the support of the National Institute for Public Health Research (Inspi), is carrying out epidemiological tracking and surveillance of the patient, whose case was discovered after genetic sequencing was carried out.
Ecuador is the fourth country in the region to report the presence of this sub-variant, after Brazil, Peru and Chile, the MSP said.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), “Pirola” is circulating in several countries around the world and is considered a variant of concern. However, the portfolio continues, the consequences shown do not pose an increased risk of transmissibility or worsening of the disease in the population.
“This state portfolio maintains active genomic surveillance with the aim of identifying new genetic variants circulating at the national level, in coordination with the Inspi,” said the MSP, calling on the population to maintain preventive measures and measures appropriate to the times the country is going through.
Among these measures, he included vaccination against the new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and influenza, the use of a mask when respiratory symptoms occur, maintaining hygiene measures, as well as better ventilation of premises and avoiding crowds. End