DILI, 28 september, 2021 (TATOLI) – The Ministry of Health (MS) and the Australian School of Health Research Menzies (MSHR) will conduct a serological survey to control the proportion of antibodies in the population against covid-19, revealed the bulletin on the epidemiological situation.
Following the reports cited from the bulletin of the Epidemiolocal situation, in the following weeks, the team will visit households in the municipalities to register the participants in the research.
“We had already tested the healthcare professionals’ antibodies to the new coronavirus. The additional analysis is ongoing, however, the preliminary result shows that, until August, more than 90% of health professionals have antibodies as well as vaccination or previous infection”, the statement said.
Earlier last week, 19 people were confirmed positive with covid-19 hospitalized in isolation centers in Vera Cruz and Lahane and the National Hospital Guido Valadares (HNGV), and other reference hospitals in the municipalities.
While between September 20 and September 26, the incidence rate in the country has dropped by an average of 3.8 per thousand inhabitants compared to the previous week with 5.6.
The reports also indicate an increase in the incidence rate in the municipality:
- Baucau recorded 6.9 last week compared to a week before which was 6.7,
- Oé-Cusse Ambeno (RAEOA) registered 5.0 compare to the previous week which was 9.7.
- Manatuto registers 3.2 compared to 2.9 the previous week. In Dili, the rate is now 8.2 illustrating a decrease of 11.8 from the previous week.
Last week the National Health Laboratory reported 221 positive test results out of 2,512 results, i.e 8.8% compared to the previous period with 29.3%.
Timor-Leste began a COVID-19 inoculation drive on April 7. As of Tuesday (28/09/021), a total of 434,836 out of the country’s 1,338,954 population had been receiving the first dose of vaccine against the virus, represents 57.6% of the population aged over 18 years, while 26, 262,719 people had already taken the second dose of the vaccine, equivalent to 34.8%, following the report from the MoH.
The country has officially reported a total of, 19,398 confirmed COVID-19 cases since the coronavirus pandemic hit the country in March last year, with 113 deaths and 18,398 recoveries, active cases at 920 according to the official data.
Journalist: Isaura Lemos de Deus
Editor: Maria Auxiliadora
Translator: Camilo de Sousa
Editor: Nelia Borges
