The Undersecretary of Prevention and Health Promotion, Hugo López-Gatell Ramírez, called on the population to get vaccinated against influenza, especially the groups at greatest risk, such as children under five years of age, seniors, pregnant women and people who regardless of age, have a chronic illness such as obesity, diabetes, hypertension, cancer and HIV / AIDS, among others.

At a press conference to publicize the situation of influenza in our country, he explained that at that moment, from the total of 31 million 500 thousand vaccines that were acquired for this winter season, 21 million 700 thousand doses have been applied, so he exhorted to the population that hasn't yet applied the biological to go and do it, because they are still at risk of contracting the virus.

He reported that since the beginning of the 2018-2019 influenza season, 1,938 confirmed cases and 143 deaths have been confirmed, explaining that 97 percent of the deceased had not been vaccinated, in addition going late for medical attention.

Of the people who died, 95 percent had a history of suffering from a chronic disease, such as diabetes, obesity and high blood pressure.

He stated that the behavior of the virus has been the expected, however, he reiterated the importance for the population to recognize the symptoms of the disease such as high fever, pain in the body, throat and head, breathing problems and runny nose.

López-Gatell Ramírez said that pregnant women can be vaccinated in any quarter of pregnancy, since the biological is safe and harmless for the product. "A woman in gestation has up to six times more risk of having a respiratory complication and even die from the influenza virus than the rest of the population, so the importance of vaccination."

He clarified that the vaccine against influenza does not prevents the disease, but stops serious complications from develop, he also commented that the myth that the biological causes influenza is false. "If a person gets vaccinated and gets influenza it's because he already had a previous incubation of the virus."

Finally, the general director of the National Center for Preventive Programs and Disease Control (Cenaprece), Ruy López Ridaura, said that there is sufficient supply of Oseltamivir (antiviral medicine) in the medical units of the National Health System, for people who require it.

To the press conference also attended the general directors of the National Center for Childhood and Adolescent Health (CENSIA) and Epidemiology, Miriam Esther Veras Godoy and José Luis Alomía Zagarra, respectively.

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