Acre and Rio de Janeiro Report Surge in Severe Respiratory Syndrome Cases

The state of Acre declared a public‑health emergency as the number of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SRAG) cases rose to 1,438 between epidemiological weeks 1 and 21 of 2026, up from 1,060 in 2025 and 1,130 in 2024. The decree enables the state health secretariat to expand hospital beds, hire additional staff, strengthen epidemiological surveillance and coordinate with all 22 municipalities. Vaccination coverage against influenza remains low at 38.7%, with 74,987 doses administered.

In Rio de Janeiro, health authorities reported 7,042 SRAG‑related hospital admissions and 424 deaths since the start of the year. The surge is driven mainly by Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) in children under two, while influenza is the leading cause of deaths among the elderly. Only 27.5% of the priority population—about 1.2 million doses—have been vaccinated, far below the 90% target, prompting the city to extend the flu‑vaccination campaign indefinitely and increase free access through family clinics and vaccination centers.