Peru has declared a “national health emergency” as cases of Guillain-Barré syndrome continue to soar out of control.
Over the weekend, the South American nation’s government issued a 90-day health emergency order due to an “unusual increase” in the rare Covid vaccine-induced disorder.
Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) is a rare disease where the body’s immune system attacks part of the nervous system.
Peru is not alone, however, as cases of Guillain-Barré syndrome have been spiking around the world following the introduction of the mRNA Covid shots.
Scientists also recommend that older people who received Pfizer’s respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine should be monitored for Guillain-Barre syndrome.
The risk of the disease has long been known by health officials, however, as two older adults who received the shot during clinical trials developed Guillain-Barre syndrome.
According to CNBC, scientists warned of the risks in clinical trial results published in the New England Journal of Medicine.
“If RSVpreF vaccine is approved and recommended, these adverse events warrant close monitoring in future studies and with real-world data and postmarketing surveillance,” the scientists wrote.
The study, which was published Wednesday, was supported by Pfizer.
In Canada, a 40-year-old man was diagnosed with Guillain-Barre syndrome that was caused by his Covid vaccine.
The man, a father from British Columbia, was awarded compensation after he was diagnosed with the debilitating disease.
In Peru, cases of GBS are continuing to soar.
The Peruvian government declared a 90-day national health emergency Saturday due to an “unusual increase” of cases of GBS, which total 165 with four deaths, reported Xinhua.
The decree, published in the official gazette El Peruano, details an action plan which has been drawn up with a budget of 12.12 million soles (US$3.3 million) with an aim to improve patient care in health facilities, reinforce case-control and prepare informative material for the population and health personnel.
Among the measures were the acquisition of intravenous immunoglobulin and human albumin, as well as specialized diagnosis of the biological agents associated with the syndrome and assisted air transport for patients in emergency or critical condition, The Sun Daily reported.
So far this year, at least 18 of the country’s 24 departments have reported at least one case of the syndrome.
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