Epidemiological and clinical characteristics of the COVID-19 epidemic in Brazil

Nat Hum Behav. 2020 Aug;4(8):856-865. doi: 10.1038/s41562-020-0928-4. Epub 2020 Jul 31.

Abstract

The first case of COVID-19 was detected in Brazil on 25 February 2020. We report and contextualize epidemiological, demographic and clinical findings for COVID-19 cases during the first 3 months of the epidemic. By 31 May 2020, 514,200 COVID-19 cases, including 29,314 deaths, had been reported in 75.3% (4,196 of 5,570) of municipalities across all five administrative regions of Brazil. The R0 value for Brazil was estimated at 3.1 (95% Bayesian credible interval = 2.4-5.5), with a higher median but overlapping credible intervals compared with some other seriously affected countries. A positive association between higher per-capita income and COVID-19 diagnosis was identified. Furthermore, the severe acute respiratory infection cases with unknown aetiology were associated with lower per-capita income. Co-circulation of six respiratory viruses was detected but at very low levels. These findings provide a comprehensive description of the ongoing COVID-19 epidemic in Brazil and may help to guide subsequent measures to control virus transmission.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Betacoronavirus / isolation & purification*
  • Brazil / epidemiology
  • COVID-19
  • COVID-19 Drug Treatment
  • COVID-19 Testing
  • Child
  • Clinical Laboratory Techniques / methods
  • Clinical Laboratory Techniques / statistics & numerical data
  • Coinfection / epidemiology
  • Coronavirus Infections* / diagnosis
  • Coronavirus Infections* / drug therapy
  • Coronavirus Infections* / mortality
  • Coronavirus Infections* / therapy
  • Coronavirus Infections* / transmission
  • Disease Transmission, Infectious* / prevention & control
  • Disease Transmission, Infectious* / statistics & numerical data
  • Female
  • Hospitalization / statistics & numerical data
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Influenza, Human* / diagnosis
  • Influenza, Human* / epidemiology
  • Influenza, Human* / virology
  • Male
  • Mortality
  • Pandemics*
  • Pneumonia, Viral* / diagnosis
  • Pneumonia, Viral* / mortality
  • Pneumonia, Viral* / therapy
  • Pneumonia, Viral* / transmission
  • SARS-CoV-2
  • Socioeconomic Factors