Epidemiological perspective of the evolution of the COVID-19 pandemic in Amapá State, Northern Brazil

Abstract

Introduction: COVID-19 impacted health systems worldwide; the virus quickly spread in Brazil, reaching its 27 Federative units peculiarly. The northern country region recorded the lowest number of cases and accumulated deaths from the disease. However, it is a region of sizeable territorial extension and low demographic density, marked by socioeconomic inequalities and vulnerable groups, such as indigenous tribes, riverine peoples, and quilombolas. Sociodemographic factors may contribute to the dissemination of the coronavirus in this territory; thus, studies are needed to analyze the epidemiological indicators related to the pandemic.Objective: to evaluate incidence, mortality, and case fatality of COVID-19 trends in the state of Amapá, Brazil, from March 2020 to April 2021. Methods: an ecological time-series study was conducted with publicly accessible data from the Health Department of the State of Amapá. Incidence and mortality rates per 100,000 inhabitants and percentage case fatality were calculated. Crude rates were calculated by municipalities, age, and sex, per month. The Prais-Winsten regression test was performed, and the trends of monthly rates were classified as increasing, decreasing, or flat.Results: during the study period, there were 99.936 cases and 1,468 deaths accumulated by COVID-19 in the State of Amapá, Brazil. Macapá and Santana’s cities, which have the highest demographic density and Human Development Index (HDI), had the highest number of cases and deaths. The most vulnerable population was elderly males aged 70 years or over; these individuals had the highest cumulative incidence, case fatality, and mortality rates. The second wave of the disease (October 2020 to April 2021) illustrated a more aggravating scenario, with increasing incidence and mortality rates. Conclusion: the COVID-19 pandemic in the state of Amapá, Brazil, is in increasing evolution, which illustrates that non-pharmacological prevention measures and acceleration of vaccination must be strengthened to avoid the development of future waves of the disease.