COVID-19 Mortality Rate and Its Incidence in Latin America: Dependence on Demographic and Economic Variables

Abstract

The pandemic caused by COVID-19 has left millions infected and dead around the world, with Latin America being one of the most affected areas. In this work, we have sought to determine, by means of a multiple regression analysis and a study of correlations, the influence of population density, life expectancy, and proportion of the population in vulnerable employment, together with GDP per capita, on the mortality rate due to COVID-19 in Latin American countries. The results indicated that countries with higher population density had lower numbers of deaths. Population in vulnerable employment and GDP showed a positive influence, while life expectancy did not appear to significantly affect the number of COVID-19 deaths. In addition, the influence of these variables on the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 was analyzed. It can be concluded that the lack of resources can be a major burden for the vulnerable population in combating COVID-19 and that population density can ensure better designed institutions and quality infrastructure to achieve social distancing and, together with effective measures, lower death rates.

Clinical characteristics, systemic complications, and in-hospital outcomes for patients with COVID-19 in Latin America. LIVEN-Covid-19 study: A prospective, multicenter, multinational, cohort study

“…This approximation suggests an unprecedented burden on the countries’ economies. It is known that a third of in-hospital care patients will develop severe Covid-19 and will require admission to the intensive care unit (ICU) [ 3 – 5 ]. The mortality rate of patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 that require hospital admission ranges between 3% and 88%, being higher in those admitted to the ICU [ 6 , 7 ].…”

“…Latin America has been profoundly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. In this region, socioeconomic contrasts are quite profound, with under-resourced healthcare systems and high poverty rates [ 5 , 15 ]. Currently, just a few single countries in Latin America have described patients’ clinical characteristics and clinical outcomes of patients admitted to the hospital due to COVID-19 [ 16 ].…”

Analysis of COVID-19 Outbreak in Ecuador Using the Logistic Model

“…In general, Ecuador had a high mortality rate (882 pmp) by February 26, 2021. The country's positivity rate (28% in 56,000 tests pmp) is higher than in other South American countries such as Uruguay (5.7% in 290,000 tests pmp), Chile (8.8% in 490,000 tests pmp), Colombia (19.6% in 223,000 tests pmp), and even more than the US (8% in 1 million tests pmp) [10,11]. The Ecuadorian government has implemented social distancing, case testing, and random quarantine to protect the population against COVID-19 [12].…”

Impact of a National Multicentric Strategy to Support Kidney Transplant Patients During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Latin America: FUTAC Team Creation and Activities

“…Latin America is a region with the highest per capita death rate due to COVID-19 in the world, 9 with over 1.5 million recorded deaths as of September 2021. 10 These adverse outcomes may be explained by several factors, 11,12 including the low socioeconomic conditions and inequality present before the pandemic. According to global inequality data, Latin America is one of the most unequal regions in the world.…”