Epidemiology of COVID-19 cases diagnosed at quarantine facilities in Paraguay

Abstract

Aims: This study aimed to describe the epidemiological characteristics of COVID-19 cases diagnosed in quarantine facilities in Paraguay.Methods: This was a descriptive, cross-sectional, temporarily retrospective study. The time scope was from April 1 to September 30 2020. The variables were sex, age and administrative departments. The open access data available on the website of the Ministry of Public Health and Social Welfare was used. Frequencies expressed in percentages and the Chi square value were calculated to observe the statistically significant differences between cases and age and sex.Results: from April 4 to September 30 2020, 1.581 cases were diagnosed in COVID-19. The fewest number of positive cases were reported in April (50) and the highest number was reported in May (628). From the total, 69.6% (1.101) were male, (male / female ratio 2.3), 42.1% (666) were aged between 20-29 years, the average age was 30.23 years (range 0 to 87, standard deviation 14.66. 95% CI 1.5 - 58.95). The departments with the highest number of cases were Caaguazú 21.7 % (343), Alto Paraná 17.3 % (274), Central 13.3% (210) and Asunción 11.4% (180). The least number of cases of COVID-10 in women were registered in the Departments of Amambay, Pdte. Hayes, Ñeembucú and Boquerón, and in men the Departments of Ñeembucú and Boquerón. The largest number of male cases were registered in Caaguazú 70.8% (243), Alto Paraná 66.1% (181), Central 69.5% (146) and Asunción 68.9% (124). The number of Covid-19 infected people in quarantine facilities presented statistically significant differences between the variables sex and age.Conclusion: the quarantine facilities are one of the measures that the Paraguayan government needed to avoid the rapid spread and dispersion of the virus. The epidemiology of the cases diagnosed in them corresponds to what was expected according to the characteristics of the country.