Evaluation of COVID-19 Surveillance Strategy in Ecuador

Fuentes, Ricardo Cañizares; Aroca, Rubén; Carlos, Miquel Blasco

doi:10.1017/dmp.2020.326

Cited by 5 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 4 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…In total, 52% (1017/1950) of those samples were SARS-CoV-2 positive. The high RT-PCR detection rate is consistent with the Ecuadorian testing algorithm focusing on symptomatic cases and contacts 15 . The SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR detection per month correlated significantly with lower stringency of NPIs, implying increased virus circulation before NPIs were implemented and after NPIs were relaxed (Pearson correlation test; r=-0.74; p =0.01) ( Fig.…”

Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 77%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Virological evidence of the impact of non-pharmaceutical interventions against COVID-19 in a resource-limited setting

Moreira-Soto

Bruno

Mora

et al. 2023

Preprint

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Ecuador was an early COVID-19 hotspot with substantial COVID-19-mortality. In developed countries, low socioeconomic status is associated with COVID-19 infection and low compliance with non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs). However, if NPI were successful in resource-limited settings with high human mobility and informal labour is still unclear. We performed a retrospective observational molecular and serological study of Ecuador’s reference laboratory. We tested 1,950 respiratory samples from COVID-19 surveillance for SARS-CoV-2 and 12 respiratory viruses using RT-PCR, characterized 642 SARS-CoV-2 genomes, and examined SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence in 1,967 samples from patients with fever in Ecuador’s reference laboratory during 2020-2021. Molecular and serological data were compared to NPI stringency in Bayesian, maximum-likelihood and modelling frameworks.SARS-CoV-2 (Pearson correlation test; r=-0.74; p=0.01) and other respiratory viruses (r=-0.68; p=0.02) detection correlated negatively with NPI stringency. SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence increased from <1% during February-March 2020 to 50% within 6 weeks and plateaued after NPI implementation. Decrease of effective reproduction number <1 and antibody reactivity over time suggested intense SARS-CoV-2 transmission during pandemic onset, subsequently limited by NPIs. Phylogeographic analyses revealed that travel restrictions were implemented late not preventing 100 near-parallel SARS-CoV-2 introductions, and implementation of NPIs modified SARS-CoV-2 geographic spread by restricting recreational activity. NPIs stringency correlated negatively with the number of circulating SARS-CoV-2 lineages (r=-0.69; p=0.02). Virological evidence supports NPIs restricting human movement as an effective public health tool to control the spread of respiratory pathogens in resource-limited settings, providing a template for emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants and future epidemics.

show abstract

Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 77%

supporting

confidence: 78%

Virological evidence of the impact of non-pharmaceutical interventions against COVID-19 in a resource-limited setting

Moreira-Soto

Bruno

Mora

et al. 2023

Preprint

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…In Italy, mortality was higher in patients aged 70–89 [ 26 ], while in Ecuador, the highest mortality rate was for approximately the same age but differed for individuals under 1 year old (CFR: 9%). This high rate of mortality could be related to the surveillance strategy used in Ecuador, as COVID-19 tests were targeted toward symptomatic patients, and thus patients with mild symptoms may not have been identified [ 27 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Case Fatality Rate of COVID-19 and its Relationship to Sociodemographic Characteristics in Ecuador, 2020

Sacoto

Hierro

Hernández

et al. 2022

Int J Public Health

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Objective: To analyze sociodemographic factors’ influence on COVID-19 case fatality rate (CFR) in Ecuador on a subnational level.Methods: Publicly available register-based observational study. A retrospective cohort of COVID-19 infections between epidemiological weeks 8–53 in the Ecuadorian public healthcare system was determined from available records. Statistical analyses were conducted to evaluate CFR trends according to factors such as sex, age, location, and healthcare provider.Results: Overall CFR was 9.4%; by canton, median CFR was 5.2%, with some cantons with much higher rates, like Santa Elena (39.1%). Overall CFR decreased during the period, from 16.6% (week 8) to 2.63% (week 53). Being in a rural area was an independent protective factor. Patients over 65 had a hazard ratio of 11.38 (95% CI [11.05, 11.72]). Sex, ethnicity, and treatment from public facilities were also associated with death risk.Conclusion: CFR is a proxy indicator of COVID-19 impact in Ecuador, and this location-based analysis provides new information on the disease’s specific impact subnationally. Overall COVID-19 CFR during the entire period was high, suggesting the need to improve COVID-19 care in Ecuador.

show abstract

“…A group of public health experts established that smokers are more likely to develop severe symptoms in the case of COViD-19 [14]. The heterogeneous behavior of the disease, according to age groups, geographical areas, and possible circulation of different strains, plays a critical role in the study of COViD-19 in Ecuador, coupled with the under-registration of cases, little knowledge of the dynamics of infection and distribution of outbreaks, as insufficient detailed data existent [15][16][17][18]. The clinical-epidemiological characteristics are still unknown, especially in symptomatic patients with mild-moderate symptoms, which leads to erroneous diagnoses and treatments [19].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A comprehensive study of Ecuadorian adult patients with a mild and moderate presentation of COViD-19

González-Andrade

Carrero

2023

PLoS ONE

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Aim To characterize non-hospitalized patients with mild and moderate clinical presentation. Methods We performed an epidemiological, observational, descriptive, and cross-sectional study carried out in Ecuador, with 1,447 participants between 18 and 66 years, non-hospitalized, with a molecular RT-PCR test for SARS-CoV2. We analyzed demographic characteristics according to sex, age group, clinical findings, behavior after diagnosis, family and social behavior, sequelae, clinical evolution, type of exposure, and personal history. Results The sample analyzed had a mean age of 37 years (95% CI 18–66), women 713 individuals (49.27%), men 733 individuals (50.66%). Age group distribution was 18–30 years, 524 individuals (36.29%), 31–45, 538 individuals (37.26), and more of 45 years, 382 individuals (26.46%). 1416 individuals were mestizos (97.99%). According to the province of residence from Pichincha were 1019 patients (70.52%), followed by Imbabura, 93 patients (6.44%), and the others 335 (23.15%) patients come from all over the country. In women, the most common findings were fever >38°C (54.40%), sputum (27.43%) and hypoxia (16.32%); HTN (5.75%) and hypercholesterolemia (3.69%). Men were more prevalent in all other findings. Comorbidities were more prevalent in all those over 45 years of age. COVID-19 antibodies test was positive in 416 patients (28.85%). Neuropsychiatric symptoms such as sleep disorders, generalized anxiety disorder, depressed mood, and chronic fatigue were more prevalent in men than women. Still, generalized anxiety disorder and chronic fatigue were more common in individuals of 31 to 45 years. 868 patients (60.07%) were in contact with a known infected person, 318 patients (22.02%) were health workers, and 782 patients (57.63%) were informed about work exposure. 545 patients (37.72%) were overweight, primarily women 310 (42.29%). 609 patients (42.65%) showed symptoms after the acute period, and 331 individuals (23.49%) reported some sequelae. Conclusion The epidemiological and clinical behavior of hospitalized and critical patients differs greatly from ambulatory or mild or moderate symptoms. It is essential to highlight those non-hospitalized patients constitute the predominant population of patients, hence the importance of adequate management that would directly affect the development of complicated forms and, consequently, the collapse of healthcare centers. It is vitally important to open more investigations that compare hospitalized and outpatient patients to have a clearer picture of the epidemic.

show abstract

Evaluation of COVID-19 Surveillance Strategy in Ecuador

Cited by 5 publications

References 4 publications

Virological evidence of the impact of non-pharmaceutical interventions against COVID-19 in a resource-limited setting

Virological evidence of the impact of non-pharmaceutical interventions against COVID-19 in a resource-limited setting

Case Fatality Rate of COVID-19 and its Relationship to Sociodemographic Characteristics in Ecuador, 2020

A comprehensive study of Ecuadorian adult patients with a mild and moderate presentation of COViD-19

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About