Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Infectious Diseases in Brazil: A Case Study on Dengue Infections

Abstract

Brazil is known for being a breeding ground for emerging infectious diseases (EIDs), such as Zika, dengue, and chikungunya. Given that it has been one of the countries most affected by the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, this article aims to analyze the impact that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on the burden of infectious diseases in Brazil, especially that of dengue. Brazil is a unique territory with a heterogeneous population living in a tropical, wet climate favorable to infectious diseases. In addition, despite being one of the largest emerging economies in the world, the country has been exposed to political instability and a public health system that suffers from large funding shortfalls and a lack of coherent regulation. The findings from this study are multilayered. Firstly, as cases of COVID-19 rose at the start of the pandemic, cases of dengue declined drastically. This may be due, in part, to factors such as seasonal climate and distancing measures. Furthermore, the findings indicate that the diversion of resources away from dengue and other infectious diseases, and mobilization for COVID-19 testing and treatment, likely resulted in a serious underreporting of dengue. While Brazil has incorporated some of the lessons learned from past EID experience in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, the analysis highlights how the country’s structural problems present pitfalls in the epidemiological fight. It was concluded that in a country such as Brazil, where infectious disease outbreaks are only a matter of time, pandemic preparedness should be prioritized over pandemic response.

Saúde Pública: Princípios e práticas

“…A redução na incidência de dengue observada nos anos de 2020 e 2021 pode estar relacionada aos efeitos da pandemia de Sars-Cov-2. A literatura sugere que o redirecionamento dos recursos em saúde pública para o combate da COVID-19 provavelmente resultou em expressiva subnotificação dos casos de dengue (BORRE et al, 2022;LEANDRO et al, 2020). Outro fator que pode ter contribuído foi o próprio receio da população em contaminar-se com o Saúde Pública: Princípios e Práticas novo coronavírus, o que reduziu a procura por serviços de saúde de maneira geral .…”

Dengue no Brasil: Uma análise epidemiológica do período compreendido entre 2014 e 2021

“…A redução na incidência de dengue observada nos anos de 2020 e 2021 pode estar relacionada aos efeitos da pandemia de Sars-Cov-2. A literatura sugere que o redirecionamento dos recursos em saúde pública para o combate da COVID-19 provavelmente resultou em expressiva subnotificação dos casos de dengue (BORRE et al, 2022;LEANDRO et al, 2020). Outro fator que pode ter contribuído foi o próprio receio da população em contaminar-se com o 88 novo coronavírus, o que reduziu a procura por serviços de saúde de maneira geral (SILVA et al, 2021).…”

Zoonotic urbanisation: multispecies urbanism and the rescaling of urban epidemiology

“…Other large-scale public health interventions include the aerial spraying of whole neighbourhoods with insecticides to control mosquito vectors for the Zika virus. In Brazil, for example, poorer urban neighbourhoods have experienced mass fumigation with toxic chemicals, a governmental response that was intensified in the runup to the 2016 Olympics (Borre et al, 2022). Yet these high-profile forms of biopolitical performativity lie in tension with the structural and topographic determinants of epidemiological risk (Gandy, 2022c).…”

“…The operation of racial capitalism is reflected in divergent mortalities driven by systemic inequalities in the labour market along with restricted access to housing, health care, education, and other services. In Brazil’s largest cities, for example, poorer residents living in peripheral zones must not only travel long distances for work but also use crowded public transport for longer periods (Borre et al, 2022). The impact of public health measures such as lockdowns and other restrictions on movement has had a disproportionate effect on the urban poor, especially within cities of the global South, where a majority of the population are either unemployed or reliant on informal employment opportunities (Bhan et al, 2020; Chirisa et al, 2022).…”