The first year of the COVID-19 pandemic in an indigenous population in Brazil: an epidemiological study

Abstract

This cross-sectional observational study that describes the epidemiological data of the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic in the Mato Grosso do Sul State, aimed to demonstrate the differences between indigenous and non-indigenous populations, characterize confirmed cases of COVID-19 according to risk factors related to ethnicity, comorbidities and their evolution and to verify the challenges in facing the disease in Brazil. SIVEP-Gripe and E-SUS-VE, a nationwide surveillance database in Brazil, from March 2020 to March 2021 in Mato Grosso do Sul state, were used to compare survivors and non-survivors from indigenous and nonindigenous populations and the epidemiological incidence curves of these populations. A total of 176,478, including 5,299 indigenous people, were confirmed. Among the indigenous population, 52.5% (confidence interval [CI] 51.2-53.9) were women, 38% (CI 36.7-39.4) were 20-39 years old, 56.7% were diagnosed by rapid antibody tests, 12.3% (CI 95%:11.5-13.2) had at least one comorbidity, and 5.3% (CI 95%:4.7-5.9) were hospitalized. In the non-indigenous patients, 56.8% were confirmed using RT-PCR, 4.4% (CI 95%:4.3-4.5) had at least one comorbidity, and 8.0% (CI 95%:7.9-8.2) were hospitalized. The majority of non-survivors were ≥60 years old (65.1% indigenous vs. 74.1% non-indigenous). The mortality in indigenous people was more than three times higher (11% vs. 2.9%). Indigenous people had a lower proportion of RT-PCR diagnoses; deaths were more frequent in younger patients and were less likely to be admitted to hospital. Mass vaccination may have controlled the incidence and mortality associated with COVID-19 in this population during the period of increased viral circulation.

Genomic characterization of SARS-CoV-2 from an indigenous reserve in Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil

“…Clinical samples of indigenous patients with suspected SARS-CoV-2 infection and residing in indigenous areas of Mato Grosso do Sul state were collected from May 2020 to November 2021 for COVID-19 diagnosis and whole genome sequencing. The biological material was collected following the workflow already established in the Basic Indigenous Health Units (UBSI) for detecting SARS-CoV-2 using qRT-PCR ( 17 ). Viral RNA was extracted from nasopharyngeal swabs using QIAamp Viral RNA Mini KIT (QIAGEN), following manufacturer’s instructions.…”

Um laboratório produzindo inovações em saúde na Amazônia: 10 anos do Laboratório de História, Política Pública e Saúde na Amazônia

“…Desde os primeiros estudos epidemiológicos (Hallal et al, 2020; e os mais recentes (Montag et al, 2021;Cunha et al, 2021;Croda et al, 2022) evidenciaram que as comunidades indígenas apresentaram uma taxa de incidência e mortalidade por Covid-19 mais elevada do que não-indígenas. Essas pesquisas apontaram como possíveis causas a existência de rodovias e livre acesso para trocas comerciais em terras indígenas, contato de indígenas aldeados com população de cidades onde o vírus já circulava por necessidade comercial ou recebimento de benefícios sociais (Santos et al, 2021) e devido a permanência ilegal de madeireiros e garimpeiros que intensificaram suas atividades nos primeiros meses da pandemia (Greenpeace Brasil, 2020).…”

Embedding Aboriginal cultural governance, capacity, perspectives and leadership into a local Public Health Unit Incident Command System during COVID-19 in New South Wales, Australia

“…Key determinants include the historical and contemporary impacts of colonisation and systemic racism, which manifest most notably in health and socioeconomic inequities 2. First Nations peoples experience many factors that amplify the risk of COVID-19 including: higher rates of chronic disease, inadequate and crowded housing,3 lower vaccination uptake, and limited access to culturally appropriate health and essential services 2–6…”