Seroprevalence and factors associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection among education workers after the first wave: the first cross-sectional study in Brazil.

BACKGROUND: The school community was heavily impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic, especially with the long time of school closures. This study aimed to analyze the seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies and possible factors associated with seropositivity for COVID-19 in teachers and other school staff, and to estimate the fraction of asymptomatic individuals by sex and age group. METHODS: We conducted a serological survey of SARS-CoV-2 infections. An analytical cross-sectional study was conducted in Fortaleza, Brazil. Teachers and other staff members from pre-schools to universities of higher education to were investigated. RESULTS: A total of 1,901 professionals participated in the study, of which 1,021 were staff and 880 were teachers. The seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 was 8.0% (152/1901). In the seropositive group, 48.3% were asymptomatic. There was a predominance of women (68.4%); and, 47.1% of the participants were between 31 and 45 years old. There was an increase in prevalence with increasing age. An inverse relationship was found for education level: more professionals with less education tested positive for COVID-19. The presence of an infected person living in the same household was significantly associated with positive results for COVID-19 among the professionals. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study to report the seroprevalence of IgG against SARS-CoV-2 in Brazilian educational staff after the first wave of the disease. In this study, the seroprevalence was much lower than that in the general population. During school reopening, a small fraction of school workers showed serologically detectable signs of SARS-CoV-2 exposure.

How Brazil can hold back COVID-19. / Como o Brasil pode deter a COVID-19.

This article presents the strategies and actions adopted by the Brazilian Ministry of Health to hold back COVID-19. The response to the disease was immediate and occurred prior to the first case being detected in Brazil. Provision of information and communication to the population and the press was adopted as a fundamental strategy for addressing the epidemic. Guidance provided to the population has been clear, stressing the importance of coronavirus transmission prevention measures. Efforts have been directed towards strengthening health surveillance and health care, as well as boosting research, development and innovation. Actions have targeted human resource training and expanding coverage afforded by the Brazilian National Health System (SUS). Protecting health workers is a priority. All SUS health workers, managers and directors are dedicated to preserving the health and life of each and every Brazilian citizen.

COVID-19 en Brasil: evolución de la epidemia hasta la semana epidemiológica 20 de 2020 COVID-19 in Brazil: evolution of the epidemic up until epidemiological week 20 of 2020

Resumo Objetivo descrever a evolução da COVID-19 no Brasil até a Semana Epidemiológica (SE) 20 de 2020. Métodos estudo ecológico baseado em dados e documentos do Ministério da Saúde brasileiro e órgãos internacionais;foram realizadas comparações do Brasil com outros países e calculadas taxas de incidência e de mortalidade. Resultados até o fim da SE 20, no país havia 233.142 casos, 15.633 óbitos confirmados e 3.240 (58,2%) dos municípios apresentavam pelo menos um caso;o Brasil estava em uma fase anterior da pandemia quando comparado aos demais países, exceto Rússia e Turquia, em casos acumulados, e Canadá, em óbitos acumulados;as maiores taxas foram encontradas em Unidades da Federação da Região Norte, com o Amazonas apresentando as maiores taxas de incidência (4.474,6/1 milhão) e mortalidade (331,8/1 milhão). Conclusão o Brasil está entre os países com maiores números de casos e óbitos confirmados, exibindo notáveis diferenças regionais. Resumen Objetivos describir la evolución de COVID-19 en Brasil hasta la Semana Epidemiológica (SE) 20 de 2020. Métodos estudio ecológico basado en datos y documentos del Ministerio de Salud Brasileño y organismos internacionales;se hicieron comparaciones entre Brasil y otros países y fueran calculadas las tasas de incidencia y mortalidad. Resultados al final de la SE 20, en el país había 233.142 casos, 15.633 muertes confirmadas y 3.240 (58.2%) de los municipios tenían al menos un caso;Brasil se encuentra en una fase anterior de la pandemia en comparación con otros países, excepto Rusia y Turquía, para los casos acumulados y Canadá, en muertes acumuladas;las tasas más altas se encontraron en las Unidades Federativas en la Región Norte, con Amazonas con las tasas de incidencia más altas (4.474.6/1.000.000) y mortalidad (331.8/1.000.000). Conclusión Brasil es uno de los países con el mayor número de casos y muertes, con notables diferencias regionales. Objective to describe the evolution of COVID-19 in Brazil up until epidemiological week 20 of 2020. Methods this is an ecological study based on data and official documents from the Brazilian Ministry of Health and international organizations;comparisons were made between Brazil and other countries and incidence and mortality rates were calculated. Results by the end of epidemiological week 20, 233,142 cases, and 15,633 deaths had been confirmed for Brazil as a whole and 3,240 (58.2%) of the country's municipalities had reported at least one case;Brazil was at an earlier phase of the pandemic when compared to other countries, except Russia and Turkey, regarding cumulative cases, and except Canada regarding cumulative deaths;the highest rates were found in Brazil's Northern Region states, where Amazonas state had the highest incidence rates(4,474.6/1,000,000) and mortality rates (331.8/1,000,000). Conclusion Brazil is one of the countries with the highest number of confirmed cases and deaths, with marked regional differences.

COVID-19 in Brazil: evolution of the epidemic up until epidemiological week 20 of 2020. / COVID-19 no Brasil: evolução da epidemia até a semana epidemiológica 20 de 2020.

Objective to describe the evolution of COVID-19 in Brazil up until epidemiological week 20 of 2020. Methods this is an ecological study based on data and official documents from the Brazilian Ministry of Health and international organizations; comparisons were made between Brazil and other countries and incidence and mortality rates were calculated. Results by the end of epidemiological week 20, 233,142 cases, and 15,633 deaths had been confirmed for Brazil as a whole and 3,240 (58.2%) of the country's municipalities had reported at least one case; Brazil was at an earlier phase of the pandemic when compared to other countries, except Russia and Turkey, regarding cumulative cases, and except Canada regarding cumulative deaths; the highest rates were found in Brazil's Northern Region states, where Amazonas state had the highest incidence rates(4,474.6/1,000,000) and mortality rates (331.8/1,000,000). Conclusion Brazil is one of the countries with the highest number of confirmed cases and deaths, with marked regional differences.

Epidemiological and clinical characteristics of the COVID-19 epidemic in Brazil.

The first case of COVID-19 was detected in Brazil on 25 February 2020. We report and contextualize epidemiological, demographic and clinical findings for COVID-19 cases during the first 3 months of the epidemic. By 31 May 2020, 514,200 COVID-19 cases, including 29,314 deaths, had been reported in 75.3% (4,196 of 5,570) of municipalities across all five administrative regions of Brazil. The R0 value for Brazil was estimated at 3.1 (95% Bayesian credible interval = 2.4-5.5), with a higher median but overlapping credible intervals compared with some other seriously affected countries. A positive association between higher per-capita income and COVID-19 diagnosis was identified. Furthermore, the severe acute respiratory infection cases with unknown aetiology were associated with lower per-capita income. Co-circulation of six respiratory viruses was detected but at very low levels. These findings provide a comprehensive description of the ongoing COVID-19 epidemic in Brazil and may help to guide subsequent measures to control virus transmission.

Como o Brasil pode deter a COVID-19

Resumo Este artigo apresenta as estratégias e ações adotadas pelo Ministério da Saúde do Brasil para deter a COVID-19. A resposta à doença foi imediata e anterior à detecção do primeiro caso no país. A informação e a comunicação para a população e a imprensa foram adotadas como estratégias fundamentais para o enfrentamento da epidemia. A orientação para a população tem sido clara, no sentido de reforçar a importância das medidas de prevenção da transmissão do coronavírus. Esforços foram direcionados para o fortalecimento da vigilância e da assistência à saúde, bem como para o fomento à pesquisa, desenvolvimento e inovação. Ações têm sido direcionadas à capacitação de recursos humanos e ampliação da cobertura do Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS). A proteção aos trabalhadores da saúde é considerada prioritária. Todos os trabalhadores, gestores e dirigentes do SUS estão dedicados a preservar a saúde e a vida de cada brasileira e brasileiro. Resumen Este artículo presenta las estrategias y las acciones adoptadas por el Ministerio de Salud de Brasil para detener el COVID-19. La respuesta a la enfermedad fue inmediata y anterior a la detección del primer caso en el país. La información y la comunicación para la población y la prensa fueron adoptadas como estrategias fundamentales para enfrentar la epidemia. La orientación a la población ha sido clara, en el sentido de reforzar la importancia de las medidas de prevención de la trasmisión del coronavirus. Se han dirigido esfuerzos al fortalecimiento de la vigilancia y de la asistencia a la salud, bien como al fomento de la investigación, el desarrollo y la innovación. También se han dirigido acciones a la capacitación de recursos humanos y a la ampliación de la cobertura del Sistema Único de Salud (SUS). La protección a los trabajadores de la salud se considera prioritaria. Todos los trabajadores, gestores y dirigentes del SUS están dedicados a preservar la salud y la vida de cada brasileña y brasileño. This article presents the strategies and actions adopted by the Brazilian Ministry of Health to hold back COVID-19. The response to the disease was immediate and occurred prior to the first case being detected in Brazil. Provision of information and communication to the population and the press was adopted as a fundamental strategy for addressing the epidemic. Guidance provided to the population has been clear, stressing the importance of coronavirus transmission prevention measures. Efforts have been directed towards strengthening health surveillance and health care, as well as boosting research, development and innovation. Actions have targeted human resource training and expanding coverage afforded by the Brazilian National Health System (SUS). Protecting health workers is a priority. All SUS health workers, managers and directors are dedicated to preserving the health and life of each and every Brazilian citizen.

COVID-19 epidemic in Brazil: Where are we at?

OBJETIVE: To analyze the trends of COVID-19 in Brazil in 2020 by Federal Units (FU). METHOD: Ecological time-series based on cumulative confirmed cases of COVID-19 from March 11 to May 12. Joinpoint regression models were applied to identify points of inflection in COVID-19 trends, considering the days since the 50th confirmed case as time unit. RESULTS: Brazil reached its 50th confirmed case of COVID-19 in 11 March 2020 and, 63 days after that, on May 12, 177,589 cases had been confirmed. The trends for all regions and FU are upward. In the last segment, from the 31st to the 63rd day, Brazil presented a daily percentage change (DPC) of 7.3% (95%CI= 7.2;7.5). For the country the average daily percentage change (ADPC) was 14.2% (95%CI: 13.8;14.5). The highest ADPC values were found in the North, Northeast and Southeast regions. CONCLUSIONS: In summary, our results show that all FUs in Brazil present upward trends of COVID-19. In some FUs, the slowdown in DPC in the last segment must be considered with caution. Each FU is at a different stage of the pandemic and, therefore, non-pharmacological measures should be adopted accordingly.

COVID-19 in Brazil: advantages of a socialized unified health system and preparation to contain cases.

The outbreak of new coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) reported for the first time in Wuhan, China in late December 2019 have rapidly spread to other countries and it was declared on January 30, 2020 as a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC) by the World Health Organization. Before the first COVID-19 cases were reported in Brazil, several measures have been implemented including the adjustment of legal framework to carry out isolation and quarantine. As the cases increased significantly, new measures, mainly to reduce mortality and severe cases, have also been implemented. Rapid and robust preparedness actions have been undertaken in Brazil while first cases have not yet been identified in Latin-American. The outcome of this early preparation should be analyzed in future studies.