ABSTRACT
Based on the study of the COVID-19 epidemic process in the Stavropol Region in 2020, it is proposed to divide it into four periods - the <<introduction>> of infection, the beginning of the increase in morbidity, the stable level of the new COVID-19 cases number, and the second period of the morbidity increasing. The dynamics of clinical and epidemiological indicators in each period of the epidemic process is characterized. The main factors of epidemic risk are established: the high contagiosity and the rate of spread of the infectious agent, the long incubation period, active migration flows (mainly in the first period), and the formation of the infection foci (during all phases of the epidemic process). The features of the epidemic process in each periods are shown: in the II period, COVID-19 was mainly registered in the socially active citizens groups of young working age (18-49 years), in the III and IV periods, the higher level of morbidity was in people 30-64 years old;in the II and III periods, the highest level of morbidity was registered in medical workers and pensioners;in the I and II periods of the epidemic process, a significant proportion of patients had an asymptomatic infection (54.7 and 45.7%, respectively);the maximum number of individuals with an unidentified source of infection was registered mainly in the third period (34.7 %). Due to the change in diagnostic tactics against the background of an increase in morbidity in the III and IV periods, the structure of the clinical forms and severity of the course of COVID-19 has changed. The timely introduction of restrictive measures and the organization of mass examinations of citizens, including those who arrived to the territory of the region, made it possible to avoid a rapid increase in the number of COVID-19 patients in the region. Copyright © 2022 Stavropol State Medical University. All rights reserved.