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Introduction: The severity of COVID-19 in the general population ranges from minimally symptomatic disease to critical illness, which may require hospitalization and progress to death. Methods: A retrospective cohort study carried out with all positive cases of COVID-19 reported in the municipality of Foz do Iguaçu (PR) between the period from March 2020 to December 2021. Data were collected from Bank Notifies COVID-19 is the name of the information system that provides notifications by professionals of suspected and confirmed cases of the disease. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistical techniques and calculation of relative risk. Results: 24,647 confirmed cases were identified in the study; among these, 22,211 (90.1%) were not hospitalized and 2436 (9.9%) were hospitalized. Among the 2436 patients hospitalized for COVID-19, 947 (38.9%) died and 1489 (61.1%) recovered. Among the 22,211 outpatients, 93 (0.4%) died and 22,118 (99.6%) recovered. An association between death and the following characteristics was identified among the cases that were hospitalized: male gender, all age groups over 40 years, indigenous race/color, hospital staylength of more than 10 days,hospitalization in a Unified Health System (SUS) bed and in an Intensive Care Unit (ICU). According to the clinical characteristics of symptoms and comorbidities, the following prevailed:ities dyspnea, intercostal retraction, cyanosis, hypertension, diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease, smoking, lung disease, kidneydisease, neurological disease, neoplasia, and immunodeficiency. Among the cases that were not hospitalized, death was associated with: malegender, all age groups over 50 years, dyspnea, cyanosis, hypertension, diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, neurological disease, neoplasia, and liver disease. Conclusions: Older adults, male, and Caucasian people are commonly affected by COVID-19 and can evolve with aggravation when they have modifiable risk factors such as obesity and smoking, as well as nonmodifiable risk factors such as: cardiovascular disease, neurological disease, renal, hypertension, diabetes, and immunosuppression.

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BACKGROUND: To analyze the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on the process of diagnosis and monitoring of drug-resistant pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) cases reported in the state of Paraná, Brazil, from 2015 to 2020. METHODS: Ecological study with quantitative approach. This study was based on diagnosed cases of pulmonary TB reported in the Notifiable Disease Information System in residents of Paraná; as well as through the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the state epidemiological bulletin for the year 2020. The study data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. RESULTS: It was found that, although the number of reported pulmonary TB cases (drug-resistant and general) increased between 2015 and 2019, there was a drop in notification in 2020, the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. The notification of TB cases was also influenced monthly during the year according to the increase in the number of COVID-19 cases. For cases of drug-resistant pulmonary TB, the provision of diagnostic tests and Directly Observed Treatment decreased by more than half in 2020, especially when compared to 2019. CONCLUSIONS: In view of these findings, the influence of COVID-19 on the diagnosis and monitoring of drug-resistant and general pulmonary TB cases is evident, showing that the pandemic has compromised the advances of recent decades in achieving the goals established for its eradication by 2035.

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OBJECTIVE: The aim was to analyze the spatial association and relative risk (RR) of leprosy cases diagnosed in southern Brazil and in the Argentinean province of Misiones during 2010 to 2016. METHODS: This ecological-type epidemiological study analyzed data from the Health Ministries of both countries. The analysis included frequency measures, spatial autocorrelation, RR cluster analysis and map construction. RESULTS: A hyperendemic occurrence was identified in all study regions, in the state of Paraná 71.2% of the municipalities were hyperendemic and in Misiones, Argentina 41.2%. The GI* statistical analysis showed clusters of high incidence rates in the state of Paraná and low-risk clusters in much of the state of Rio Grande do Sul, both in Brazil. The analysis indicated an area with RR equal to 3.87 - (p < .0001) when considering the entire territory and an RR of 2.80 - (p < .0001) excluding the state of Paraná, with the number of departments of Misiones, Argentina included in the risk clusters increasing significantly. CONCLUSIONS: The findings indicate a high probability of similar illness in adjacent areas, according to their relative position in space, as the occurrence of the disease is influenced by neighboring clusters.

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A recent major earthquake (M7.8), coupled with appropriate climatic conditions, led to significant destruction in Ecuador. Temperature variations, which may be induced by anthropogenic climate change, are often associated with changes in rainfall, humidity and pressure. Temperature and humidity are associated with ecological modifications that may favour mosquito breeding. We hypothesized that the disruptive ecological changes triggered by the earthquake, in the context of appropriate climatic conditions, led to an upsurge in Zika virus (ZIKV) infections. Here we show that, after controlling for climatic and socioeconomic conditions, earthquake severity was associated with incident ZIKV cases. Pre-earthquake mean maximum monthly temperature and post-earthquake mean monthly pressure were negatively associated with ZIKV incidence rates. These results demonstrate the dynamics of post-disaster vector-borne disease transmission, in the context of conducive/favourable climatic conditions, which are relevant in a climate change-affected world where disasters may occur in largely populated areas.

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This study characterizes a measles outbreak which occurred in Ecuador in 2011-2012, analyzing data from 3700 suspected cases of measles reported to Ecuador's Ministry of Public Health. The study population had a large age range and included 333 confirmed cases of measles. The greatest number of cases were found in the <1 year (32.43%, n = 108) and 1-4 year (30.03%, n = 100) age-groups. Compared to Mestizos, indigenous people had the highest number of cases (68.2%, n = 227), as well as a higher risk of infection (OR 7.278 (CI 5.251-10.087)). The greatest protection from measles was observed in individuals who received two doses of the measles vaccine. Residents of Pastaza (OR 6.645 CI (3.183-13.873)) and Tungurahua (OR 8.346 CI (5.570-12.507)) had a higher risk of infection than the other provinces. Of the 17 laboratory confirmed cases, all were identified as genotype B3. Age-group, ethnicity, measles vaccinations, and residence in Tungurahua and Pastaza were correlated with rates of measles infection in the outbreak. Tungurahua and Pastaza, where the outbreak originated, have large indigenous populations. Indigenous children <1 year of age showed the highest incidence. It is likely that indigenous women do not have immunity to the virus, and so are unable to confer measles resistance to their newborns.

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En resumen, con el antecedente de la reciente epidemia por el virus del Ébola, las autoridades gubernamentales y sanitarias deberán mantenerse con ojos vigilantes, no sólo en los puestos de entrada al país, sino también en las salas de emergencias de todos los hospitales y las unidades de servicios de salud (públicas y privadas). De igual manera, se deben establecer protocolos de diagnostico oportuno, transferencia de pacientes, aislamiento y tratamiento de sostén intensivo; así como es fundamental capacitar suficiente personal sanitario para hacer frente a este tipo de procesos infecciosos. Para ello se deben equipar unidades especiales en las principales ciudades del país. Los ciudadanos, a su vez, en situaciones de este tipo, deben mantener la calma y ser constantemente informados a través de canales oficiales, incluso a fin de reportar cualquier caso sospechoso de manera inmediata. Estas recomendaciones tienen sentido, no solamente por enfermedades que pueden llegar importadas desde el extranjero, sino también ante la eventualidad de brotes que podrían aparecer en el país causados por otros microorganismos.

In summary, with the antecedent of the recent virus epidemic of Ebola, government and health authorities should remain vigilant, not only at the entry points to the country, but also in the emergency rooms of all hospitals and health service units (public and private). Similarly, protocols must be established for timely diagnosis, patient transfer, isolation and intensive support treatment; A) Yes how is it essential to train Sufficient health personnel to deal with this type of infectious processes. For this they must equip special units in Main cities of the country. The citizens, in turn, in situations of this type, they must keep the calm down and be constantly informed through official channels, even in order to report any suspect case immediately. These recommendations They make sense, not just for diseases that may come imported from abroad, but also before the eventuality outbreaks that could appear in the country caused by other microorganisms.

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