Epidemiological, socio-demographic and clinical features of the early phase of the COVID-19 epidemic in Ecuador

Esteban Ortiz-Prado; Katherine Simbaña-Rivera; Lenin Gómez Barreno; Ana Maria Diaz; Alejandra Barreto; Carla Moyano; Vannesa Arcos; Eduardo Vásconez-González; Clara Paz; Fernanda Simbaña-Guaycha; Martin Molestina-Luzuriaga; Raúl Fernández-Naranjo; Javier Feijoo; Aquiles R. Henriquez-Trujillo; Lila Adana; Andrés López-Cortés; Isabel Fletcher; Rachel Lowe

doi:10.1371/journal.pntd.0008958

Epidemiological, socio-demographic and clinical features of the early phase of the COVID-19 epidemic in Ecuador

Journal

PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases

ISSN

1935-2735

Date Issued

2021-01-04

Author(s)

Esteban Ortiz-Prado

Katherine Simbaña-Rivera

Lenin Gómez Barreno

Ana Maria Diaz

Alejandra Barreto

Carla Moyano

Vannesa Arcos

Eduardo Vásconez-González

Clara Paz

Fernanda Simbaña-Guaycha

Martin Molestina-Luzuriaga

Raúl Fernández-Naranjo

Javier Feijoo

Aquiles R. Henriquez-Trujillo

Lila Adana

Andrés López-Cortés

Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud Eugenio Espejo

Isabel Fletcher

Rachel Lowe

Editor(s)

Victoria J. Brookes

DOI

10.1371/journal.pntd.0008958

URL

https://cris.ute.edu.ec/handle/123456789/654

Abstract

The SARS-CoV-2 virus has spread rapidly around the globe. Nevertheless, there is limited information describing the characteristics and outcomes of COVID-19 patients in Latin America. We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of 9,468 confirmed COVID-19 cases reported in Ecuador. We calculated overall incidence, mortality, case fatality rates, disability adjusted life years, attack and crude mortality rates, as well as relative risk and relative odds of death, adjusted for age, sex and presence of comorbidities. A total of 9,468 positive COVID-19 cases and 474 deaths were included in the analysis. Men accounted for 55.4% (n = 5, 247) of cases and women for 44.6% (n = 4, 221). We found the presence of comorbidities, being male and older than 65 years were important determinants of mortality. Coastal regions were most affected by COVID-19, with higher mortality rates than the highlands. Fatigue was reported in 53.2% of the patients, followed by headache (43%), dry cough (41.7%), ageusia (37.1%) and anosmia (36.1%). We present an analysis of the burden of COVID-19 in Ecuador. Our findings show that men are at higher risk of dying from COVID-19 than women, and risk increases with age and the presence of comorbidities. We also found that blue-collar workers and the unemployed are at greater risk of dying. These early observations offer clinical insights for the medical community to help improve patient care and for public health officials to strengthen Ecuador’s response to the outbreak.