Prevention and control of Aedes transmitted infections in the post-pandemic scenario of COVID-19: challenges and opportunities for the region of the Americas.

Héctor Gómez Dantés,Gonzalo Vazquez-Prokopec,Giovanini Coelho,Fabiano Pimenta,Fabian Correa Morales,Pablo Manrique-Saide,João Bosco Siqueira Junior,Haroldo Bezerra

doi:10.1590/0074-02760200284

Abstract

The coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic challenges public health systems around the world. Tropical countries will face complex epidemiological scenarios involving the simultaneous transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) with viruses transmitted by Aedes aegypti. The occurrence of arboviral diseases with COVID-19 in the Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) region presents challenges and opportunities for strengthening health services, surveillance and control programs. Financing of training, equipment and reconversion of hospital spaces will have a negative effect on already the limited resource directed to the health sector. The strengthening of the diagnostic infrastructure reappears as an opportunity for the national reference laboratories. Sharing of epidemiological information for the modeling of epidemiological scenarios allows collaboration between health, academic and scientific institutions. The fear of contagion by COVID-19 is constraining people with arboviral diseases to search for care which can lead to an increase in serious cases and could disrupt the operation of vector-control programs due to the reluctance of residents to open their doors to health personnel. Promoting intense community participation along with the incorporation of long lasting innovations in vector control offers new opportunities for control. The COVID-19 pandemic offers challenges and opportunities that must provoke positive behavioral changes and encourage more permanent self-care actions.

Highlights

The unexpected expenditures disbursed to implement the prevention and control measures of COVID-19 has put countries in a crisis that will affect economic activities and the regular financing of routine preventive and control programs. We identify that this will be an additional challenge for the health systems and the economy of the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC)
Contrary to what will happen in temperate countries, a large population contingent from tropical countries will experience complex epidemiological scenarios that will involve the simultaneous or intercalated transmission of SARS-CoV-2 with viruses of dengue, Zika and Chikungunya transmitted by Aedes aegypti (ATDs).(8,9)
(10) Dengue data obtained from Health Information Platform for the Americas (PLISA) show that weekly dengue cases during 2020 were reported on a higher rate than the weekly average of dengue cases reported during the 2014-2019 period, and a sharp decrease in notification of confirmed dengue cases started along with the report of COVID-19 cases in the LAC Region[11] (Figure)

Summary

Introduction

The unexpected expenditures disbursed to implement the prevention and control measures of COVID-19 has put countries in a crisis that will affect economic activities and the regular financing of routine preventive and control programs. Challenges and opportunities - The simultaneous occurrence of Aedes-transmitted diseases and COVID-19 in the LAC region presents us with very important challenges and offers opportunities for strengthening health services, surveillance and control of epidemics (Table).

Results

Conclusion