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. 2023 Aug 16;46(2):e1044.
doi: 10.23938/ASSN.1044.

[COVID-19 infections, hospitalizations, and mortality in Navarre (Spain) between February 2020 and September 2022]

[Article in Spanish]
Itziar Casado  1 , Manuel García Cenoz  2 , Nerea Egüés  3 , Cristina Burgui  4 , Iván Martínez-Baz  5 , Jesús Castilla  6
Affiliations

[COVID-19 infections, hospitalizations, and mortality in Navarre (Spain) between February 2020 and September 2022]

[Article in Spanish]
Itziar Casado et al. An Sist Sanit Navar. .

Abstract
in English, Spanish

Background: Between February 2020 and September 2022, SARS-CoV-2 has circulated uninterruptedly throughout Spain. This study analyses COVID-19 infections, hospitalizations, and deaths in Navarre.

Methods: Enhanced epidemiological surveillance and results of seroepidemiological surveys were used to analyze COVID-19 infections, hospitalizations, and deaths, based on the vaccination coverage and other preventive measures applied from February 2020 to September 2022.

Results: A total of 295,424 COVID-19 cases were confirmed (45% of the population in Navarre); 8,594 required hospital admission (1.3%), 832 were admitted to intensive care units (1.3‰) and 1,725 died (2.6‰). Over the first wave of the pandemic, there were 1,934 hospitalizations and 529 deaths from confirmed COVID-19 cases over a few weeks; these figures dropped rapidly following lockdown. Until October 2021, SARS-CoV-2 circulation was modulated by non-pharmacological preventive measures. The subsequent relaxation of these measures led to a wide circulation of the omicron variant, increasing the number of cases by three-fold. The high vaccination coverage against COVID-19 introduced decisive changes in the epidemiology of the disease, reducing to less than 2%, 0.1%, and 0.5% the cases requiring hospitalization, intensive care unit admission, or that died, respectively.

Conclusions: Initial lockdown and non-pharmacological preventive measures helped control SARS-CoV-2 transmission until vaccination was extended. Vaccination achieved a decisive reduction of the COVID-19 severity and lethality.

Fundamento:: El SARS-CoV-2 circuló ininterrumpidamente en España durante el período comprendido entre febrero de 2020 y septiembre de 2022. Este estudio analiza su repercusión en las infecciones, hospitalizaciones y defunciones en Navarra.

Métodos:: A partir de la vigilancia epidemiológica reforzada y de los resultados de encuestas sero-epidemiológicas, se han analizado las infecciones, hospitalizaciones y defunciones por COVID-19 en función de la cobertura vacunal y otras medidas preventivas aplicadas durante el período del estudio.

Resultados:: Se confirmaron 295.424 personas con COVID-19 (45% de la población navarra), 8.594 requirieron ingreso hospitalario (1,3%), 832 ingresaron en unidades de cuidados intensivos (1,3‰) y 1.725 fallecieron (2,6‰). Durante la primera onda pandémica, en pocas semanas se registraron 1.934 hospitalizaciones y 529 defunciones por COVID-19 confirmado; dicha cifra se redujo significativamente tras el confinamiento domiciliario. Hasta octubre de 2021, la circulación del SARS-CoV-2 estuvo modulada por las medidas preventivas no farmacológicas. La posterior relajación de las mismas dio paso a una amplia circulación de la variante ómicron, triplicando el número de casos registrados hasta entonces. La alta cobertura vacunal frente a la COVID-19 introdujo cambios decisivos en su epidemiología, reduciendo la proporción de casos que requirieron hospitalización, ingreso en unidades de cuidados intensivos y fallecimientos a menos del 2%, 0,1% y 0,5%, respectivamente.

Conclusiones:: El confinamiento domiciliario inicial y las medidas preventivas no farmacológicas contuvieron la circulación del SARS-CoV-2 hasta extenderse la vacunación, con la cual se logró una reducción decisiva en la gravedad y letalidad de la COVID-19.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflictos de intereses: Los autores declaran no tener conflictos de intereses.

Figures

Figura 1
Figura 1. Tasa de incidencia semanal confirmada y estimada de infección por SARS-CoV-2 en Navarra por 100.000 habitantes, febrero de 2020 a septiembre de 2022.
Figura 2
Figura 2. Incidencia semanal de casos de COVID-19 confirmados y su distribución en función del porcentaje estimado de cada variante, enero de 2021 a septiembre de 2022.
Figura 3
Figura 3. Proporción de la población con COVID-19 confirmada en las distintas ondas pandémicas según el grupo de edad, febrero de 2020 a septiembre de 2022.
Figura 4
Figura 4. Número semanal de personas que ingresaron por COVID-19 en el hospital (A) y en unidades de cuidados intensivos (B), y que fallecieron por COVID-19 confirmado (C), entre febrero de 2020 y septiembre de 2022.
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