Influenza A/H1N1 and COVID-19 in Brazil: impacts and epidemiological differences

Abstract

Background and Objectives: In 2009, Brazil faced the influenza A/H1N1pdm09 pandemic that infected at least 50 thousand people. In 2020, it faces another pandemic caused by the SARS-Cov-2 virus (COVID-19). Because it is a new disease, there is much speculation about it and comparison with other scenarios, often based on fake news. This study compares the impacts and epidemiological differences of Influenza A/H1N1 and COVID-19 in Brazil. Methods: Quantitative, descriptive, epidemiological study, based on documents, whose data were collected on the information platforms of the Brazilian Ministry of Health and the World Health Organization, in addition to scientific articles. The data on Influenza A/H1N1 refer to 2009 and the data on COVID-19 to the period from March to April 30, 2020. Results: It appears that in Brazil, in just two months, the number of cases of COVID-19 (85380) has already exceeded the total cases of influenza A/H1N1pdm09 (50482) that occurred in the whole year of 2009 and caused a triple of deaths. Therefore, COVID-19 is more severe, given the proportions reached in lethality, due to the lack of vaccine and specific treatment of cases. Conclusion: The COVID-19 pandemic is more impactful for Brazil than the influenza A/H1N1pdm09 pandemic.