Comparisons between the Neighboring States of Amazonas and Para in Brazil in the Second Wave of COVID-19 Outbreak and a Possible Role of Early Ambulatory Treatment

Brazil and many countries are now experiencing a second wave of the COVID-19 outbreak. The objective of this study is to compare results with statistical samples involving millions of people in the two largest neighboring states in Brazil, Amazonas and Para, which in the first wave were similar but now show significant different results in combating COVID-19. During the first wave, in May 2020, the maximums of the 7-day average daily deaths per population of Amazonas and Para were similar: 15.7 and 17.1 deaths per day per million people, respectively, which means a ratio 15.7/17.1 = 0.92 approximate to 1. Now, in the second wave of COVID-19 outbreak, Amazonas has entered a serious situation; meanwhile, Para has presented a much smaller growth in the mortality. The accumulated mortality per population from 11 November 2020 to 15 March 2021 of Amazonas and Para are 1645 and 296 deaths per million people, respectively. As 1645/296 = 5.55, Amazonas is presenting an accumulated mortality per population more than five times that of Para. Future in-depth research can provide a grounded answer to explain this significant difference, nonetheless the explicit support of the Para state government, after 21 May 2020, to early ambulatory treatment may have played some role on this result.

Automated summary

This study compared the performance of the two neighboring states of Amazonas and Para in Brazil during the first and second waves of the COVID-19 outbreak. Significant differences were found in mortality rates between the two states, with Amazonas having an accumulated mortality more than five times that of Para. The explicit support of early ambulatory treatment by the Para state government may have played a role in this outcome.