Publicado

2020-05-01

COVID-19: Pandemic in Ecuador: a health disparities perspective

COVID-19: pandemia en Ecuador desde una perspectiva de las disparidades de salud

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15446/rsap.v22n3.88102

Palabras clave:

Covid-19 , volcanic ash, vulnerabilities, second wave of infection (en)
COVID-19 , ceniza volcánica, poblaciones vulnerables (es)

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The global COVID-19 pandemic initiated in Ecuador with the patient zero in February 2020 and since more than 40,000 persons have been tested positive to the virus, leaving some 3,500 deceased, while approximately about 10,500 persons above annual average numbers died within March to May. A strict lockdown was applied by mid-March, which resulted to a severe economic crisis in the country. Although during the lockdown occurred a notable decrease in the number of new cases, the spread of the infection was already massive, untechnical, political and economic decisions will certainly lead to continuous wave of infections for months.
Objective Our study postulates, that persons who are most likely to be infected during such secondary wave will be people who have already health issues to which we count besides the known ones, especially those who are already suffer by the distribution of volcanic ashes, as such pyroclastic material is known to affect lunges and thyroids.
Methods A descriptive ecological study of information related to COVID-19 infection at a national level using official data from the Minister of Public Health and volcanic ash fall by geographical area in Ecuador.
Results The mortality rate per canton indicated that those with lower attack rates are the ones with highest mortality rate. For instance, Portovelo (21.3/100,000), Playas (18.4/100,000), Santa Rosa (15.8/100,000), Suscal (15.3/100,000) and Penipe (14.3/100,000) reported the highest mortality rate per 100,000 people. The main distribution of such volcanic material is within the central to northern area of the Highlands and Inter-Andean Valley of Ecuador, due to the analysis of some 7394 satellite images of the last 21 years.
Conclusions We conclude that areas with high vulnerabilities are also most susceptible to develop COVID-19. Such areas with their respective populations will be affected above average and shall be protected in particular within the presently starting during possible second wave of infection.

La pandemia de COVID-19 inició en Ecuador en febrero de 2020. Desde el inicio más de 40 000 personas han sido oficialmente diagnosticadas con el virus, que ha dejado al menos 3 500 fallecidas, mientras que aproximadamente unas 10 500 personas por encima del promedio anual murieron entre marzo y mayo de 2020. A mediados de marzo se aplicó el confinamiento absoluto en el país, lo que provocó una grave crisis económica y social en Ecuador. Aunque el bloqueo produjo una reducción en el número de casos, la infección estaba propagada ya entre la comunidad y los diagnósticos aumentaron notable debido a decisiones políticas y económicas, que, sin lugar a duda, conducirán a oleadas posteriores de infección por incluso meses.
Objetivo Nuestro estudio postula que las personas que tienen más probabilidades de infectarse durante dicha ola secundaria serán las personas que ya tengan problemas de salud. A la vez, proponemos que aquellos pobladores que ya están sufriendo por la caída de cenizas volcánicas y flujos piroclásticos pueden tener más riesgo tal como lo describimos en casos relacionados con cáncer de tiroides y ceniza.
Métodos Es un estudio ecológico descriptivo de la información relacionada con la infección por COVID-19 a nivel nacional, utilizando datos oficiales de contagio del Ministerio de Salud Pública y caída de cenizas volcánicas por área geográfica en Ecuador.
Resultados La tasa de mortalidad por cantón indicó que aquellos con tasas de ataque más bajas son los que tienen la tasa de mortalidad más alta. Por ejemplo, Portovelo (21,3/100.000), Playas (18,4/100.000), Santa Rosa (15,8/100 000), Suscal (15,3/100 000) y Penipe (14,3/100 000) registraron la tasa de mortalidad más alta por cada 100 000 personas. La principal distribución de dicho material volcánico se encuentra dentro de la zona centro-norte de la Sierra y Valle Interandino del Ecuador, debido al análisis de unas 7 394 imágenes satelitales de los últimos 21 años.
Conclusiones Concluimos que las áreas con alta vulnerabilidad también son más susceptibles a desarrollar COVID-19. Tales áreas con sus respectivas poblaciones se verán afectadas por encima de la media y estarán protegidas, en particular, dentro del inicio actual durante una posible segunda ola de infección. 

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Cómo citar

APA

Toulkeridis, T., Seqqat, R., Torres Arias, M., Ortiz-Prado, E. y Debut, A. (2020). COVID-19: Pandemic in Ecuador: a health disparities perspective. Revista de Salud Pública, 22(3), 304–308. https://doi.org/10.15446/rsap.v22n3.88102

ACM

[1]
Toulkeridis, T., Seqqat, R., Torres Arias, M., Ortiz-Prado, E. y Debut, A. 2020. COVID-19: Pandemic in Ecuador: a health disparities perspective. Revista de Salud Pública. 22, 3 (may 2020), 304–308. DOI:https://doi.org/10.15446/rsap.v22n3.88102.

ACS

(1)
Toulkeridis, T.; Seqqat, R.; Torres Arias, M.; Ortiz-Prado, E.; Debut, A. COVID-19: Pandemic in Ecuador: a health disparities perspective. Rev. salud pública 2020, 22, 304-308.

ABNT

TOULKERIDIS, T.; SEQQAT, R.; TORRES ARIAS, M.; ORTIZ-PRADO, E.; DEBUT, A. COVID-19: Pandemic in Ecuador: a health disparities perspective. Revista de Salud Pública, [S. l.], v. 22, n. 3, p. 304–308, 2020. DOI: 10.15446/rsap.v22n3.88102. Disponível em: https://revistas.unal.edu.co/index.php/revsaludpublica/article/view/88102. Acesso em: 10 may. 2025.

Chicago

Toulkeridis, Theofilos, Rachid Seqqat, Marbel Torres Arias, Esteban Ortiz-Prado, y Alexis Debut. 2020. «COVID-19: Pandemic in Ecuador: a health disparities perspective». Revista De Salud Pública 22 (3):304-8. https://doi.org/10.15446/rsap.v22n3.88102.

Harvard

Toulkeridis, T., Seqqat, R., Torres Arias, M., Ortiz-Prado, E. y Debut, A. (2020) «COVID-19: Pandemic in Ecuador: a health disparities perspective», Revista de Salud Pública, 22(3), pp. 304–308. doi: 10.15446/rsap.v22n3.88102.

IEEE

[1]
T. Toulkeridis, R. Seqqat, M. Torres Arias, E. Ortiz-Prado, y A. Debut, «COVID-19: Pandemic in Ecuador: a health disparities perspective», Rev. salud pública, vol. 22, n.º 3, pp. 304–308, may 2020.

MLA

Toulkeridis, T., R. Seqqat, M. Torres Arias, E. Ortiz-Prado, y A. Debut. «COVID-19: Pandemic in Ecuador: a health disparities perspective». Revista de Salud Pública, vol. 22, n.º 3, mayo de 2020, pp. 304-8, doi:10.15446/rsap.v22n3.88102.

Turabian

Toulkeridis, Theofilos, Rachid Seqqat, Marbel Torres Arias, Esteban Ortiz-Prado, y Alexis Debut. «COVID-19: Pandemic in Ecuador: a health disparities perspective». Revista de Salud Pública 22, no. 3 (mayo 1, 2020): 304–308. Accedido mayo 10, 2025. https://revistas.unal.edu.co/index.php/revsaludpublica/article/view/88102.

Vancouver

1.
Toulkeridis T, Seqqat R, Torres Arias M, Ortiz-Prado E, Debut A. COVID-19: Pandemic in Ecuador: a health disparities perspective. Rev. salud pública [Internet]. 1 de mayo de 2020 [citado 10 de mayo de 2025];22(3):304-8. Disponible en: https://revistas.unal.edu.co/index.php/revsaludpublica/article/view/88102

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CrossRef citations2

1. Oswaldo Padilla Almeida, Theofilos Toulkeridis, Joaquín Bosque Sendra. (2022). Doctoral Symposium on Information and Communication Technologies - DSICT. Lecture Notes in Electrical Engineering. 846, p.74. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-93718-8_7.

2. Yolanda Moreno-Guamán, William Tigse-Bravo, Theofilos Toulkeridis. (2025). Developments and Advances in Defense and Security. Smart Innovation, Systems and Technologies. 423, p.43. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-96-0235-3_4.

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