Despite early control measures, SARS-CoV-2 reached all regions of Peru during the first wave of the pandemic, including native communities of the Peruvian Amazon. Here, we aimed to describe the epidemiological situation of COVID-19 in the Amazonas region of Peru using an open database of 11,124 COVID-19 cases reported from 19 March to 29 July 2020, including 3278 cases from native communities. A high-incidence area in northern Amazonas (Condorcanqui) reported a cumulative incidence of 63.84/1000 inhabitants with a much lower death rate (0.95%) than the national average. Our results showed at least eight significant factors for mortality, and the Native Amazonian ethnicity as a protective factor. Molecular confirmatory tests are necessary to better explain the high incidence of antibody response reported in these communities.

Introduction In recent years, the number of malaria cases in native communities from Condorcanqui, Amazonas has considerably increased. Plasmodium vivax malaria is endemic in the region and the re-introduction of P. falciparum was reported in 2019. Methods Here, we compiled and analyzed malaria and COVID-19 data reported by the Regional Direction of Health (DIRESA) during the 2020. Additionally, we performed an odds ratio analysis to evaluate significant associations between COVID-19 symptoms and previous malaria infections. Results In 2020, 1547 malaria (97% were P. vivax) and 5968 COVID-19 cases were reported. Furthermore, 96 patients got COVID-19 after getting a malaria infection. From these, 87 were symptomatic (90.6%), and mostly adults, ages 30 to 59 (62.3%). Also, we found that malaria previous infections represent a risk for the presence of symptoms such as fever, cough, throat pain, and respiratory difficulty. Nevertheless, there was no significant association between these cases and hospitalization or death. Conclusion Our analysis suggests that previous malaria infections might affect COVID-19 symptomatology, which highlights the importance of a continuing control and surveillance malaria program to avoid potential syndemics with COVID-19.

The current COVID-19 pandemic has become a major global public health problem with almost one and a half million cases and tens of thousands of deaths until now. Genetics is playing a leading role in the identification, management and treatment of diseases. This article details the importance of genetics as a science to face the global threat of COVID-19, from different approaches. The contributions that genetics have had and will continue to have in the identification of the new SARS-CoV-2 virus, in the development of new diagnostic techniques, in the prevention of infections and development of severe symptoms, as well as in the design of vaccines and in the proposal and evaluation of treatments for COVID-19. La actual pandemia de COVID-19 se ha convertido en un grave problema de salud pública mundial, contándose casi un millón y medio de casos y decenas de miles de muertes a la fecha. La genética por su parte está teniendo un papel protagónico en la identificación, manejo y tratamiento de enfermedades. En el presente artículo se detalla sobre la importancia de la genética como ciencia para afrontar la amenaza global de la COVID-19, desde diferentes enfoques. Se resaltan los aportes que ha tenido y seguirá teniendo la genética en la identificación del nuevo virus SARS- CoV-2, en el desarrollo de nuevas técnicas diagnósticas, en la prevención de contagios y del desarrollo de cuadros graves, así como en el diseño de vacunas y en la propuesta y evaluación de tratamientos para la COVID-19.

Peru was severely affected by COVID-19 with a fatality rate that reached up to 6%. In this study, the relationship between SARS-CoV-2 variants and COVID-19 disease outcome in Amazonas, a region of northeastern Peru, was evaluated. The variants were determined by genomic sequencing, and clinical-epidemiological data were collected from 590 patients between April 2021 and February 2022. There was no association between mortality and hospitalization with any of the variants, but we did find that Omicron is more likely to infect vaccinated and nonvaccinated people. A significant association was also found between unvaccinated patients and hospitalization. Interestingly, in the indigenous population, there were fewer hospitalizations than in the general population. In conclusion, SARS-CoV-2 variants were not associated with the disease outcome in the Amazonas region, and indigenous population were found to be less vulnerable to severe COVID-19 illness.