Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To assess the incidence, mortality and epidemiological-demographic profile of severe acute respiratory syndrome and deaths among confirmed COVID-19 cases in Indigenous populations between 2020 and 2021. METHODS: This is a descriptive study based on COVID-19 data provided by the Ministry of Health's Indigenous Health Secretariat. COVID-19 incidence and mortality in Brazil were analyzed. The analysis included creation of graphs and maps and calculation of hospitalization rates. RESULTS: Incidence of severe cases varied between the Indigenous Health Districts (116.3 to 2,034.1 per 100,000 inhabitants), with the highest rates in the Kaiapó do Pará (2,034.1 per 100,000 inhabitants), Leste de Roraima (1,632.6 per 100,000 inhabitants) and Alto Rio Juruá (1,601.8 per 100,000 inhabitants) Districts. Comparing 2020 and 2021, there was a 64.9% reduction in the number of severe cases, from 4,520 in 2020 to 1,585 in 2021. In 2020, 27.1% of deaths occurred without hospitalization, decreasing to 18.8% in 2021. The majority of severe cases occurred in the 20-39 age group (30.6% in 2020 and 30.7% in 2021), and the highest concentration was in the Northern region of Brazil (69.7% in 2020 and 55.0% in 2021). CONCLUSION: The high incidence of severe cases and the high proportion of deaths without hospitalization highlight challenges in combating COVID-19 among Indigenous populations. The concentration of cases in the Northern region reinforces the need for specific strategies for this region.