Exceso de mortalidad en Ecuador durante la pandemia de covid-19: comparación histórica

Abstract

Introduction: Excess mortality from all causes measures the overall impact of an unknown event on a population in a given period of time. Its applicability during the COVID-19 pandemic in Ecuador was possible thanks to the availability of statistical data and the ease of measurement; the data obtained should contribute to making optimal decisions for the prevention and control of COVID-19. Objetive: Present academic evidence based on statistical information from Ecuador that allows exposing the general excess mortality during the first 14 months of the pandemic in the country, contributing to the epidemiological surveillance strategies applied during the pandemic. Materials and methods: Information was collected from the statistical records of general deaths of the 24 provinces of Ecuador from the Ecuadorian Institute of Statistics and Censuses and reports of national deaths published by the General Directorate of the Civil Registry. The information was stratified by months, geographical regions and administrative zones. The excess mortality was obtained from the difference between the average of deaths 2015-2019 "expected deaths" with the "observed deaths" in the year 2020-2021. Results and discusión: The General Excess Mortality in Ecuador in the 14 months of the study was 42.80%. April 2020 turned out to be the most affected during the Covid19 pandemic, with an excess mortality of 249%. The provinces with the highest excess

mortality are

Santa Elena (128%), Guayas (100%), Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas (80%), Pichincha (71%), Tungurahua (53%); Azuay (45%); Sucumbios (49%), Pastaza (39%). The least affected provinces are Bolívar (13%) and Zamora Chinchipe (17%). Planning zone 8 and 9 have a general excess mortality of 100% and 71% respectively. Conclusion: Ecuador registered excess mortality during the COVID-19 pandemic with heterogeneous levels of affectation in the different regions of the country, probably related to pre-existing socio-sanitary conditions