Epidemiological Survey of COVID-19 in the municipality of Rio Paranaíba, Minas Gerais, Brazil, After Pandemics

COVID-19 is a respiratory infection caused by the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), a pathogen characterized by high mutation and transmission rates. The rapid circulation of the virus is exacerbated by asymptomatic infections, generating new lineages with genetic variations. These factors contribute to reduced treatment and vaccination efficacy and alterations in disease severity levels, among other consequences. Mass testing is one of the most effective methods for epidemic control, contributing to the monitoring of active cases and describing the epidemiological profile of infections. The city of Rio Paranaíba hosts one of the campuses of the Federal University of Viçosa, where the Laboratory of Molecular Diagnostics (LMD) is located, a specialized center for COVID-19 testing serving various municipalities in the region. Thus, the present study aimed to investigate the epidemiological scenario of COVID-19 in the municipality of Rio Paranaíba (MG). Study participants provided saliva samples, which were sent for processing at the LMD, where RNA was extracted, and the presence of SARS-CoV-2 was detected by RT-qPCR. A total of 324 tests were conducted throughout May and June 2023, with an average of 40 saliva samples collected per week. The majority of participants were in the 20-29 age group (56.8%), female (55.9%), and had received 3 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine (54.6%). The tests yielded 321 negative samples and 3 positive samples, all of which were from symptomatic participants, with only one having a comorbidity (chronic lung disease). The majority of positive cases were recorded in men in the 20-29 age group who had received 2 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine.