Revista Habanera de Ciencias Médicas (Apr 2020)
Clinical-epidemiological characteristics of COVID-19
Abstract
Introduction: COVID-19 is caused by the new coronavirus that was discovered in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China in late 2019.Objective: To describe the clinical-epidemiological characteristics of COVID-19.Material and Method: A bibliographic review was made from a total of 32 bibliographic references. Articles and information from national and international journals from the databases, WHO, PAHO, Infomed were used. The quality, reliability and validity of the selected articles were analyzed to carry out an adequate review.Development: The transmission of SARS-VOC-2 from an animal source to the first human cases has not been confirmed. The most accepted route of transmission between humans is from person to person by respiratory route, with an incubation period of 1 to 14 days. It presents in most cases with a clinical picture corresponding to a self-limited upper respiratory infection, with a variety of symptoms according to risk groups, presenting a rapid progression to severe pneumonia and multi-organ failure, generally fatal in the elderly and with presence of comorbidities.Conclusions: We are in the presence of a pandemic in which the most important pillar to combat it is prevention: take the necessary measures to stop transmission, achieve differentiated attention to risk groups, carry out all relevant actions in order to identify and neutralize the foci of spread and get the population to join the health system of each nation and cooperate to combat this disease.
