Characteristics of the COVID-19 epidemic process in the Volga Federal District in 2020–2023

The aim of the study was to determine characteristics of COVID-19 epidemic process in the Volga federal district in 2020–2023. Materials and methods. Analysis of the COVID-19 epidemic process progress was carried out from March 30, 2020 to December 31, 2023. We used information from the website «report.gsen.ru», materials from the national platform for the aggregation of SARS-CoV-2 genome data — VGARus, the official website of Rospotrebnadzor, the information portal Stopcoronavirus rf, data from the official World Health Organization (WHO) website, weekly reports submitted by the Rospotrebnadzor of the subjects of the Volga Federal District. Results and discussion. The average district incidence rate of a new coronavirus infection was 1280.7 0 / 0000 in 2020, 3863.0 0 /0000 in 2021, 7352.2 0 /0000 in 2022, 1398.3 0 /0000 in 2023. In the period from 2020 to 2023, the prevalence of persons aged 30–49 years and 50–64 years in the structure of COVID-19 cases was recorded. The largest proportion of severe cases was recorded in 2022 and 2023 (58.8% and 57.9%, respectively), the smallest — in 2020 (37.6%). The average district mortality and lethality rates were — 20.6 0 /0000 and 1.6% in 2020, 150.8 0 /0000 and 3.9% in 2022, 46.9 0 /0000 and 0.6% in 2022, 3.0 0 /0000 and 0.2% in 2023 respectively. Conclusion. In the period 2020–2023, the COVID-19 incidence rate in general in the Volga Federal District varied, there was an increase in the proportion of mild severe cases, as well as a decrease in mortality and lethality rates, which is associated with a change in circulatingSARS-CoV-2 genovariants, the formation of population immunity, and the organization of a comprehensive system of anti-epidemic measures.