New coronavirus infection in the North Caucasus: ways to optimizing epidemiological surveillance

Relevance. The pandemic nature of the spread of the novel coronavirus infection and the specific features of its epidemic process in individual regions of the Russian Federation necessitate the development of effective and scientifically based measures to counter this infection, taking into account the specific characteristics of individual regions. The North Caucasus is a region with a number of geographic and social characteristics that influence the course of the epidemic process of any infection, which must be taken into account when conducting epidemiological monitoring and implementing anti-epidemic measures. The aim of this study was to identify ways to improve epidemiological surveillance for the novel coronavirus infection in the North Caucasus region, taking into account the specific characteristics and epidemiological risk factors. Materials and methods. We used data provided by the Rospotrebnadzor (Federal Service for Surveillance on Consumer Rights Protection and Human Wellbeing) offices in the North Caucasus, the results of molecular genetic monitoring of fragmentary sequencing of clinical specimens from COVID-19 patients in the North Caucasus, obtained at the Stavropol Anti-Plague Institute of Rospotrebnadzor, as well as data from the following online resources: stopcoronavirus.rf, Johns Hopkins University, and the Our World in Data project. Results. The main factors influencing the intensity of the novel coronavirus epidemic in the North Caucasus were: the pathogen's genotype (a factor common to all regions); the local population's adherence to cultural and religious customs and the presence of numerous tourist areas in the region (social factors); and the inaccessibility and isolation of the republics' populations (geographical factors). The study's results allowed us to propose scientifically based approaches to improving epidemiological surveillance for novel coronavirus infection in the North Caucasus, taking into account the aforementioned epidemiological risks.