de Souza, William MarcielBuss, Lewis FletcherCandido, Darlan da SilvaCarrera, Jean-PaulLi, SabrinaZarebski, Alexander E.Pereira, Rafael Henrique MoraesPrete, Carlos A.de Souza-Santos, Andreza AruskaParag, Kris V.Belotti, Maria Carolina T. D.Vincenti-Gonzalez, Maria F.Messina, Janeyda Silva Sales, Flavia CristinaAndrade, Pamela dos SantosNascimento, Vítor HeloizGhilardi, FabioAbade, LeandroGutierrez, BernardoKraemer, MoritzBraga, Carlos K. V.Aguiar, Renato SantanaAlexander, NealMayaud, PhilippeBrady, Oliver J.Marcilio, IzabelGouveia, NelsonLi, GuangdiTami, Adrianade Oliveira, Silvano BarbosaPorto, Victor Bertollo GomesGanem, Fabianade Almeida, Walquiria Aparecida FerreiraFantinato, Francieli Fontana Sutile TardettiMacário, Eduardo Marquesde Oliveira, Wanderson KleberNogueira, Mauricio L.Pybus, Oliver G.Wu, Chieh-HsiCroda, JulioSabino, Ester C.Faria, Nuno Rodrigues2020-08-312020-07-31de Souza, W.M., Buss, L.F., Candido, D.d.S. et al. Epidemiological and clinical characteristics of the COVID-19 epidemic in Brazil. Nat Hum Behav 4, 856–865 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41562-020-0928-42397-3374https://nrs.harvard.edu/URN-3:HUL.INSTREPOS:37364796The first case of COVID-19 was detected in Brazil on 25 February 2020. We report and contextualize epidemiological, demographic and clinical findings for COVID-19 cases during the first 3 months of the epidemic. By 31 May 2020, 514,200 COVID-19 cases, including 29,314 deaths, had been reported in 75.3% (4,196 of 5,570) of municipalities across all five administrative regions of Brazil. The R0 value for Brazil was estimated at 3.1 (95% Bayesian credible interval = 2.4–5.5), with a higher median but overlapping credible intervals compared with some other seriously affected countries. A positive association between higher per-capita income and COVID-19 diagnosis was identified. Furthermore, the severe acute respiratory infection cases with unknown aetiology were associated with lower per-capita income. Co-circulation of six respiratory viruses was detected but at very low levels. These findings provide a comprehensive description of the ongoing COVID-19 epidemic in Brazil and may help to guide subsequent measures to control virus transmission.en-USJournal Article2020-08-3110.1038/s41562-020-0928-4