Table 1 Comparison of socio-economic and demographic characteristics, health vulnerability and resources, and policy response to COVID-19 pandemic in BRICS countries

Socio-economic and demographic characteristics

Total population (millions)

212.56

145.93

1380.00

1439.32

59.31

Population density (people per km²)

25.04

8.82

450.42

147.67

46.75

Life expectancy at birth (years)

75.88

72.58

69.66

76.91

64.13

Extreme poverty

3.40

0.10

21.20

0.70

18.90

Human development index

0.77

0.82

0.65

0.76

0.71

GDP per capita (current USD)

14 103.45

24 765.95

6426.67

15 308.71

12 294.88

Health vulnerability

Diabetes prevalence (%)

8.11

6.18

10.39

9.74

5.52

Cardiovascular death rate (%)

177.96

431.30

282.28

261.90

200.38

Population aged 60 and above (%)

14.05

22.41

10.12

17.35

8.54

Health system resources

Hospital beds per thousand people

2.20

8.05

0.53

4.34

2.32

Water and sanitation

Access to improved drinking water (%)

96.90

97.00

90.70

91.50

91.40

Prevalence of open defecation (%)

1.13

0.00

25.73

0.00

1.45

Population mobility

Tourist/visitor arrivals (thousands per year)

6621

24 551

17 423

62 900

10 472

Policy response to COVID-19 pandemic as of April 30, 2021

Policy stringency index

70.83

42.13

69.91

78.24

48.15

Total administered vaccine doses (millions)

35.53

18.15

147.73

211.22

0.18

Daily new cases

79 726

8731

386 452

33

1086

Total confirmed cases (millions)

14.45

4.81

18.76

0.10

1.58

Transmission classification

Community transmission

Clusters of cases

Clusters of cases

Clusters of cases

Community transmission