Abstract Geomorphological studies are crucial for understanding the evolution of relief, and when associated with cartography, they enhance the interpretation and knowledge of environmental dynamics. Hence, historical cartography is essential for the documental rescue of landscapes, which, based on the mapped geoforms, enhances post-discovery studies for the state of Ceará, Brazil. Historically, this state was intermittently mapped in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries but gained greater attention from Portugal in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries after its separation from Pernambuco. Despite this, cartographic studies on coastal geoforms are not typical for the Ceará coast over a given period, highlighting the importance of this investigation. Therefore, this article aimed to study the environmental history of the coastal geoforms mapped on the extreme west coast of Ceará in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. This research had a qualitative and exploratory basis, with cartographic documental surveys online and in loco, covering the municipalities of Jijoca de Jericoacoara, Camocim, and Barroquinha. Fifty maps of different origins were collected, three of which were used: a French sketch and two Portuguese maps. In the French material of 1615, geoforms in the Cape de la Tortue indicated the presence of a rocky island separated from the mainland. From the Portuguese map of 1629, a well-cut coastline was noted, identifying Buraco das Tartarugas, where there were two islands of different sizes. In the 1794 map, an island in the cove called Geri qua Coá was noted, differing in landscape from the previous ones, as it did not have tombolos connected to the continent. The cartographies presented particularities for revealing a possible advance in the local sea level. Thus, it is possible to motivate future research in the area of historical cartography as a tool for the analysis of the paleogeographic evolution of the coastal zones of Ceará.

Abstract Throughout history, humankind has lived through many crises arising from pandemics, and it is currently in the midst of one. Coronavirus disease, caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, is causing serious problems related to public health and socioeconomic status across the globe. Having started in Asia, the disease has already reached Europe, Africa, and more recently the Americas; hence, it is necessary to understand the context in which it spreads in regions that carry high risks associated with social vulnerability, as in the case of Latin America. Brazil is the South American country most affected by the pandemic-its first case was confirmed at the end of February 2020, and in less than two months, its total number of cases has already crossed 25,000. Among its worst-hit states, Ceará in Northeast Brazil worries health agencies as there have already been more than 2,000 cases in the 30 days of the outbreak in the state. Even more worrying is its capital Fortaleza, which has become the epicenter of the spread of the disease in Ceará, accounting for 86.5% cases and 67% deaths in the state-95% of the neighborhoods in Fortaleza have confirmed cases of the disease. An aspect that particularly causes concern is the disease’s diffusion, from neighborhoods with the highest family income to those with the lowest, directly affecting the socially vulnerable populations in territories with a majority of precarious settlements; in Fortaleza, favelas are the main type of precarious settlements (73.6%). The analyses presented as part of this research can assist in identifying priority areas for state intervention through family assistance resources.