Trends in Testing and Positivity in Banadir, Somalia During the First Seventeen Months of the Covid-19 Pandemic, 2020

Abstract

Coronavirus Disease (Covid-19) is an infectious respiratory disease caused by a new strain of CoronaVirus. Many countries, including Somalia, have experienced two or more waves of the disease. The spread of Covid-19 in Banadir was a sporadic event distributed in many locations. The study aims to assess the time trends of Covid 19 testing positivity rate in the Banadir region of Somalia during the first seventeen months of the Covid-19 pandemic. A cross-sectional analytical study involving the review, analysis, and interpretation of existing dataset collected in the course of Covid-19 response between March 2020 and August 2021 to characterize the time trends of Covid 19 testing, compare the testing rates, attack rate, and positivity rates, and determine factors associated with positive Covid-19 tests in Banadir region. The categorical data were compared using a chi-square test. A total of 164 836 entries were analysed in this study. The majority (67.9%) of the participants were male, while close to a third (29.7%) were aged between 25-35 years, and 27.1% were aged 36-50 years. A total of 6,404(3.9%) participants tested positive for the Covid 19 virus. The chi-square test revealed bivariate association of age (P<0.001) and gender (P<0.001) were significantly associated with positive test results. Females and persons above 70 years had higher positivity of 4.4% and 13.7 %, respectively, compared to males and younger age groups. Banadir has recorded three waves of Covid 19 transmission from March 2020 to September 2021. Covid-19 vaccination uptake is needed to minimize spread.