Incidence Rate Of Coronavirus Disease 2019 Research Articles

Seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection in pediatric patients in a tertiary care hospital setting.

Globally, cases of children's coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) have been reported since the pandemic started. Most children have an asymptomatic or mild infection. Therefore, the incidence rate of COVID-19 in children might have been underestimated. This study aimed to determine (1) the seroprevalence (and seroconversion rates) of COVID-19, including associated risk factors, in pediatric patients visiting hospitals; and (2) the immunological responses to COVID-19. This was a prospective, cross-sectional study. Patients aged 0-18 years who visited the hospital from September 2020 to February 2022 were included. Demographic, clinical, and laboratory data were reviewed. A total of 1,443 pediatric patients were enrolled. Of these, 323 (22.6%) had a history of COVID-19. In the pre-Delta period, the seroprevalence increased from 4.1% to 70.6% in all included patients and from 0.5% to 10% in patients without a known history of COVID-19 compared with the Delta-Omicron period. The seroconversion rate was 6.8% (19 per 100 person-years) in pediatric patients with COVID-19. Risk factors for COVID-19 seropositivity were respiratory symptoms, being in an outpatient department setting, and infection during the Delta-Omicron period. Exposure to household members with confirmed COVID-19 was a risk factor for seropositivity and seroconversion. Infection during the Delta-Omicron period and testing conducted >2 weeks after the onset of symptoms was associated with spike immunoglobulin (Ig) M and spike and nucleocapsid IgG, respectively. High nucleocapsid IgG levels were associated with pneumonia in pediatric patients with COVID-19. Pediatric patients exposed to household members with COVID-19 and respiratory symptoms should be tested for COVID-19. Nucleocapsid IgG can be used as a surrogate marker to identify patients who may have experienced pneumonia from COVID-19 and as a screening tool for the COVID-19 outbreak, regardless of COVID-19 vaccination status.

Risk of nosocomial coronavirus disease 2019: comparison between single- and multiple-occupancy rooms

BackgroundThere is an ongoing controversy regarding whether single-occupancy rooms are superior to multiple-occupancy rooms in terms of infection prevention. We investigated whether treatment in a multiple-occupancy room is associated with an increased incidence of nosocomial coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) compared with treatment in a single-occupancy room.MethodsIn this retrospective cohort study, every hospitalization period of adult patients aged ≥ 18 years at a tertiary hospital in Korea from January 1, 2022, to December 31, 2022, was analyzed. If COVID-19 was diagnosed more than 5 days after hospitalization, the case was classified as nosocomial. We estimated the association between the number of patients per room and the risk of nosocomial COVID-19 using a Cox proportional hazards regression model.ResultsIn total, 25,143 hospitalizations per room type were analyzed. The incidence rate of nosocomial COVID-19 increased according to the number of patients per room; it ranged from 3.05 to 38.64 cases per 10,000 patient-days between single- and 6-bed rooms, respectively. Additionally, the hazard ratios of nosocomial COVID-19 showed an increasing trend according to the number of patients per room, ranging from 0.14 (95% confidence interval 0.001–1.03) to 2.66 (95% confidence interval 1.60–4.85) between single- and 6-bed rooms, respectively.ConclusionsWe demonstrated that the incidence of nosocomial COVID-19 increased according to the number of patients per room. To reduce nosocomial infections by respiratory viruses, the use of multiple-occupancy rooms should be minimized.

COVID-19 pandemic in Taiz Governorate, Yemen, between 2020 and 2023

BackgroundThe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is highly contagious and causes a series of health problems, particularly in Yemen, which has a fragile healthcare system and cannot handle public health emergencies.AimsThis analysis aimed to determine the epidemiological status of COVID-19 in the Taiz governorate between April 2020 and December 2023.MethodsA retrospective study based on surveillance data from the Taiz governorate was used. The required data were gathered from the Ministry of Health and Population in Aden and analyzed using SPSS.ResultsOut of 5826 suspected of COVID-19 cases, 1933 (33.18%) cases were positive for COVID-19 infection. The high rates of COVID-19 cases were reported at 35.40% in males, 37.80% in people aged 35–44 years, 47.20% in 2020, 72.73% in Dhubab district, and 27.78% in March 2021. The overall incidence rate of cases was reported at 6.2 per 10,000 people in Taiz governorate (8.85 in males and 3.80 in females). In addition, the high incidence rate of COVID-19 was observed among age groups ≥ 65 years, in 2021, and in Al-Mukha districts. In total, the rate of fatality cases was 14.12%, the higher rate of fatality cases was 15.46% among males and 32.23% among individuals aged ≥ 65 years, and 26.97% in 2020.ConclusionIn this finding, the incidence rate of COVID-19 is high. It is necessary to increase the public’s awareness of the transmission and prevention methods of COVID-19, as well as implement appropriate strategies to protect populations from infectious diseases.

Analysis of Concentrated COVID-19 Outbreaks in Elderly Facilities in Suita City, Osaka Prefecture, Japan.

There are several types of facilities for elderly individuals in Japan. Infection control efforts, such as care provision and medical care access, differ according to the type of facility. Elderly individuals at these facilities who were infected with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) experienced severe illness and mortality. This study aimed to determine the characteristics of concentrated COVID-19 outbreaks that occurred in nursing homes and care facilities in Suita City. During this study, twenty-five elderly facilities in Suita City with a capacity of 40 or more individuals where an outbreak occurred during the sixth or seventh wave of infection were included. We investigated whether there was a difference in the COVID-19 incidence and the percentage of positive cases according to the type of facility. We also investigated the relationship between the facility capacity and positive case rate and that between the number of positive cases and outbreak duration. The incidence rate of COVID-19 was significantly different according to the facility type (p < 0.001). No association was found between the facility capacity and positive case rate. The outbreak duration increased as the number of positive cases increased (p = 0.004).

EpiGeostats: An R Package to Facilitate Visualization of Geostatistical Disease Risk Maps

AbstractWith the emergence of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in Portugal, a geostatistical tool was developed to model the spatial distribution of COVID-19 risk to support decision-making and policymakers. Based on a block direct sequential simulation algorithm, the model provides detailed disease risk estimates and associated spatial uncertainty. However, uncertainty is difficult to visualize with the estimated risk, and is usually overlooked as a tool to support decision-making. Ignoring uncertainty can be misleading in evaluating risk, since the amount of uncertainty varies throughout the spatial domain. The EpiGeostats R package was developed to solve this problem, since it integrates the geostatistical model and visualization tools to deliver a single map summarizing disease risk and spatial uncertainty. This paper briefly describes the methodology and package functions implemented for interfacing with the tools in question. The use of EpiGeostats is illustrated by applying it to real data from COVID-19 incidence rates on mainland Portugal. EpiGeostats is a powerful tool for supporting decision-making in the context of epidemics, since it combines a well-established geostatistical model for disease risk mapping with simple and intuitive ways of visualizing results, which prevent fine-scale inference in regions with high-risk uncertainty. The package may be used for similar problems such as mortality risk, or applied to other fields such as ecology or environmental epidemiology.

Exploration of spatiotemporal heterogeneity and socio-demographic determinants on COVID-19 incidence rates in Sarawak, Malaysia

BackgroundIn Sarawak, 252 300 coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases have been recorded with 1 619 fatalities in 2021, compared to only 1 117 cases in 2020. Since Sarawak is geographically separated from Peninsular Malaysia and half of its population resides in rural districts where medical resources are limited, the analysis of spatiotemporal heterogeneity of disease incidence rates and their relationship with socio-demographic factors are crucial in understanding the spread of the disease in Sarawak.MethodsThe spatial dependence of district-wise incidence rates is investigated using spatial autocorrelation analysis with two orders of contiguity weights for various pandemic waves. Nine determinants are chosen from 14 covariates of socio-demographic factors via elastic net regression and recursive partitioning. The relationships between incidence rates and socio-demographic factors are examined using ordinary least squares, spatial lag and spatial error models, and geographically weighted regression.ResultsIn the first 8 months of 2021, COVID-19 severely affected Sarawak’s central region, which was followed by the southern region in the next 2 months. In the third wave, based on second-order spatial weights, the incidence rate in a district is most strongly influenced by its neighboring districts’ rate, although the variance of incidence rates is best explained by local regression coefficient estimates of socio-demographic factors in the first wave. It is discovered that the percentage of households with garbage collection facilities, population density and the proportion of male in the population are positively associated with the increase in COVID-19 incidence rates.ConclusionThis research provides useful insights for the State Government and public health authorities to critically incorporate socio-demographic characteristics of local communities into evidence-based decision-making for altering disease monitoring and response plans. Policymakers can make well-informed judgments and implement targeted interventions by having an in-depth understanding of the spatial patterns and relationships between COVID-19 incidence rates and socio-demographic characteristics. This will effectively help in mitigating the spread of the disease.

Clinical features of children with coronavirus disease 2019 in different age groups during the epidemic of Omicron variant

To study the differences in the clinical features of children with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in different age groups during the epidemic of Omicron variant. A retrospective analysis was performed on the clinical data of 211 children with COVID-19 who were admitted to the Department of General Pediatrics, Zhongshan People's Hospital, from December 9, 2022 to January 8, 2023. According to their age, they were divided into 4 groups: 1 month-<1 year (n=84), 1-<3 years group (n=64), 3-<5 years (n=29), and ≥5 years (n=34). The above groups were compared in terms of general status, clinical features, ancillary examination results, treatment, and outcome. The children aged <3 years accounted for 70.1% (148/211) of all hospitalized children with COVID-19, and the 3-<5 years group and the ≥5 years group had a significantly higher proportion of children with underlying diseases than the 1 month-<1 year group and the 1-<3 years group (P<0.05). Compared with the other three groups, the 1 month-<1 year group had significantly higher incidence rates of dyspnea, nasal congestion/nasal discharge, diarrhea and significantly lower incidence rates of convulsion and nervous system involvement (P<0.05). Moreover, compared with the other three groups, the 1 month-<1 year group had significantly higher incidence rates of increases in bile acid and creatine kinase isoenzyme and significantly lower incidence rates of decreased platelet count, increased neutrophil percentage, and decreased lymphocyte percentage (P<0.05). The 1 month-<1 year group had a significantly higher incidence rate of mild COVID-19 than the 1-<3 years group and a significantly lower incidence rate of severe/critical COVID-19 than the other three groups (P<0.05). Compared with the other three groups, the 1 month-<1 year group had a significantly higher proportion of children receiving oxygen inhalation therapy (P<0.05). Children with COVID-19 in different age groups have different clinical features during the epidemic of Omicron variant, especially between the children aged 1 month to <1 year and those aged ≥1 year.

Evaluation of workplace infection prevention and control measures for COVID-19: A prospective cohort study in Japan

BackgroundEncouraging the implementation of infection prevention and control (IPC) measures has been necessary to prevent workplace infections caused by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). However, the effectiveness of these measures in reducing infections has not been thoroughly evaluated. We evaluated employees’ COVID-19 infection rates in relation to the implementation of IPC measures at their workplaces to identify effective workplace measures. MethodsThis prospective cohort study was conducted between December 2020 and December 2021 using Internet-based self-assessment questionnaires, with 11,982 participants included from the baseline. To estimate whether implementing workplace IPC measures was associated with COVID-19 incidence rates among participants, we estimated multivariate-adjusted relative risk (RR) using a log-binomial model. ResultsAfter adjusting for sex, age, education, household members, occupation-related factors, and personal preventive behaviors, requesting ill employees to refrain from going to work showed significantly lower COVID-19 infection rates than not requesting it (RR: 0.56, 95% CI: 0.34–0.91, p = 0.019). ConclusionsEmployees restricted from reporting to work when ill had significantly lower COVID-19 infection rates than those who did not follow this measure. The results indicated that not coming to work when ill was effective in reducing COVID-19 infections at the workplace. We suggest that companies proactively adopt this policy and encourage their employees to comply with it.

Linkages between COVID-19, solar UV radiation, and the Montreal Protocol

There are several connections between coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), solar UV radiation, and the Montreal Protocol. Exposure to ambient solar UV radiation inactivates SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for COVID-19. An action spectrum describing the wavelength dependence of the inactivation of SARS-CoV-2 by UV and visible radiation has recently been published. In contrast to action spectra that have been assumed in the past for estimating the effect of UV radiation on SARS-CoV-2, the new action spectrum has a large sensitivity in the UV-A (315–400 nm) range. If this “UV-A tail” is correct, solar UV radiation could be much more efficient in inactivating the virus responsible for COVID-19 than previously thought. Furthermore, the sensitivity of inactivation rates to the total column ozone would be reduced because ozone absorbs only a small amount of UV-A radiation. Using solar simulators, the times for inactivating SARS-CoV-2 have been determined by several groups; however, many measurements are affected by poorly defined experimental setups. The most reliable data suggest that 90% of viral particles embedded in saliva are inactivated within ~ 7 min by solar radiation for a solar zenith angle (SZA) of 16.5° and within ~ 13 min for a SZA of 63.4°. Slightly longer inactivation times were found for aerosolised virus particles. These times can become considerably longer during cloudy conditions or if virus particles are shielded from solar radiation. Many publications have provided evidence of an inverse relationship between ambient solar UV radiation and the incidence or severity of COVID-19, but the reasons for these negative correlations have not been unambiguously identified and could also be explained by confounders, such as ambient temperature, humidity, visible radiation, daylength, temporal changes in risk and disease management, and the proximity of people to other people. Meta-analyses of observational studies indicate inverse associations between serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D (25(OH)D) concentration and the risk of SARS-CoV-2 positivity or severity of COVID-19, although the quality of these studies is largely low. Mendelian randomisation studies have not found statistically significant evidence of a causal effect of 25(OH)D concentration on COVID-19 susceptibility or severity, but a potential link between vitamin D status and disease severity cannot be excluded as some randomised trials suggest that vitamin D supplementation is beneficial for people admitted to a hospital. Several studies indicate significant positive associations between air pollution and COVID-19 incidence and fatality rates. Conversely, well-established cohort studies indicate no association between long-term exposure to air pollution and infection with SARS-CoV-2. By limiting increases in UV radiation, the Montreal Protocol has also suppressed the inactivation rates of pathogens exposed to UV radiation. However, there is insufficient evidence to conclude that the expected larger inactivation rates without the Montreal Protocol would have had tangible consequences on the progress of the COVID-19 pandemic.Graphical abstract

Movement restrictions, vaccine coverage, and reduction of the COVID-19 incidence rate in the fourth wave of the pandemic: Analysis results from 63 provinces in Vietnam.

On April 27, 2021, the fourth wave of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic originating from the Delta variant of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) began in Vietnam. The adoption of travel restrictions, coupled with rapid vaccination and mask-wearing, is a global strategy to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Although trade-off between health and economic development are unavoidable in this situation, little evidence that is specific to Vietnam in terms of movement restrictions, vaccine coverage, and real-time COVID-19 cases is available. Our research question is whether travel restrictions and vaccine coverage are related to changes in the incidence of COVID-19 in each province in Vietnam. We used Google's Global Mobility Data Source, which reports different mobility types, along with reports of vaccine coverage and COVID-19 cases retrieved from publicly and freely available datasets, for this research. Starting from the 50th case per province and incorporating a 14-day period to account for exposure and illness, we examined the association between changes in mobility (from day 27 to 04-03/11/2021) and the ratio of the number of new confirmed cases on a given day to the total number of cases in the past 14 days of indexing (the potentially contagious group in the population) per million population by making use of LOESS regression and logit regression. In two-thirds of the surveyed provinces, a reduction of up to 40% in commuting movement (to the workplace, transit stations, grocery stores, and entertainment venues) was related to a reduction in the number of cases, especially in the early stages of the pandemic. Once both movement and disease prevalence had been mitigated, further restrictions offered little additional benefit. These results indicate the importance of early and decisive actions during the pandemic.

Possible Association between Differences in Nasalance Scores and Early Spread of COVID-19 Based on Linguistic Analysis

Objective: The World Health Organization (WHO) declared a pandemic on March 11, 2020 after more than 118,000 cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) had been reported in 114 countries. Our study analyzed the cumulative incidence rate based on WHO data starting with the first confirmed patient until the peak of transmission. In addition, the numerical values of nasometry from normal subjects were quantified to analyze the linguistic features.Methods: This study consisted of two main methodologies including a meta-analysis based on nasometry data involving normal adults and cumulative incidence rate based on WHO data. In addition, the numerical values of nasometry from normal subjects were quantified to analyze the linguistic features.Results: The pooled overall mean differences (MDs) for oral text nasalance among linguistic families were 14.655 (95% confidence interval [CI], 7.986–21.324) in Arabic, 24.441 (95% CI, 17.920–30.962) in Chinese, 14.964 (95% CI, 13.677–16.251) in European, and 11.437 (95% CI, 9.880–12.994) in Ural-Altaic. The pooled overall MDs for cumulative incidence rate of COVID-19 were 190.3 (95% CI, 56.10–324.60) in Arabic, 283.20 (95% CI, 1.80–564.60) in European, and 5.70 (95% CI, 4.90–6.60) in Ural-Altaic. Correlation between oral nasalance score and cumulative incidence was significant (P=0.0004).Conclusion: Our study showed the possible association between language characteristics and early spread of COVID-19. Further studies are needed to validate our outcomes based on various epidemiologic and behavioral factors including mask wearing.

The notable global heterogeneity in the distribution of COVID-19 cases and the association with pre-existing parasitic diseases.

The coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a respiratory disease that has caused extensive ravages worldwide since being declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO). Unlike initially predicted by WHO, the incidence and severity of COVID-19 appeared milder in many Low-to-Middle-Income Countries (LMIC). To explain this noticeable disparity between countries, many hypotheses, including socio-demographic and geographic factors, have been put forward. This study aimed to estimate the possible association of parasitic diseases with COVID-19 as either protective agents or potential risk factors. A country-level ecological study using publicly available data of countries was conducted. We conceptualized the true number of COVID-19 infections based on a function of test positivity rate (TPR) and employed linear regression analysis to assess the association between the outcome and parasitic diseases. We considered demographic, socioeconomic, and geographic confounders previously suggested. A notable heterogeneity was observed across WHO regions. The countries in Africa (AFRO) showed the lowest rates of COVID-19 incidence, and the countries in the Americas (AMRO) presented the highest. The multivariable model results were computed using 165 countries, excluding missing values. In the models analyzed, lower COVID-19 incidence rates were consistently observed in malaria-endemic countries, even accounting for potential confounding variables, Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita, the population aged 65 and above, and differences in the duration of COVID-19. However, the other parasitic diseases were not significantly associated with the spread of the pandemic. This study suggests that malaria prevalence is an essential factor that explains variability in the observed incidence of COVID-19 cases at the national level. Potential associations of COVID-19 with schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminthiases (STHs) are worthy of further investigation but appeared unlikely, based on this analysis, to be critical factors of the variability in COVID-19 epidemic trends. The quality of publicly accessible data and its ecological design constrained our research, with fundamental disparities in monitoring and testing capabilities between countries. Research at the subnational or individual level should be conducted to explore hypotheses further.

Spatial–temporal trends of COVID-19 infection and mortality in Sudan

Since its emergence, the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), is constantly affecting many parts of the globe and threatening millions of lives worldwide. Charting and aligning disease incidence to identify spatial clustering and patterns continue to be a substantial pathway to understanding disease epidemiology and is essential for implementing effective planning and prevention strategies. A national descriptive study was implemented to present the infection and mortality rates of the COVID-19 pandemic in all states of Sudan. Data were collected and summarized in monthly statistical reports of COVID-19 infection and mortality rates. The reports used were from May 2020 to March 2021. The highest COVID-19 incidence rate occurred in December 2020 with a total incidence of 4863 cases ranging from 0 cases in some of the states to 4164 cases in other states (mean = 270 ± 946, median = 21 cases). Followed by the incidence in May 2020 with a total of 4524 cases ranging from 4 to 3509 cases (mean = 251 ± 794, median = 31 cases). The western and southern states of the country had the lowest mortality rates. While, the middle states (Khartoum and El Gezira) had the highest mortalities. Northern and eastern states had lower mortalities than the middle states, yet, higher than the western states. A strong positive correlation between infection and mortality was found.

Resident racial and ethnic composition, neighborhood-level socioeconomic status, and COVID-19 infections in California SNFs.

In California, >29,000 residents in skilled nursing facility (SNFs) were diagnosed with novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) between March 2020 and November 2020. Prior research suggests that SNFs serving racially and ethnically minoritized residents often have fewer resources and lower quality of care. We performed a cross-sectional analysis of COVID-19 incidence among residents in California SNFs, assessing the association of SNF-level racial and ethnic compositions and facility- and neighborhood-level (census tract- and county-level) indicators of socioeconomic status (SES). SNFs were grouped based on racial and ethnic composition using data from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services; categories included SNFs with ≥88% White residents, SNFs with ≥32% Black or Latinx residents, SNFs with ≥32% Asian residents, or SNFs not serving a high proportion of any racial and ethnic composition (mixed). SNF resident-level COVID-19 infection data were obtained from the National Healthcare Safety Network from May 25, 2020 to August 16, 2020. Multilevel mixed-effects negative binomial regressions were used to estimate incidence rate ratios (IRR) for confirmed COVID-19 infections among residents. Among 971 SNFs included in our sample, 119 (12.3%) had ≥88% White residents; 215 (22.1%) had ≥32% Black or Latinx residents; 78 (8.0%) had ≥32% Asian residents; and 559 (57.6%) were racially and ethnically mixed. After adjusting for confounders, SNFs with ≥32% Black or Latinx residents (IRR=2.40 [95% CI=1.56, 3.68]) and SNFs with mixed racial and ethnic composition (IRR=2.12 [95% CI=1.49, 3.03]) both had higher COVID-19 incidence rates than SNFs with ≥88% White residents. COVID-19 incidence rates were also found to be higher in SNFs with low SES neighborhoods compared to those in high SES neighborhoods. Public health personnel should consider SNF- and neighborhood-level factors when identifying facilities to prioritize for COVID-19 outbreak prevention and control.

A Universal Travel Risk Assessment Questionnaire: Travel Assessment During COVID-19 Pandemic and Endemicity.

Throughout the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, military commanders have been challenged with providing appropriate travel guidance for their military and civilian personnel and dependents. This guidance, where promulgated, lacks uniformity. Travel aids and computer applications similarly differ and are not updated as often as jurisdictional travel health guidance is changed. Given the ever-evolving Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants with differing degrees of infectivity, COVID-19 travel guidance will remain relevant for military travelers during the transition from pandemic to endemic phases and for the foreseeable future. We reviewed all germane travel guidance promulgated by the U.S, Department of Defense; the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; and other federal, state, and international agencies. From these materials, we identified and delineated applicable universal components for COVID-19 travel risk and created a universal Travel Risk Assessment Questionnaire (TRAQ). We present a universal TRAQ that identifies and allows for a graded most-appropriate response to known travel risk assessment factors including travel restrictions, travel mode, travel time, travel party size, trip duration, COVID-19 incidence rate at travel destination, lodging, planned activities, personal interaction level, vaccination coverage at destination, travel location, traveler's vaccination status, previous COVID-19 infection, mask wear compliance, mask type, and work environment, along with additional considerations and post-travel COVID-19 questions. We provide examples of the use of this questionnaire that describe low, medium, and high risk to the traveler for contracting COVID-19. Our TRAQ provides an easy-to-use format that can enable military, business, or personal travelers to more completely assess their likelihood of COVID-19 exposure and help them to reduce their potential for contracting COVID-19 during travel and subsequently transmitting it to others upon return. It should help commanders and traveling personnel to better assess COVID-19 travel risks through application of known travel risk factors.

Tuberculosis endemicity and BCG vaccination: Protection against COVID-19.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has affected different countries in a differential manner. The host susceptibility and host factors are important parameters for this variability. This study aimed to assess the effect of tuberculosis (TB) endemicity and Bacille Calmette-Guerin (BCG) coverage on COVID-19. Available data regarding TB incidence, BCG coverage (as per the World Health Organization), and COVID-19 incidence of 168 countries as of 19th September 2021. Countries were divided into four cohorts based upon annual TB incidence and BCG coverage and COVID-19 incidence and case fatality rates were compared using the Kruskal-Wallis test. Countries with low TB incidence and low BCG coverage had the highest COVID-19 incidence per lac population. However, no significant difference was seen in COVID-19 cases fatality rate. Higher TB incidence and BCG coverage were associated with lesser incidence of COVID-19. This result paves the way for research into pathogenesis and host immune response in COVID-19.

Global, regional, and national incidence and mortality of COVID-19 in 237 countries and territories, January 2022: a systematic analysis for World Health Organization COVID-19 Dashboard

Objective: To estimate global, regional, and national incidences and mortality of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in 237 countries and territories since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic to 31 January, 2022. Methods: Comprehensive estimates were produced through global, regional, and national studies of cumulative severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infections for the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic. The incidence and mortality rate of COVID-19 was analyzed based on the World Health Organization (WHO) COVID-19 Dashboard data since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic to 31 January, 2022. The number of cumulative total confirmed cases, the number of cumulative total confirmed cases (cumulative incidence) per 100,000, the number of cumulative total death cases, and the number of cumulative total death cases (cumulative death rate) per 100,000 population were calculated according to the WHO regions, World Bank income groups, and each country. Results: A total of 349,641,119 of confirmed COVID-19 cases were reported globally on 31 January, 2022 (cumulative incidence of COVID-19, 4,485.72 per 100,000 population). Europe demonstrated the highest cumulative incidence of COVID-19 (14,039.95 per 100,000 population), followed by the Americas (12,512.57 per 100,000 population) showing a cumulative total death cases and cumulative death rate of COVID-19 of 5,592,266 and 71.75 per 100,000 population, respectively. The Americas presented highest cumulative death rate of COVID-19 (14,039.95 per 100,000 population), followed by Europe (12,512.57 per 100,000 population). The nation with the highest cumulative total cases of COVID-19 was the United States of America (n=69,727,991). However, the cumulative death rate of the COVID-19 was found higher in developing and underdeveloped countries. Conclusion: From the start of the COVID-19 pandemic to 31 January, 2022, 349.6 million of the worldwide population suffered symptoms of SARS-COV-2 and 5.6 million lost their lives due to it. The population in Europe and other high-income groups showed high incidence rates of COVID-19 while the death rate was high in Americas and other upper middle-income nations. According to figures of nationalities, the countries with compromised economic status presented a higher death rate despite relatively lower incidence of COVID-19 than the developed countries. The results of this study may provide crucially important for COVID-19 research and proper public health policies and strategies.

Influence of Perfluoroalkyl Substances on Occurrence of Coronavirus Disease 2019.

Epidemiologic evidence indicates exposure to polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) influences immunosuppression, with diminished vaccination response. The relationship between PFAS blood levels and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) occurrence by age warrants further examination. This assessment identified blood PFAS exposure levels in discrete populations. Recent PFAS population studies summarizing age and gender results were identified and included. Geographically corresponding COVID-19 incidence data were determined for selected counties in North Carolina (NC) and Ohio (OH), and the state of New Jersey (NJ). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention COVID-19 databases were accessed for national incidence data by age groupings. We assessed associations between blood PFAS concentrations, COVID-19 incidence rates, and key demographic characteristics, within subpopulations. COVID-19 incidence counts and blood PFAS concentration were obtained for each age group, along with estimated U.S. Census total population. A general trend observed is higher PFAS levels in older age groups. Younger age groups contained fewer COVID-19 cases. Global COVID-19 mortality is highest in elderly populations with hospitalization and death greatly increasing from age 50. PFAS exposures occurring early in life may cause deleterious health effects later in life, including decreased antibody response and reduced disease resistance. Highest levels of both PFAS exposure and COVID-19 were found in the oldest populations. While this does not determine causality, such associations should help promote further study.

Testing the Role of Socioeconomic Levels and Government Policies in Spreading Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in ASEAN

Although there has been an enormous scientific attempt to understand the transmission of COVID‐19, there are many knowledge gaps yet to be filled. This study aims to investigate the role of socioeconomic level and government response in the spread of COVID-19. The socioeconomic level is represented by gross domestic product, population density, and multidimensional poverty index. Meanwhile, government policies are characterized by a stringency index, and the incidence rate represents the spread of COVID. Using a sample of 10 ASEAN countries, from March 28, 2020, to July 30, 2021, the results show a positive relationship between socioeconomic level and the incidence rate of COVID-19 in communities, meaning socioeconomic factors are the determinant of the incidence rate of COVID-19. In addition, there is a significant negative relationship between the stringency index and the incidence rate, revealing that the more stringent policy was, the less COVID spread.

Phylogenetic and genome-wide mutational analysis of SARS-CoV-2 strains circulating in Nigeria: no implications for attenuated COVID-19 outcomes.

ObjectivesSevere acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the causative agent of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The COVID-19 incidence and mortality rates are low in Nigeria compared to global trends. This research mapped the evolution of SARS-CoV-2 circulating in Nigeria and globally to determine whether the Nigerian isolates are genetically distinct from strains circulating in regions of the world with a high disease burden.Methods Bayesian phylogenetics using BEAST 2.0, genetic similarity analyses, and genome-wide mutational analyses were used to characterize the strains of SARS-CoV-2 isolated in Nigeria.Results SARS-CoV-2 strains isolated in Nigeria showed multiple lineages and possible introductions from Europe and Asia. Phylogenetic clustering and sequence similarity analyses demonstrated that Nigerian isolates were not genetically distinct from strains isolated in other parts of the globe. Mutational analysis demonstrated that the D614G mutation in the spike protein, the P323L mutation in open reading frame 1b (and more specifically in NSP12), and the R203K/G204R mutation pair in the nucleocapsid protein were most prevalent in the Nigerian isolates.Conclusion The SARS-CoV-2 strains in Nigeria were neither phylogenetically nor genetically distinct from virus strains circulating in other countries of the world. Thus, differences in SARS-CoV-2 genomes are not a plausible explanation for the attenuated COVID-19 outcomes in Nigeria.