Effects of Coronavirus Disease Pandemic on Tuberculosis Notifications, Malawi
The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic might affect tuberculosis (TB) diagnosis and patient care. We analyzed a citywide electronic TB register in Blantyre, Malawi and interviewed TB officers. Malawi did not have an official COVID-19 lockdown but closed schools and borders on March 23, 2020. In...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
2021-07-01
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| Series: | Emerging Infectious Diseases |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/27/7/21-0557_article |
| _version_ | 1818399290306854912 |
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| author | Rebecca Nzawa Soko Rachael M. Burke Helena R.A. Feasey Wakumanya Sibande Marriott Nliwasa Marc Y.R. Henrion McEwen Khundi Peter J. Dodd Chu Chang Ku Gift Kawalazira Augustine T. Choko Titus H. Divala Elizabeth L. Corbett Peter MacPherson |
| author_facet | Rebecca Nzawa Soko Rachael M. Burke Helena R.A. Feasey Wakumanya Sibande Marriott Nliwasa Marc Y.R. Henrion McEwen Khundi Peter J. Dodd Chu Chang Ku Gift Kawalazira Augustine T. Choko Titus H. Divala Elizabeth L. Corbett Peter MacPherson |
| author_sort | Rebecca Nzawa Soko |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic might affect tuberculosis (TB) diagnosis and patient care. We analyzed a citywide electronic TB register in Blantyre, Malawi and interviewed TB officers. Malawi did not have an official COVID-19 lockdown but closed schools and borders on March 23, 2020. In an interrupted time series analysis, we noted an immediate 35.9% reduction in TB notifications in April 2020; notifications recovered to near prepandemic numbers by December 2020. However, 333 fewer cumulative TB notifications were received than anticipated. Women and girls were affected more (30.7% fewer cases) than men and boys (20.9% fewer cases). Fear of COVID-19 infection, temporary facility closures, inadequate personal protective equipment, and COVID-19 stigma because of similar symptoms to TB were mentioned as reasons for fewer people being diagnosed with TB. Public health measures could benefit control of both TB and COVID-19, but only if TB diagnostic services remain accessible and are considered safe to attend. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-14T07:18:20Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-430c903f32054c279726039fcd21c6c6 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1080-6040 1080-6059 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-14T07:18:20Z |
| publishDate | 2021-07-01 |
| publisher | Centers for Disease Control and Prevention |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Emerging Infectious Diseases |
| spelling | doaj.art-430c903f32054c279726039fcd21c6c62022-12-21T23:11:40ZengCenters for Disease Control and PreventionEmerging Infectious Diseases1080-60401080-60592021-07-012771831183910.3201/eid2707.210557Effects of Coronavirus Disease Pandemic on Tuberculosis Notifications, MalawiRebecca Nzawa SokoRachael M. BurkeHelena R.A. FeaseyWakumanya SibandeMarriott NliwasaMarc Y.R. HenrionMcEwen KhundiPeter J. DoddChu Chang KuGift KawalaziraAugustine T. ChokoTitus H. DivalaElizabeth L. CorbettPeter MacPhersonThe coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic might affect tuberculosis (TB) diagnosis and patient care. We analyzed a citywide electronic TB register in Blantyre, Malawi and interviewed TB officers. Malawi did not have an official COVID-19 lockdown but closed schools and borders on March 23, 2020. In an interrupted time series analysis, we noted an immediate 35.9% reduction in TB notifications in April 2020; notifications recovered to near prepandemic numbers by December 2020. However, 333 fewer cumulative TB notifications were received than anticipated. Women and girls were affected more (30.7% fewer cases) than men and boys (20.9% fewer cases). Fear of COVID-19 infection, temporary facility closures, inadequate personal protective equipment, and COVID-19 stigma because of similar symptoms to TB were mentioned as reasons for fewer people being diagnosed with TB. Public health measures could benefit control of both TB and COVID-19, but only if TB diagnostic services remain accessible and are considered safe to attend.https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/27/7/21-0557_articlerespiratory infectionssevere acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2SARS-CoV-2SARSCOVID-19coronavirus disease |
| spellingShingle | Rebecca Nzawa Soko Rachael M. Burke Helena R.A. Feasey Wakumanya Sibande Marriott Nliwasa Marc Y.R. Henrion McEwen Khundi Peter J. Dodd Chu Chang Ku Gift Kawalazira Augustine T. Choko Titus H. Divala Elizabeth L. Corbett Peter MacPherson Effects of Coronavirus Disease Pandemic on Tuberculosis Notifications, Malawi Emerging Infectious Diseases respiratory infections severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 SARS-CoV-2 SARS COVID-19 coronavirus disease |
| title | Effects of Coronavirus Disease Pandemic on Tuberculosis Notifications, Malawi |
| title_full | Effects of Coronavirus Disease Pandemic on Tuberculosis Notifications, Malawi |
| title_fullStr | Effects of Coronavirus Disease Pandemic on Tuberculosis Notifications, Malawi |
| title_full_unstemmed | Effects of Coronavirus Disease Pandemic on Tuberculosis Notifications, Malawi |
| title_short | Effects of Coronavirus Disease Pandemic on Tuberculosis Notifications, Malawi |
| title_sort | effects of coronavirus disease pandemic on tuberculosis notifications malawi |
| topic | respiratory infections severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 SARS-CoV-2 SARS COVID-19 coronavirus disease |
| url | https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/27/7/21-0557_article |
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