A cross-country database of COVID-19 testing

Area of Science:

• Epidemiology
• Public Health
• Data Science

Background:

• COVID-19 pandemic understanding relies on confirmed case and death data.
• Interpreting this data requires accurate knowledge of country-specific virus testing extent.
• Lack of standardized testing data hinders accurate pandemic analysis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compile a comprehensive database of COVID-19 PCR testing data for 94 countries.
• To provide time-series data on daily tests performed or people tested.
• To include metadata on data quality and comparability for accurate interpretation.

Main Methods:

• Collected official data on PCR testing extent over time.
• Developed a database with time series of daily testing output.
• Incorporated metadata on data quality and comparability issues.
• Ensured replicability with provided sources for each observation.

Main Results:

• Established a regularly updated database of COVID-19 testing data for 94 countries.
• Provided time-series data on testing output, crucial for epidemiological studies.
• Highlighted data quality and comparability issues for informed interpretation.

Conclusions:

• The database facilitates the integration of testing data into COVID-19 epidemiological studies.
• It serves as a tool to track a key aspect of national pandemic responses.
• Accessible, cross-country testing data is vital for robust pandemic analysis and response evaluation.