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An analysis of the COVID-19 laboratory dataset at AiBST Laboratory in Harare, Zimbabwe, 2020
Tendai Chipendo1, Takudzwa Marembo1,2, Humphrey Chituri1
1Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, African Union Commission, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Insights
COVID-19 disproportionately affects older adults and males. Delayed SARS-CoV-2 testing turnaround times hinder pandemic control efforts in Zimbabwe. Decentralizing testing could improve efficiency.
Area of Science:
- Virology
- Public Health
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) emerged as a global health crisis in late 2019.
- Zimbabwe reported its initial case in March 2020, with rapid national spread.
- Limited research exists on SARS-CoV-2 laboratory data trends in Zimbabwe.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze SARS-CoV-2 laboratory data from a key Zimbabwean testing facility.
- To identify demographic risk factors for COVID-19 infection.
- To assess analytical turnaround times for SARS-CoV-2 testing.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective review of 6,535 SARS-CoV-2 laboratory records from AiBST Laboratory, Harare (May-September 2020).
- Data analysis using Epi Info TM 7.2.2.6 for frequencies, proportions, and bivariate analysis.
- Evaluation of analytical and preanalytical turnaround times.
Main Results:
- The median patient age was 36 years, with 55% males.
- Males showed a 1.18 times higher risk of infection than females (p<0.05).
- Infection risk increased with age, peaking in the 41-50 age group (1.45 risk).
- Average turnaround time exceeded two days from August to September 2020.
Conclusions:
- COVID-19 presents a heightened risk for older individuals and males in Zimbabwe.
- Extended turnaround times for SARS-CoV-2 results impede pandemic control.
- Decentralizing laboratory testing to provincial and district levels is recommended to improve efficiency.
Introduction:
coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has become a major public health problem and has spread rapidly around the globe since its first identification in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. Zimbabwe reported its first case on the 20th March 2020, and since then the disease has spread to almost every part of the country. Laboratory testing is important in controlling this pandemic. However, few studies have focused on assessing trends of SARS-CoV-2 laboratory data. We described SARS-CoV-2 data from African Institute of Biomedical Science and Technology (AiBST) Laboratory in Harare, Zimbabwe.
Methods:
a retrospective record review of secondary SARS-CoV-2 data from AiBST Laboratory in Harare between May to September 2020 was done. Epi Info TM 7.2.2.6 was used to generate frequencies, proportions and conduct bivariate analysis.
Results:
a total of 6,535 SARS-CoV-2 laboratory records were analysed. The median age of the patients was 36 years and 55% (3594/6535) were males. There was an increase in average analytical turn-around time (TAT) of SARS-CoV-2 results from May to August 2020. Analytical and preanalytical TAT remained above 2 days from August to September. Males were 1.18 times at risk of being SARS-CoV-2 infected than females (p<0.05). The risk of being SARS-CoV-2 infected increased with age from 1.06 in the 11-20 age group to 1.45 in the 41-50 age group.
Conclusion:
COVID-19 poses a greater threat to the older age groups and to men. The delayed TAT of SARS-CoV-2 results limits the efforts to control the pandemic. Decentralization of testing to provincial and district level would help improve result TAT.
