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A sharp decrease in reported non-COVID-19 notifiable infectious diseases during the first wave of the COVID-19
Babette van Deursen1, Margot Hagenaars2,3, Abraham Meima2
1Public Health Service Rotterdam-Rijnmond, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. babettevandeursen@hotmail.com.
BMC Infectious Diseases
|March 4, 2022
Summary
Public health measures against COVID-19 significantly reduced non-COVID-19 infectious diseases and outbreaks in Rotterdam. This highlights the impact of hygiene and distancing on disease transmission.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Epidemiology
- Infectious Disease Control
Background:
- Observed a substantial decrease in non-COVID-19 notifiable infectious diseases and institutional outbreaks during the first COVID-19 epidemic wave in Rotterdam.
- Compared the period from mid-March to mid-October 2020 with the pre-COVID-19 situation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe the change in non-COVID-19 notifiable infectious diseases and institutional outbreaks during the first COVID-19 epidemic wave.
- To compare disease incidence with pre-COVID-19 data and analyze the impact of social distancing.
Main Methods:
- Included all reported cases of notifiable diseases and institutional outbreaks to Public Health Services Rotterdam-Rijnmond (January-October 2020).
- Analyzed seven-day moving averages and cumulative cases, comparing them to 2017-2019 data.
- Utilized Google mobility transit data as a proxy for social distancing effectiveness.
Main Results:
- A 65% reduction in respiratory, gastrointestinal, and travel-related notifiable diseases during the first COVID-19 wave compared to 2017-2019.
- Lower reports of institutional outbreaks following initial social distancing measures.
- Rebound in outbreak numbers when measures were partially lifted.
Conclusions:
- National interpersonal distancing and hygiene measures against COVID-19 likely reduced transmission of other infectious diseases.
- This phenomenon suggests future studies on the effect of local outbreak control measures on various non-COVID-19 diseases.
- Need for devising and investigating targeted, acceptable hygiene and distancing measures for vulnerable groups and institutions.
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