Digitalizing and Upgrading Severe Acute Respiratory Infections Surveillance in Malta: System Development.

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Epidemiology
• Infectious Disease Surveillance

Background:

• The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control initiated a severe acute respiratory infections (SARI) surveillance system across Europe in late 2020.
• This system aimed to monitor and track respiratory infections.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the digitization and enhancement of SARI surveillance in Malta from February to November 2021.
• To characterize SARI cases and compare SARI case definitions.
• To discuss the future of SARI and public health surveillance.

Main Methods:

• Utilized electronic health records and registers for data collection in Malta's centralized health system.
• Established an analogue incidence-based SARI surveillance system from October 2020 to February 2021.
• Digitized surveillance processes starting February 2021, involving key stakeholder mapping.

Main Results:

• By November 30, 2021, 903 SARI cases were reported, with 42.1% testing positive for SARS-CoV-2.
• Of hospitalized SARI cases, 7.6% required intensive care, and 11.8% died.
• Among deceased SARI patients, 89.7% had multiple underlying conditions, primarily hypertension and chronic heart disease.

Conclusions:

• Enhanced SARI surveillance in Malta was implemented by May 2021, enabling monitoring of incidence and patient characteristics.
• A future transition to register-based surveillance with automated processes is recommended to improve SARI detection.