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Cawley C, Barsbay MÇ, Djamangulova T, Erdenebat B, Cilović-Lagarija Š, Fedorchenko V, Gabrani J, Glushkova N, Kalaveshi A, Kandelaki L, Kazanjan K, Lkhagvasuren K, Santric Milicevic M, Sadikkhodjayeva D, Skočibušić S, Stojisavljevic S, Tecirli G, Terzic N, Rommel A, Wengler A. The mortality burden related to COVID-19 in 2020 and 2021 - years of life lost and excess mortality in 13 countries and sub-national regions in Southern and Eastern Europe, and Central Asia. Front Public Health 2024; 12:1378229. [PMID: 38903591 PMCID: PMC11187286 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1378229] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2024] [Accepted: 05/14/2024] [Indexed: 06/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Between 2021 and 2023, a project was funded in order to explore the mortality burden (YLL-Years of Life Lost, excess mortality) of COVID-19 in Southern and Eastern Europe, and Central Asia. Methods For each national or sub-national region, data on COVID-19 deaths and population data were collected for the period March 2020 to December 2021. Unstandardized and age-standardised YLL rates were calculated according to standard burden of disease methodology. In addition, all-cause mortality data for the period 2015-2019 were collected and used as a baseline to estimate excess mortality in each national or sub-national region in the years 2020 and 2021. Results On average, 15-30 years of life were lost per death in the various countries and regions. Generally, YLL rates per 100,000 were higher in countries and regions in Southern and Eastern Europe compared to Central Asia. However, there were differences in how countries and regions defined and counted COVID-19 deaths. In most countries and sub-national regions, YLL rates per 100,000 (both age-standardised and unstandardized) were higher in 2021 compared to 2020, and higher amongst men compared to women. Some countries showed high excess mortality rates, suggesting under-diagnosis or under-reporting of COVID-19 deaths, and/or relatively large numbers of deaths due to indirect effects of the pandemic. Conclusion Our results suggest that the COVID-19 mortality burden was greater in many countries and regions in Southern and Eastern Europe compared to Central Asia. However, heterogeneity in the data (differences in the definitions and counting of COVID-19 deaths) may have influenced our results. Understanding possible reasons for the differences was difficult, as many factors are likely to play a role (e.g., differences in the extent of public health and social measures to control the spread of COVID-19, differences in testing strategies and/or vaccination rates). Future cross-country analyses should try to develop structured approaches in an attempt to understand the relative importance of such factors. Furthermore, in order to improve the robustness and comparability of burden of disease indicators, efforts should be made to harmonise case definitions and reporting for COVID-19 deaths across countries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caoimhe Cawley
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Monitoring, Robert Koch Institute, Berlin, Germany
| | - Mehtap Çakmak Barsbay
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Healthcare Management, Ankara University, Ankara, Türkiye
| | | | - Batmanduul Erdenebat
- Department of Health Policy, School of Public Health, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Ulan Bator, Mongolia
| | - Šeila Cilović-Lagarija
- Institute for Public Health of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
| | | | | | - Natalya Glushkova
- Faculty of Medicine, Al-Farabi Kazakhs National University, Almaty, Kazakhstan
| | | | - Levan Kandelaki
- National Center for Disease Control and Public Health, Tbilisi, Georgia
| | | | - Khorolsuren Lkhagvasuren
- Department of Health Policy, School of Public Health, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Ulan Bator, Mongolia
| | - Milena Santric Milicevic
- Laboratory for Strengthening Capacity and Performance of Health System and Workforce for Health Equity, Institute of Social Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | | | - Siniša Skočibušić
- Institute for Public Health of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Mostar, Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina
| | - Stela Stojisavljevic
- Public Health Institute of the Republic of Srpska, Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Banja Luka, Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina
| | | | - Natasa Terzic
- Institute of Public Health of Montenegro, Podgorica, Montenegro
| | - Alexander Rommel
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Monitoring, Robert Koch Institute, Berlin, Germany
| | - Annelene Wengler
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Monitoring, Robert Koch Institute, Berlin, Germany
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Badamdorj O, Erkhembayar R, Gombo B, Baatarpurev B, Gansukh D, Tsogbadrakh B, Sandag O, Dalkh T, Nyamjav S. Medical education in Mongolia: Challenges and opportunities. MEDICAL TEACHER 2024:1-7. [PMID: 38588714 DOI: 10.1080/0142159x.2024.2336077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2022] [Accepted: 03/25/2024] [Indexed: 04/10/2024]
Abstract
In the early twentieth century, Mongolia saw the establishment of Western medicine and educational system, supplementing its pre-existing history of eastern medicine. As a lower-middle-income country with vast landmass and low population density, Mongolia's medical education landscape has evolved significantly. The inception of the Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences in 1942 marked a pivotal moment, initiating the modern era of medical sciences and specialized training programs in the country. Initially shaped by Soviet Union-styled medical curriculum, the system has undergone substantial reform since the constitutional shift to a market economy in the 1990s. This transformation aligned the curriculum with international standards and modern educational approach, focusing on producing skilled medical professionals. Presently, over 10 public and private institutions of higher education in Mongolia provide comprehensive undergraduate, graduate and post-graduate training for medical training. These institutions vary in student enrollment, teaching staff, learning environments, and program models, contributing to the diverse landscape of medical education in the country.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oyungoo Badamdorj
- School of Nursing, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
| | - Ryenchindorj Erkhembayar
- Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Bayarbat Gombo
- Department of Health Policy and Administration, School of Public Health, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
| | - Baljinnyam Baatarpurev
- Division for Faculty Development and E-Learning, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
| | - Dorjbalam Gansukh
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
| | - Basbish Tsogbadrakh
- School of Nursing, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
| | - Oyuntsetseg Sandag
- Department of Communication Skills, School of Biomedicine, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
| | - Tserendagva Dalkh
- Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
| | - Sumberzul Nyamjav
- Department of Medical Education and Legislations, Graduate School, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
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Dambadarjaa D, Mend T, Shapiro A, Handcock MS, Mandakh U, Enebish T, Le L, Bandoy DJDR, Amarjargal A, Altangerel B, Chuluunbaatar T, Guruuchin U, Lkhagvajav O, Enebish O. Estimating Asymptomatic and Symptomatic Transmission of the COVID-19 First Few Cases in Selenge Province, Mongolia. Influenza Other Respir Viruses 2024; 18:e13277. [PMID: 38544454 PMCID: PMC10973774 DOI: 10.1111/irv.13277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2023] [Revised: 12/11/2023] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/21/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Following the first locally transmitted case in Sukhbaatar soum, Selenge Province, we aimed to investigate the ultimate scale of the epidemic in the scenario of uninterrupted transmission. METHODS This was a prospective case study following the locally modified WHO FFX cases generic protocol. A rapid response team collected data from November 14 to 29, 2020. We created a stochastic process to draw many transmission chains from this greater distribution to better understand and make inferences regarding the outbreak under investigation. RESULTS The majority of the cases involved household transmissions (35, 52.2%), work transmissions (20, 29.9%), index (5, 7.5%), same apartment transmissions (2, 3.0%), school transmissions (2, 3.0%), and random contacts between individuals transmissions (1, 1.5%). The posterior means of the basic reproduction number of both the asymptomatic casesR 0 Asy $$ {R}_0^{Asy} $$ and the presymptomatic casesR 0 Pre $$ {R}_0^{Pre} $$ (1.35 [95% CrI 0.88-1.86] and 1.29 [95% CrI 0.67-2.10], respectively) were lower than that of the symptomatic cases (2.00 [95% Crl 1.38-2.76]). CONCLUSION Our study highlights the heterogeneity of COVID-19 transmission across different symptom statuses and underscores the importance of early identification and isolation of symptomatic cases in disease control. Our approach, which combines detailed contact tracing data with advanced statistical methods, can be applied to other infectious diseases, facilitating a more nuanced understanding of disease transmission dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Davaalkham Dambadarjaa
- School of Public HealthMongolian National University of Medical SciencesUlaanbaatarMongolia
| | - Tsogt Mend
- Department of Surveillance and ResearchNational Center for Communicable DiseasesUlaanbaatarMongolia
| | - Andrew Shapiro
- Department of StatisticsUniversity of CaliforniaLos AngelesCaliforniaUSA
| | - Mark S. Handcock
- Department of StatisticsUniversity of CaliforniaLos AngelesCaliforniaUSA
| | - Undram Mandakh
- Department of Family Medicine, School of MedicineMongolian National University of Medical SciencesUlaanbaatarMongolia
| | - Temuulen Enebish
- COVID‐19 Incident Management Support TeamWorld Health Organization Regional Office for the Western PacificManilaPhilippines
| | - Linh‐Vi Le
- COVID‐19 Incident Management Support TeamWorld Health Organization Regional Office for the Western PacificManilaPhilippines
| | - DJ Darwin R. Bandoy
- COVID‐19 Incident Management Support TeamWorld Health Organization Regional Office for the Western PacificManilaPhilippines
- College of Veterinary MedicineUniversity of the Philippines Los BañosLagunaPhilippines
| | - Ambaselmaa Amarjargal
- Department of Surveillance and ResearchNational Center for Communicable DiseasesUlaanbaatarMongolia
| | - Bilegt Altangerel
- Department of Surveillance and ResearchNational Center for Communicable DiseasesUlaanbaatarMongolia
| | - Tuvshintur Chuluunbaatar
- Department of Surveillance and ResearchNational Center for Communicable DiseasesUlaanbaatarMongolia
| | - Uugantsetseg Guruuchin
- Department of Surveillance and ResearchNational Center for Communicable DiseasesUlaanbaatarMongolia
| | - Oyuntulkhuur Lkhagvajav
- Department of Surveillance and ResearchNational Center for Communicable DiseasesUlaanbaatarMongolia
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Naran-Ochir O, Narantsetseg T, Bayartsogt B, Batbileg B, Gan-Ochir B, Altannamar M, Batbayar EO. A cross-sectional study of the impact of the COVID-19 lockdown on domestic violence-related oral and maxillofacial injuries. Dent Traumatol 2024; 40 Suppl 2:74-81. [PMID: 38459665 DOI: 10.1111/edt.12944] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2023] [Revised: 02/15/2024] [Accepted: 02/16/2024] [Indexed: 03/10/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND During the COVID-19 lockdown, more domestic violence-related traumas were reported. In this study, we investigated and compared the incidence of domestic violence-related injuries-in particular oral and maxillofacial injuries-in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, before and during the COVID-19 lockdown. MATERIALS AND METHODS We conducted a cross-sectional study based on 3974 domestic violence cases registered at the Public Health Department, National Traumatology and Orthopedics Research Center of Mongolia between 2018 and 2022. Descriptive and binary logistic regression analyses were conducted. The victims were categorized according to their age (child, adult, and elderly). RESULTS The mean age of the victims was children 9.7 ± 5.4 years, adults 34.8 ± 8.3 years, and elderly 64.3 ± 8.7 years. Binary logistic regression analysis (no/yes) showed that oral and maxillofacial injuries during the lockdown increased 1.3 times (OR = 1.3; CI 95% = 1.0-1.6; p = .003) in adults and 2.5 times in children (OR = 2.5; CI 95% = 1.7-3.9; p = .001). Additionally, injuries to upper limbs increased 4.6 times (OR = 4.6; CI 95% = 3.5-6.1; p = .001) in adults and 5.2 times in elderly patients (OR = 5.2; CI 95% = 1.8-16.2; p = .01). Additionally, thorax injury in children increased 3.1 times (OR = 3.1; CI 95% = 1.7-5.7; p = .001). CONCLUSIONS During the lockdown, injury to oral and maxillofacial regions increased in adult and child victims of domestic violence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ochbayar Naran-Ochir
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, School of Dentistry, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Central Military Hospital, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
| | - Tsetsegkhen Narantsetseg
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, School of Dentistry, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
| | - Batzorig Bayartsogt
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
| | - Batzorig Batbileg
- The National Traumatology and Orthopedics Research Center, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
| | - Batbold Gan-Ochir
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, School of Dentistry, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
| | - Munkhdul Altannamar
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, School of Dentistry, Ach Medical University, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
| | - Enkh-Orchlon Batbayar
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, School of Dentistry, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
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von Mollendorf C, Ulziibayar M, Nguyen CD, Batsaikhan P, Suuri B, Luvsantseren D, Narangerel D, de Campo J, de Campo M, Tsolmon B, Demberelsuren S, Dunne EM, Satzke C, Mungun T, Mulholland EK. Effect of Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine on Pneumonia Incidence Rates among Children 2-59 Months of Age, Mongolia, 2015-2021. Emerg Infect Dis 2024; 30:490-498. [PMID: 38407131 PMCID: PMC10902538 DOI: 10.3201/eid3003.230864] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Starting in June 2016, the 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) was introduced into the routine immunization program of Mongolia by using a 2+1 dosing schedule, phased by district. We used prospective hospital surveillance to evaluate the vaccine's effect on pneumonia incidence rates among children 2-59 months of age over a 6-year period. Of 17,607 children with pneumonia, overall adjusted incidence rate ratios showed decreased primary endpoint pneumonia, very severe pneumonia, and probable pneumococcal pneumonia until June 2021. Results excluding and including the COVID-19 pandemic period were similar. Pneumonia declined in 3 districts that introduced PCV13 with catch-up campaigns but not in the 1 district that did not. After PCV13 introduction, vaccine-type pneumococcal carriage prevalence decreased by 44% and nonvaccine-type carriage increased by 49%. After PCV13 introduction in Mongolia, the incidence of more specific pneumonia endpoints declined in children 2-59 months of age; additional benefits were conferred by catch-up campaigns.
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Batmunkh B, Otgonbayar D, Shaarii S, Khaidav N, Shagdarsuren OE, Boldbaatar G, Danzan NE, Dashtseren M, Unurjargal T, Dashtseren I, Dagvasumberel M, Jagdagsuren D, Bayandorj O, Biziya B, Surenjid S, Togoo K, Bat-Erdene A, Narmandakh Z, Choijilsuren G, Batmunkh U, Soodoi C, Boldbaatar EA, Byambatsogt G, Byambaa O, Deleg Z, Enebish G, Chuluunbaatar B, Zulmunkh G, Tsolmon B, Gunchin B, Chimeddorj B, Dambadarjaa D, Sandag T. RBD-specific antibody response after two doses of different SARS-CoV-2 vaccines during the mass vaccination campaign in Mongolia. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0295167. [PMID: 38064430 PMCID: PMC10707641 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0295167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2023] [Accepted: 11/16/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
The SARS-CoV-2 vaccination campaign began in February 2021 and achieved a high rate of 62.7% of the total population fully vaccinated by August 16, 2021, in Mongolia. We aimed to assess the initial protective antibody production after two doses of a variety of types of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines in the Mongolian pre-vaccine antibody-naïve adult population. This prospective study was conducted from March-April to July-August of 2021. All participants received one of the four government-proposed COVID-19 vaccines including Pfizer/BioNTech (BNT162b2), AstraZeneca (ChAdOx1-S), Sinopharm (BBIBP-CorV), and Sputnik V (Gam-COVID-Vac). Before receiving the first shot, anti-SARS-CoV-2 S-RBD human IgG titers were measured in all participants (n = 1833), and titers were measured 21-28 days after the second shot in a subset of participants (n = 831). We found an overall average protective antibody response of 84.8% (705 of 831 vaccinated) in 21-28 days after two doses of the four types of COVID-19 vaccines. Seropositivity and titer of protective antibodies produced after two shots of vaccine were associated with the vaccine types, age, and residence of vaccinees. Seropositivity rate varied significantly between vaccine types, 80.0% (28 of 35) for AstraZeneca ChAdOx1-S; 97.0% (193 of 199) for Pfizer BNT162b2; 80.7% (474 of 587) for Sinopharm BBIBP-CorV, and 100.0% (10 of 10) for Sputnik V Gam-COVID-Vac, respectively. Immunocompromised vaccinees with increased risk for developing severe COVID-19 disease had received the Pfizer vaccine and demonstrated a high rate of seropositivity. A high geometric mean titer (GMT) was found in vaccinees who received BNT162b2, while vaccinees who received ChAdOx1-S, Sputnik V, and BBIBP-CorV showed a lower GMT. In summary, we observed first stages of the immunization campaign against COVID-19 in Mongolia have been completed successfully, with a high immunogenicity level achieved among the population with an increased risk for developing severe illness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Burenjargal Batmunkh
- School of Biomedicine, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Sainshand, Mongolia
| | - Dashpagma Otgonbayar
- National Center for Communicable Diseases of Mongolia, Ulaanbata, Mongolia
- School of Public Health, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Sainshand, Mongolia
| | - Shatar Shaarii
- School of Public Health, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Sainshand, Mongolia
| | - Nansalmaa Khaidav
- School of Public Health, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Sainshand, Mongolia
| | - Oyu-Erdene Shagdarsuren
- School of Public Health, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Sainshand, Mongolia
| | - Gantuya Boldbaatar
- School of Medicine, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Sainshand, Mongolia
| | - Nandin-Erdene Danzan
- School of Medicine, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Sainshand, Mongolia
| | | | - Tsolmon Unurjargal
- School of Medicine, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Sainshand, Mongolia
| | - Ichinnorov Dashtseren
- School of Medicine, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Sainshand, Mongolia
| | | | | | | | - Baasanjargal Biziya
- School of Biomedicine, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Sainshand, Mongolia
| | - Seesregdorj Surenjid
- International School of Mongolian Medicine, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Sainshand, Mongolia
| | - Khongorzul Togoo
- School of Biomedicine, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Sainshand, Mongolia
| | - Ariunzaya Bat-Erdene
- School of Biomedicine, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Sainshand, Mongolia
| | - Zolmunkh Narmandakh
- School of Biomedicine, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Sainshand, Mongolia
| | - Gansukh Choijilsuren
- School of Biomedicine, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Sainshand, Mongolia
| | - Ulziisaikhan Batmunkh
- School of Biomedicine, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Sainshand, Mongolia
| | - Chimidtseren Soodoi
- School of Biomedicine, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Sainshand, Mongolia
| | - Enkh-Amar Boldbaatar
- School of Biomedicine, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Sainshand, Mongolia
| | - Ganbaatar Byambatsogt
- School of Nursing, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Sainshand, Mongolia
| | - Otgonjargal Byambaa
- School of Biomedicine, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Sainshand, Mongolia
| | - Zolzaya Deleg
- School of Biomedicine, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Sainshand, Mongolia
| | - Gerelmaa Enebish
- School of Biomedicine, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Sainshand, Mongolia
| | - Bazardari Chuluunbaatar
- Mongolia-Japan Hospital, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Sainshand, Mongolia
| | - Gereltsetseg Zulmunkh
- Mongolia-Japan Hospital, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Sainshand, Mongolia
| | | | - Batbaatar Gunchin
- School of Biomedicine, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Sainshand, Mongolia
| | - Battogtokh Chimeddorj
- School of Biomedicine, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Sainshand, Mongolia
| | - Davaalkham Dambadarjaa
- School of Public Health, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Sainshand, Mongolia
| | - Tsogtsaikhan Sandag
- School of Biomedicine, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Sainshand, Mongolia
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7
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Almayahi ZK, Al Mujaini SM, Al Shaqsi N, Al Hattali N, Al Hattali A, Al Ghafri Y, Al Lamki N, Al Kharusi Z, Al Jaradi N, Al Mayahi A, Al Subhi M, Al Naabi H, Al Siyabi H, Al Jaradi AS, Al Nofli I, Al Khanjari S, Al Naabi M, Al Subhi A, Jabri AAL, Al Jarjari Y, Al Harmali S, Al Gefaily N, Al Mamari S, Al Kharusi A, Al Khudhuri M, Al Baloshi M, Al Shaqsi D, Al Ghafri F, Al Dhuhli K, Al Malki R. Transmission dynamics, responses, and clinical features for the first 1100 COVID-19 cases in South Batinah, Oman: Major lessons from a provincial perspective. J Taibah Univ Med Sci 2023; 18:1627-1645. [PMID: 37711758 PMCID: PMC10498412 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtumed.2023.07.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2023] [Revised: 06/16/2023] [Accepted: 07/13/2023] [Indexed: 09/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Objectives This study was aimed at exploring and analyzing the epidemiological profile, surveillance, and response to COVID-19, including transmission dynamics and cluster formation. Methodology This was a retrospective analysis of surveillance data, including contact tracing, risk factors, and clinical information. Binary logistic regressions were used to assess the likelihood of admission, cluster formation, and of each individual being an index patient. Clusters were demonstrated through geographic data systems, network analysis, and visualization software. Results A total of 1100 COVID-19 cases were diagnosed from 20 March to 7 June 2020, of which 144 (13.1%) were asymptomatic. The median time from symptom onset to admission was 7 days (IQR, 4.5-10), and the median symptom duration was 5 days (IQR, 3-9). Eighty-nine clusters containing 736 patients were identified. The surveillance and control actions were divided into three phases. Clusters began to form in phase 2 and became more pronounced in phase 3. Patients ≥50 years of age and patients presenting with fever had relatively higher odds of admission: OR = 12.85 (95% CI 5.13-32.19) and 2.53 (95% CI 1.24-5.17), respectively. Cluster formation was observed among females, asymptomatic patients, and people living in Awabi: OR = 2.3 (95% CI 1.7-3.1), 6.39 (95% CI 2.33-17.2), and 3.54 (95% CI 2.06-6.07), respectively. Patients working in the police and defense sectors had higher odds of being an index patient: OR = 7.88 (95% CI 3.35-18.52). Conclusion Case-based interventions should be supported by population-wide measures, particularly movement restrictions. Establishing prevention teams or district units, or primary care will be crucial for the control of future pandemics. Prevention should always be prioritized for vulnerable populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zayid K. Almayahi
- Disease Surveillance and Control Department, Ministry of Health, Rustaq, South Batinah, Oman
| | - Sami M. Al Mujaini
- Disease Surveillance and Control Department, Ministry of Health, Rustaq, South Batinah, Oman
| | - Nasser Al Shaqsi
- Disease Surveillance and Control Department, Ministry of Health, Rustaq, South Batinah, Oman
| | - Noaman Al Hattali
- Disease Surveillance and Control Department, Ministry of Health, Rustaq, South Batinah, Oman
| | - Azza Al Hattali
- Disease Surveillance and Control Department, Ministry of Health, Rustaq, South Batinah, Oman
| | - Yusra Al Ghafri
- Disease Surveillance and Control Department, Ministry of Health, Rustaq, South Batinah, Oman
| | - Nasser Al Lamki
- Disease Surveillance and Control Department, Ministry of Health, Rustaq, South Batinah, Oman
| | - Zalkha Al Kharusi
- Wadi Mistal Hospital, Primary Health Care Department, Ministry of Health, Wadi Mawel, South Batinah, Oman
| | - Naima Al Jaradi
- Sawadi Health Center, Primary Health Care Department, Ministry of Health, Barka, South Batinah, Oman
| | - Ahmed Al Mayahi
- Barka Health Center, Primary Health Care Department, Ministry of Health, Barka, South Batinah, Oman
| | - Muna Al Subhi
- Sawadi Health Center, Primary Health Care Department, Ministry of Health, Barka, South Batinah, Oman
| | - Haitham Al Naabi
- Nakhal Health Center, Primary Health Care Department, Ministry of Health, Nakhal, South Batinah, Oman
| | - Haitham Al Siyabi
- Al Naseem Health Center, Primary Health Care Department, Ministry of Health, Barka, South Batinah, Oman
| | - Ahmed S. Al Jaradi
- Al Musanaah Health Center, Primary Health Care Department, Ministry of Health, Musanaah, South Batinah, Oman
| | - Idrees Al Nofli
- Rustaq Extended Health Center, Primary Health Care Department, Ministry of Health, Rustaq, South Batinah, Oman
| | - Sultan Al Khanjari
- Nakhal Health Center, Primary Health Care Department, Ministry of Health, Nakhal, South Batinah, Oman
| | - Muatasim Al Naabi
- Wadi Al Mawel Health Center, Primary Health Care Department, Ministry of Health, Wadi Mawel, South Batinah, Oman
| | - Amir Al Subhi
- Barka Extended Health Center, Primary Health Care Department, Ministry of Health, Barka, South Batinah, Oman
| | - Ahmed AL. Jabri
- Barka Health Center, Primary Health Care Department, Ministry of Health, Barka, South Batinah, Oman
| | - Yousif Al Jarjari
- Awabi Health Center, Primary Health Care Department, Ministry of Health, Awabi, South Batinah, Oman
| | - Saif Al Harmali
- Rustaq Extended Health Center, Primary Health Care Department, Ministry of Health, Rustaq, South Batinah, Oman
| | - Naeema Al Gefaily
- Wudam Health Center, Primary Health Care Department, Ministry of Health, Musanaah, South Batinah, Oman
| | - Seif Al Mamari
- Rustaq Extended Health Center, Primary Health Care Department, Ministry of Health, Rustaq, South Batinah, Oman
| | - Abdullah Al Kharusi
- Primary Health Care Department, Ministry of Health, Rustaq, South Batinah, Oman
| | - Marwa Al Khudhuri
- Planning and Studies Department, Ministry of Health, Rustaq, South Batinah, Oman
| | - Muradjan Al Baloshi
- Disease Surveillance and Control Department, Ministry of Health, Rustaq, South Batinah, Oman
| | - Dalal Al Shaqsi
- Disease Surveillance and Control Department, Ministry of Health, Rustaq, South Batinah, Oman
| | - Fakhriya Al Ghafri
- Disease Surveillance and Control Department, Ministry of Health, Rustaq, South Batinah, Oman
| | - Khalid Al Dhuhli
- Disease Surveillance and Control Department, Ministry of Health, Rustaq, South Batinah, Oman
| | - Rashid Al Malki
- Disease Surveillance and Control Department, Ministry of Health, Rustaq, South Batinah, Oman
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Erendereg M, Tumurbaatar S, Byambaa O, Enebish G, Burged N, Khurelsukh T, Baatar N, Munkhjin B, Ulziijargal J, Gantumur A, Altanbayar O, Batjargal O, Altangerel D, Tulgaa K, Ganbold S, Tundev O, Jigjidsuren S, Nyamdorj T, Tsedenbal N, Batmunkh B, Jantsansengee B, Lkhagvaa B, Tsolmon B, Enebish O, Tsevegmid E, Sereejav E, Nyamdavaa K, Erkhembayar R, Chimeddorj B. Molecular epidemiology of SARS-CoV-2 in Mongolia, first experience with nanopore sequencing in lower- and middle-income countries setting. Immun Inflamm Dis 2023; 11:e1095. [PMID: 38156392 PMCID: PMC10716720 DOI: 10.1002/iid3.1095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2023] [Revised: 09/30/2023] [Accepted: 11/09/2023] [Indexed: 12/30/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has had a significant impact globally, and extensive genomic research has been conducted on severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) lineage patterns and its variants. Mongolia's effective response resulted in low prevalence until vaccinations became available. However, due to the lack of systematically collected data and absence of whole genome sequencing capabilities, we conducted a two-stepped, nationally representative molecular epidemiologic study of SARS-CoV-2 in Mongolia for 2020 and 2021. METHODS We used retrospective analysis of stored biological samples from November 2020 to October 2021 and a variant-specific real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test to detect SARS-CoV-2 variants, followed by whole genome sequencing by Nanopore technology. Samples were retrieved from different sites and stored at -70°C deep freezer, and tests were performed on samples with cycle threshold <30. RESULTS Out of 4879 nucleic acid tests, 799 whole genome sequencing had been carried out. Among the stored samples of earlier local transmission, we found the 20B (B.1.1.46) variant predominated in the earlier local transmission period. A slower introduction and circulation of alpha and delta variants were observed compared to global dynamics in 2020 and 2021. Beta or Gamma variants were not detected between November 2020 and September 2021 in Mongolia. CONCLUSIONS SARS-CoV-2 variants of concerns including alpha and delta were delayed in circulation potentially due to public health stringencies in Mongolia. We are sharing our initial experience with whole genome sequencing of SARS-CoV-2 from Mongolia, where sequencing data is sparse.
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Affiliation(s)
- Munkhtuya Erendereg
- Department of Microbiology and Infection Prevention Control, School of BiomedicineMongolian National University of Medical SciencesUlaanbaatarMongolia
- Intermed HospitalUlaanbaatarMongolia
| | - Suvd Tumurbaatar
- Institute of Biomedical SciencesMongolian National University of Medical SciencesUlaanbaatarMongolia
| | - Otgonjargal Byambaa
- Department of Microbiology and Infection Prevention Control, School of BiomedicineMongolian National University of Medical SciencesUlaanbaatarMongolia
| | - Gerelmaa Enebish
- Department of Microbiology and Infection Prevention Control, School of BiomedicineMongolian National University of Medical SciencesUlaanbaatarMongolia
| | | | | | | | - Badmaarag Munkhjin
- Division for Science and TechnologyMongolian National University of Medical SciencesUlaanbaatarMongolia
| | | | - Anuujin Gantumur
- Department of Microbiology and Infection Prevention Control, School of BiomedicineMongolian National University of Medical SciencesUlaanbaatarMongolia
| | - Oyunbaatar Altanbayar
- Department of Microbiology and Infection Prevention Control, School of BiomedicineMongolian National University of Medical SciencesUlaanbaatarMongolia
| | - Ochbadrakh Batjargal
- Institute of Biomedical SciencesMongolian National University of Medical SciencesUlaanbaatarMongolia
| | | | - Khosbayar Tulgaa
- Institute of Biomedical SciencesMongolian National University of Medical SciencesUlaanbaatarMongolia
| | | | - Odgerel Tundev
- National Center for Communicable DiseasesUlaanbaatarMongolia
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Battur Lkhagvaa
- National Center for Communicable DiseasesUlaanbaatarMongolia
| | - Bilegtsaikhan Tsolmon
- Institute of Biomedical SciencesMongolian National University of Medical SciencesUlaanbaatarMongolia
- National Center for Communicable DiseasesUlaanbaatarMongolia
| | | | | | | | | | - Ryenchindorj Erkhembayar
- International Cyber Education Center, Graduate SchoolMongolian National University of Medical SciencesUlaanbaatarMongolia
- Department of Global Health and PopulationHarvard T.H. Chan School of Public HealthBostonMassachusettsUSA
| | - Battogtokh Chimeddorj
- Department of Microbiology and Infection Prevention Control, School of BiomedicineMongolian National University of Medical SciencesUlaanbaatarMongolia
- Institute of Biomedical SciencesMongolian National University of Medical SciencesUlaanbaatarMongolia
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Damghanian H, Hedayati S, Farhadinejad M, Rastgar AA. Lessons learned from behaviors of the employees in Iranian banks during the Covid-19 pandemic crisis: A phenomenological study. Heliyon 2023; 9:e21445. [PMID: 38045175 PMCID: PMC10692766 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e21445] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2022] [Revised: 09/26/2023] [Accepted: 10/20/2023] [Indexed: 12/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The aim of this research is to analyze the experiences of employees during the Covid-19 pandemic cri-sis and conceptualize the lessons learned to deal with similar crises in the future. To achieve this, a qualitative approach with a phenomenological strategy was conducted through semi-structured, in-depth interviews with 16 front-line employees of Bank Melli, the largest state bank in Iran. The study found that employee behavior plays a critical role in crisis management, with functional behaviors such as preventive measures, stress management, and sharing valid information being essential. Dysfunctional behaviors such as resistance to change and inconsistent behaviors were also identified. The prevention of infection and stress management were identified as key behaviors to cope with the crisis, while media literacy and acceptance of change were crucial for correct information analysis and crisis management. Overall, the study highlights the challenges faced by employees during the Covid-19 crisis and provides valuable lessons from a behavioral perspective for managers in the banking industry to manage disruptions caused by current and future pandemics. The study emphasizes the importance of learning from the lessons of the Covid-19 crisis to reduce negative effects on physical and mental health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hossein Damghanian
- Faculty of Economics, Management and Administrative Sciences, Semnan University, Semnan, Iran
| | - Sadegh Hedayati
- Faculty of Economics, Management and Administrative Sciences, Semnan University, Semnan, Iran
| | - Mohsen Farhadinejad
- Faculty of Economics, Management and Administrative Sciences, Semnan University, Semnan, Iran
| | - Abbas Ali Rastgar
- Faculty of Economics, Management and Administrative Sciences, Semnan University, Semnan, Iran
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10
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Leyns C, Willems S, Powell RA, Camacho V, Fabrega R, De Maeseneer J, Rawaf S, Mangtani P, El-Osta A. From disease- to people-centred pandemic management: organized communities, community-oriented primary care and health information systems. Int J Equity Health 2023; 22:225. [PMID: 37872591 PMCID: PMC10591360 DOI: 10.1186/s12939-023-02032-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2023] [Accepted: 10/05/2023] [Indexed: 10/25/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The COVID-19 pandemic exposed the health equity gap between and within countries. Western countries were the first to receive vaccines and mortality was higher among socially deprived, minority and indigenous populations. Surprisingly, many sub-Saharan countries reported low excess mortalities. These countries share experiences with community organization and participation in health. The aim of this article was to analyse if and how this central role of people can promote a successful pandemic response. METHODS This analysis was partly based on local and national experiences shared during an international and Latin American conference on person-and people-centred care in 2021. Additionally, excess mortality data and pandemic control-relevant data, as well as literature on the pandemic response of countries with an unexpected low excess mortality were consulted. RESULTS Togo, Mongolia, Thailand and Kenya had a seven times lower mean excess mortality for 2020 and 2021 than the United States of America. More successful pandemic responses were observed in settings with experience in managing epidemics like Ebola and HIV, well-established community networks, a national philosophy of mutual aid, financial government assistance, more human resources for primary care and paid community health workers. DISCUSSION Since trust in authorities and health needs vary greatly, local strategies are needed to complement national and international pandemic responses. Three key levers were identified to promote locally-tailored pandemic management: well-organized communities, community-oriented primary care, and health information systems. An organized community structure stems from a shared ethical understanding of humanity as being interconnected with each other and the environment. This structure facilitates mutual aid and participation in decision making. Community-oriented primary care includes attention for collective community health and ways to improve health from its roots. A health information system supports collective health and health equity analysis by presenting health needs stratified for social deprivation, ethnicity, and community circumstances. CONCLUSIONS The difference in excess mortality between countries during the COVID-19 pandemic and various country experiences demonstrate the potential of the levers in promoting a more just and effective health emergency response. These same levers and strategies can promote more inclusive and socially just health systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine Leyns
- Research Institute of Social Sciences (INCISO), Faculty of Social Sciences, Universidad Mayor de San Simon, Cochabamba, Bolivia.
- Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
| | - Sara Willems
- Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Richard A Powell
- Department of Primary Care and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Vivian Camacho
- High Level Commissioner at "Alma Ata 40 years High Level Commission for PAHO", National Director inside Health Ministry in Bolivia, La Paz, Bolivia
| | - Ricardo Fabrega
- Dean, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidad Santo Tomás de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Jan De Maeseneer
- Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Salman Rawaf
- Department of Primary Care and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Punam Mangtani
- Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Faculty of Epidemiology and Population Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Austen El-Osta
- Department of Primary Care and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, UK
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Sereejav E, Sandagdorj A, Bazarjav P, Ganbold S, Enkhtuvshin A, Tsedenbal N, Namuuntsetseg B, Chimedregzen K, Badarch D, Otgonbayar D, Artbazar B, Enebish O, Tsevegmid E, Baigude H, Batzorig U, Batmunkh B, Jantsansengee B, Tserendorj C, Dorjderem B, Tsolmon B, Ganbold T. Antibody responses to mRNA versus non-mRNA COVID vaccines among the Mongolian population. IJID REGIONS 2023; 8:1-8. [PMID: 37309454 PMCID: PMC10183229 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijregi.2023.05.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2023] [Revised: 05/08/2023] [Accepted: 05/10/2023] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Background A nationwide vaccination program against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was started in Mongolia 4 months after the first local transmission, which occurred in November 2020. Previous studies have reported that two doses of COVID-19 vaccine result in increased antibody against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). A study was conducted in Mongolia 2 weeks after the second vaccine dose. In the present study, the serum levels of antibodies of individuals 6 months after natural SARS-CoV-2 infection were compared with those of individuals who had not been infected or had been infected but had received two doses of vaccine, including BNT162b2, ChAdOx1 n-CoV-19, Gam-COVID-Vac, and BBIBP-CorV, which were used for COVID-19 in Mongolia. Methods Of the 450 participants in this study, 237 (52.66%) were female and 213 (47.33%) were male. Four hundred people with or without SARS-CoV-2 infection who received two doses of 4 different COVID-19 vaccine participated in the vaccine groups and vaccine plus SARS-CoV-2 infection groups (50 in each group) and 50 individuals previously infected with SARS-CoV-2 participated in the unvaccinated group. Total antibody against SARS-CoV-2 infection, anti-SARS-CoV-2 N and S protein human IgG, and antibody inhibiting RBD-ACE2 binding were tested. Results In the BNT162b2 vaccine group, total antibody against SARS-CoV-2 remained constant until 6 months, while the other vaccine groups showed a significant decrease, as compared to the unvaccinated group. The level of anti-SARS-CoV-2 S-RBD protein IgG was significantly increased in the ChAdOx1 n-CoV-19, Gam-COVID-Vac, and BNT162b2 vaccines groups as compared to the unvaccinated group. Participants in the BNT162b2 vaccine group had higher ACE2 inhibition efficiency compared to the other vaccine groups as well as the unvaccinated group. Conclusions The BNT162b2 vaccine showed the highest level of antibody against SARS-CoV-2, followed by the BBIBP-CorV, Gam-COVID-Vac, and ChAdOx1 n-CoV-19 vaccines. The level of antibodies was increased in people infected with SARS-CoV-2 after vaccination, as compared to uninfected but vaccinated individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Purevbat Bazarjav
- National Center for Communicable Diseases, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
- Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, China
| | - Sarangua Ganbold
- National Center for Communicable Diseases, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
| | | | | | | | | | - Darmaa Badarch
- National Center for Communicable Diseases, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
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12
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Dayan A, Erkhembayar R, Luvsandavaajav O, Mukhtar Y, Enkhtuvshin B, Tumenbayar B. Prevalence of Type 2 Diabetes in Mongolia: Results from Population-Based Survey Compared with 1999 Study. Diabetes Metab Syndr Obes 2023; 16:1833-1846. [PMID: 37366487 PMCID: PMC10290840 DOI: 10.2147/dmso.s413320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2023] [Accepted: 06/14/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose The burden of diabetes in Mongolia has risen tremendously over the last three decades, and an individually tracked, national registry of diabetes is lacking. Therefore, we aim to investigate diabetes prevalence in Mongolia and analyze some associated factors. Materials and Methods A cross-sectional, nationally representative, population-based survey was carried out in Mongolia. We recruited participants from randomly selected six different clusters for the required 3113 ± 311 sample size. We collected detailed demographics, diabetes condition and medications, anthropometric measurements, body composition, and glucose profiles. Oral glucose tolerance tests were used to diagnose diabetes using the International Diabetes Federation algorithm. Chi-square and multinomial logistic regression tests were used to determine associated factors. Age-standardized prevalence rates were estimated. Results We recruited 3272 participants in the study between June and October 2019. Crude prevalence rates for prediabetes and diabetes were 10.8% (95% CI; 9.8-11.9) and 11.2% (95% CI; 10.1-12.3), respectively. Sixty-one adults were newly diagnosed with diabetes. Age-standardized prediabetes and diabetes prevalence rates were 9.8% (95% CI; 8.5-11.1) and 10.0% (95% CI; 8.7-11.3) among adults 30 or older. Higher BMI, central obesity, diabetes inheritance, sedentary habitus, and hypertension are significantly associated with diabetes in adjusted analysis for sex and age group. Conclusion The prevalence of diabetes has increased at least threefold since 1999 in Mongolia. In addition, numerous modifiable risk factors were associated with diabetes. Therefore, future investigations and programs should focus on combating obesity and sedentary lifestyles and propose dietary recommendations in the context of expanding diabetes in Mongolia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angarmurun Dayan
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
| | - Ryenchindorj Erkhembayar
- Department of International Cyber Education, Graduate School, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
| | | | - Yerkyebulan Mukhtar
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
| | | | - Bayasgalan Tumenbayar
- Postgraduate Training Institute, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
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Chimeddorj B, Bailie CR, Mandakh U, Price DJ, Bayartsogt B, Meagher N, Altanbayar O, Magvan B, Deleg Z, Gantumur A, Byambaa O, Nyamdavaa E, Enkhtugs K, Munkhbayar U, Bayanjargal B, Badamsambuu T, Dashtseren M, Amartuvshin T, Narmandakh Z, Togoo K, Boldbaatar EA, Bat-Erdene A, Chimeddorj U, Nyamdavaa K, Tsevegmid E, Batjargal O, Enebish O, Enebish G, Batchuluun B, Zulmunkh G, Byambatsogt G, Enebish T, Le LV, Bergeri I, McVernon J, Erkhembayar R. SARS-CoV-2 seroepidemiology in Mongolia, 2020-2021: a longitudinal national study. THE LANCET REGIONAL HEALTH. WESTERN PACIFIC 2023; 36:100760. [PMID: 37360871 PMCID: PMC10084888 DOI: 10.1016/j.lanwpc.2023.100760] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2022] [Revised: 03/03/2023] [Accepted: 03/21/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023]
Abstract
Background The COVID-19 pandemic has global impacts but is relatively understudied in developing countries. Mongolia, a lower-middle-income country, instituted strict control measures in early 2020 and avoided widespread transmission until vaccines became available in February, 2021. Mongolia achieved its 60% vaccination coverage goal by July 2021. We investigated the distribution and determinants of SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence in Mongolia over 2020 and 2021. Methods We performed a longitudinal seroepidemiologic study aligned with WHO's Unity Studies protocols. We collected data from a panel of 5000 individuals in four rounds between October 2020 and December 2021. We selected participants through local health centres across Mongolia by age-stratified multi-stage cluster sampling. We tested serum for the presence of total antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 receptor-binding domain, and levels of anti-SARS-CoV-2 spike IgG and neutralising antibodies. We linked participant data with national mortality, COVID-19 case, and vaccination registries. We estimated population seroprevalence and vaccine uptake, as well as unvaccinated population prior-infection prevalence. Findings At the final round in late 2021, 82% (n = 4088) of participants completed follow-up. Estimated seroprevalence increased from 1.5% (95% CI: 1.2-2.0), to 82.3% (95% CI: 79.5-84.8) between late-2020 and late-2021. At the final round an estimated 62.4% (95% CI: 60.2-64.5) of the population were vaccinated, and of the unvaccinated population 64.5% (95% CI: 59.7-69.0) had been infected. Cumulative case ascertainment in the unvaccinated was 22.8% (95% CI: 19.1%-26.9%) and the overall infection-fatality ratio was 0.100% (95% CI: 0.088-0.124). Health workers had higher odds for being COVID-19 confirmed cases at all rounds. Males (1.72 (95% CI: 1.33-2.22)) and adults aged 20 and above (12.70 (95% CI: 8.14-20.26)) had higher odds for seroconverting by mid-2021. Among the seropositive, 87.1% (95% CI: 82.3%-90.8%) had SARS-CoV-2 neutralising antibodies by late 2021. Interpretation Our study enabled tracking of SARS-CoV-2 serological markers in the Mongolian population over one year. We found low SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence in 2020 and early 2021, with seropositivity increasing over a 3-month interval in 2021 due to vaccine roll out and rapid infection of most of the unvaccinated population. Despite high seroprevalence in Mongolia amongst both vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals by end-2021, the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron immune escape variant caused a substantial epidemic. Funding World Health Organization, WHO UNITY Studies initiative, with funding by the COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund and the German Federal Ministry of Health (BMG) COVID-19 Research and development. The Ministry of Health, Mongolia partially funded this study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Battogtokh Chimeddorj
- Department of Microbiology and Infection Prevention Control, School of Biomedicine, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
| | - Christopher R. Bailie
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Undram Mandakh
- Department of Family Medicine, School of Medicine, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
| | - David J. Price
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
- Centre for Epidemiology & Biostatistics, Melbourne School of Population & Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Batzorig Bayartsogt
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
| | - Niamh Meagher
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Oyunbaatar Altanbayar
- Department of Microbiology and Infection Prevention Control, School of Biomedicine, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
| | - Battur Magvan
- Department of Microbiology and Infection Prevention Control, School of Biomedicine, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
| | - Zolzaya Deleg
- Department of Microbiology and Infection Prevention Control, School of Biomedicine, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
| | - Anuujin Gantumur
- Department of Microbiology and Infection Prevention Control, School of Biomedicine, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
| | - Otgonjargal Byambaa
- Department of Microbiology and Infection Prevention Control, School of Biomedicine, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
| | - Enkhgerel Nyamdavaa
- Department of Microbiology and Infection Prevention Control, School of Biomedicine, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
| | - Khangai Enkhtugs
- Department of Family Medicine, School of Medicine, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
| | - Usukhbayar Munkhbayar
- Department of Family Medicine, School of Medicine, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
| | - Batkhuu Bayanjargal
- Department of Family Medicine, School of Medicine, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
| | - Tuyajargal Badamsambuu
- Department of Family Medicine, School of Medicine, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
| | - Myagmartseren Dashtseren
- Department of Family Medicine, School of Medicine, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
| | - Tsolmontuya Amartuvshin
- Department of Family Medicine, School of Medicine, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
| | - Zolmunkh Narmandakh
- Department of Immunology, School of Biomedicine, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
| | - Khongorzul Togoo
- Department of Immunology, School of Biomedicine, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
| | - Enkh-Amar Boldbaatar
- Department of Immunology, School of Biomedicine, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
| | - Ariunzaya Bat-Erdene
- Department of Immunology, School of Biomedicine, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
| | | | | | | | - Ochbadrakh Batjargal
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, School of Biomedicine, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
| | | | - Gerelmaa Enebish
- Department of Microbiology and Infection Prevention Control, School of Biomedicine, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
| | - Batzaya Batchuluun
- Central Clinical Laboratory, Mongolia Japan Hospital, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
| | - Gereltsetseg Zulmunkh
- Central Clinical Laboratory, Mongolia Japan Hospital, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
| | - Ganbaatar Byambatsogt
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Biomedicine, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
| | - Temuulen Enebish
- Regional Office for the Western Pacific, World Health Organization, Manila, Philippines
| | - Linh-Vi Le
- Regional Office for the Western Pacific, World Health Organization, Manila, Philippines
| | | | - Jodie McVernon
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
- Victorian Infectious Diseases Reference Laboratory at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Australia
| | - Ryenchindorj Erkhembayar
- Department of International Cyber Education, Graduate School, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
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Kuo FY, Wen TH. Assessing the impact of local context and priorities regarding domestic disease outbreaks and imported risk on early pandemic response: Cross-continental comparisons. Front Public Health 2023; 11:1147768. [PMID: 37033049 PMCID: PMC10076555 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1147768] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2023] [Accepted: 03/02/2023] [Indexed: 04/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Containment and closure policies are effective measures used in the early stages of a highly transmissible global pandemic such as COVID-19 to mitigate the spread and reduce transmissions. However, these policies can have negative impacts on the economy and personal freedom. Governments must carefully consider the necessity of increasing their stringency. Local contexts and priorities regarding domestic disease outbreaks and the risk of imported cases from other countries may vary among different countries, and could influence the decision to increase containment measures. Thus, this study aimed to differentiate the impacts of these affecting factors on the stringency of governmental containment measures through cross-continental comparisons. Methods This study utilized a zero/one inflated beta (ZOIB) regression model to investigate how domestic epidemic, imported risk, and local context affect government responses to a pandemic. We used a country's weekly confirmed case and death numbers as a measure of its domestic threat. The imported risk was measured using a combination of weekly new cases in each country and the air passenger traffic between countries. Results The findings indicate that domestic case numbers are a primary concern for governments when deciding to increase policy stringency. Countries with higher development levels tend to implement stricter policies as they can better handle the negative impacts. Additionally, there is an interaction between case numbers and development level, with countries at the second or third highest development level focusing more on domestic outbreaks than imported risks, while those at the highest level have similar concerns for both. Conclusions We concluded that most countries adjust policies' stringency majorly based on the variation of domestic case number rather than the other pandemic factors and the countries with a high development level tend to implement strict policies since their socio-economical condition could afford such policies. These insights can aid policymakers in improving containment and closure policies for future pandemics.
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Bridging the research-practice gap in supply chain risks induced by the COVID-19. BENCHMARKING-AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL 2022. [DOI: 10.1108/bij-02-2022-0111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
PurposeThis study aims to explore the gap between research and practice on supply chain risks due to COVID-19 by exploring the changes in global emphasis on supply chain risk research.Design/methodology/approachThis work designed a research framework to compare the research of supply chain risks before and during the COVID-19 pandemic based on machining learning and text clustering and using the relevant publications of the web of science database.FindingsThe results show that scholars' attention to supply chain crisis has increased in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak, but there are differences among countries. The United Kingdom, India, Australia, the USA and Italy have greatly increased their emphasis on risk research, while the supply chain risk research growth rate in other countries, including China, has been lower than the global level. Compared with the pre-pandemic period, the research of business finance, telecommunications, agricultural economics policy, business and public environmental occupational health increased significantly during the pandemic. The hotspots of supply chain risk research have changed significantly during the pandemic, focusing on routing problem, organizational performance, food supply chain, dual-channel supply chain, resilient supplier selection, medical service and machine learning.Research limitations/implicationsThis study has limitations in using a single database.Social implicationsThis work compared the changes in global and various countries' supply chain risk research before and during the pandemic. On the one hand, it helps to judge the degree of response of scholars to the global supply chain risk brought about by COVID-19. On the other hand, it is beneficial for supply chain practitioners and policymakers to gain an in-depth understanding of the relationship between the COVID-19 pandemic and supply chain risk, which might provide insights into not only addressing the supply chain risk but also the recovery of the supply chain.Originality/valueThe initial exploration of the changing extent of supply chain risk research in the context of COVID-19 provided in this paper is a unique and earlier attempt that extends the findings of the existing literature. Secondly, this research provides a feasible analysis strategy for supply chain risk research, which provides a direction and paradigm for exploring more effective supply chain research to meet the challenges of COVID-19.
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Muttamba W, O'Hare BAM, Saxena V, Bbuye M, Tyagi P, Ramsay A, Kirenga B, Sabiiti W. A systematic review of strategies adopted to scale up COVID-19 testing in low-, middle- and high-income countries. BMJ Open 2022; 12:e060838. [PMID: 36396316 PMCID: PMC9676418 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2022-060838] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE We undertook a systematic review of strategies adopted to scale up COVID-19 testing in countries across income levels to identify successful approaches and facilitate learning. METHODS Scholarly articles in English from PubMed, Google scholar and Google search engine describing strategies used to increase COVID-19 testing in countries were reviewed. Deductive analysis to allocate relevant text from the reviewed publications/reports to the a priori themes was done. MAIN RESULTS The review covered 32 countries, including 11 high-income, 2 upper-middle-income, 13 lower-middle-income and 6 low-income countries. Most low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) increased the number of laboratories available for testing and deployed sample collection and shipment to the available laboratories. The high-income countries (HICs) that is, South Korea, Germany, Singapore and USA developed molecular diagnostics with accompanying regulatory and legislative framework adjustments to ensure the rapid development and use of the tests. HICs like South Korea leveraged existing manufacturing systems to develop tests, while the LMICs leveraged existing national disease control programmes (HIV, tuberculosis, malaria) to increase testing. Continent-wide, African Centres for Disease Control and Prevention-led collaborations increased testing across most African countries through building capacity by providing testing kits and training. CONCLUSION Strategies taken appear to reflect the existing systems or economies of scale that a particular country could leverage. LMICs, for example, drew on the infectious disease control programmes already in place to harness expertise and laboratory capacity for COVID-19 testing. There however might have been strategies adopted by other countries but were never published and thus did not appear anywhere in the searched databases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Winters Muttamba
- School of Medicine, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK
- Makerere University Lung Institute, Makerere University College of Health Sciences, Kampala, Uganda
| | | | - Vibhor Saxena
- School of Medicine, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK
| | - Mudarshiru Bbuye
- Makerere University Lung Institute, Makerere University College of Health Sciences, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Parul Tyagi
- School of Medicine, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK
| | - Andrew Ramsay
- School of Medicine, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK
| | - Bruce Kirenga
- Makerere University Lung Institute, Makerere University College of Health Sciences, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Wilber Sabiiti
- School of Medicine, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK
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17
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The impact of COVID-19 pandemic on ridesourcing services differed between small towns and large cities. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0275714. [PMID: 36240180 PMCID: PMC9565726 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0275714] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2022] [Accepted: 09/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
To curb the spread of the ongoing 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19), authorities have adopted several non-pharmaceutical (NPIs) and pharmaceutical interventions, which significantly affected our daily activities and mobility patterns. However, it is still unclear how severity of NPIs, COVID-19-related variables, and vaccination rates have affected demand for ridesourcing services, and whether these effects vary across small towns and large cities. We analyzed over 220 million ride requests in the City of Chicago (population: 2.7 million), Illinois, and 52 thousand in the Town of Innisfil (population: 37 thousand), Ontario, to investigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the ridesourcing demand in the two locations. Overall, the pandemic resulted in fewer trips in areas with higher proportions of seniors and more trips to parks and green spaces. Ridesourcing demand was adversely affected by the stringency index and COVID-19-related variables, and positively affected by vaccination rates. However, compared to Innisfil, ridesourcing services in Chicago experienced higher reductions in demand, were more affected by the number of hospitalizations and deaths, were less impacted by vaccination rates, and had lower recovery rates.
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Urgent actions to save lives when ICU bed needs approach or exceed capacity: lessons from Mongolia. Western Pac Surveill Response J 2022; 14:1-4. [PMID: 36699258 PMCID: PMC9869793 DOI: 10.5365/wpsar.2022.14.5.942] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
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19
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Ramos-Hernández WM, Soto LF, Del Rosario-Trinidad M, Farfan-Morales CN, De Jesús-González LA, Martínez-Mier G, Osuna-Ramos JF, Bastida-González F, Bernal-Dolores V, Del Ángel RM, Reyes-Ruiz JM. Leukocyte glucose index as a novel biomarker for COVID-19 severity. Sci Rep 2022; 12:14956. [PMID: 36056114 PMCID: PMC9438363 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-18786-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2021] [Accepted: 08/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
The severity of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) quickly progresses with unfavorable outcomes due to the host immune response and metabolism alteration. Hence, we hypothesized that leukocyte glucose index (LGI) is a biomarker for severe COVID-19. This study involved 109 patients and the usefulness of LGI was evaluated and compared with other risk factors to predict COVID 19 severity. LGI was identified as an independent risk factor (odds ratio [OR] = 1.727, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.026-3.048, P = 0.041), with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.749 (95% CI: 0.642-0.857, P < 0.0001). Interestingly, LGI was a potential risk factor (OR = 2.694, 95% CI: 1.575-5.283, Pcorrected < 0.05) for severe COVID-19 in female but not in male patients. In addition, LGI proved to be a strong predictor of the severity in patients with diabetes (AUC = 0.915 (95% CI: 0.830-1), sensitivity = 0.833, and specificity = 0.931). The AUC of LGI, together with the respiratory rate (LGI + RR), showed a considerable improvement (AUC = 0.894, 95% CI: 0.835-0.954) compared to the other biochemical and respiratory parameters analyzed. Together, these findings indicate that LGI could potentially be used as a biomarker of severity in COVID-19 patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wendy Marilú Ramos-Hernández
- Unidad Médica de Alta Especialidad, Hospital de Especialidades No. 14, Centro Médico Nacional "Adolfo Ruiz Cortines", Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social (IMSS), 91897, Veracruz, México
| | - Luis F Soto
- Escuela Profesional de Genética y Biotecnología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Lima, 15081, Perú
| | - Marcos Del Rosario-Trinidad
- Unidad Médica de Alta Especialidad, Hospital de Especialidades No. 14, Centro Médico Nacional "Adolfo Ruiz Cortines", Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social (IMSS), 91897, Veracruz, México
| | - Carlos Noe Farfan-Morales
- Department of Infectomics and Molecular Pathogenesis, Center for Research and Advanced Studies (CINVESTAV-IPN), 07360, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Luis Adrián De Jesús-González
- Department of Infectomics and Molecular Pathogenesis, Center for Research and Advanced Studies (CINVESTAV-IPN), 07360, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Gustavo Martínez-Mier
- Unidad Médica de Alta Especialidad, Hospital de Especialidades No. 14, Centro Médico Nacional "Adolfo Ruiz Cortines", Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social (IMSS), 91897, Veracruz, México
| | - Juan Fidel Osuna-Ramos
- Escuela de Medicina, Universidad Autónoma de Durango Campus Culiacán, 80050, Culiacán Rosales, México
| | - Fernando Bastida-González
- Laboratorio de Biología Molecular, Laboratorio Estatal de Salud Pública del Estado de México, 50130, Mexico City, State of Mexico, Mexico
| | - Víctor Bernal-Dolores
- Unidad Médica de Alta Especialidad, Hospital de Especialidades No. 14, Centro Médico Nacional "Adolfo Ruiz Cortines", Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social (IMSS), 91897, Veracruz, México
| | - Rosa María Del Ángel
- Department of Infectomics and Molecular Pathogenesis, Center for Research and Advanced Studies (CINVESTAV-IPN), 07360, Mexico City, Mexico.
| | - José Manuel Reyes-Ruiz
- Unidad Médica de Alta Especialidad, Hospital de Especialidades No. 14, Centro Médico Nacional "Adolfo Ruiz Cortines", Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social (IMSS), 91897, Veracruz, México.
- Facultad de Medicina, Región Veracruz, Universidad Veracruzana, 91700, Veracruz, Mexico.
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Batmunkh MU, Ravjir O, Lkhagvasuren E, Dambaa N, Boldoo T, Ganbold S, Ganbaatar K, Tserendorj C, Togoo K, Bat-Erdene A, Narmandakh Z, Soodoi C, Damdinbazar O, Tsolmon B, Gunchin B, Sandag T. Sex-adjusted approach to baseline variables demonstrated some improved predictive capabilities for disease severity and survival in patients with Coronavirus Disease 19. INFORMATICS IN MEDICINE UNLOCKED 2022; 31:100982. [PMID: 35706828 PMCID: PMC9186409 DOI: 10.1016/j.imu.2022.100982] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2022] [Revised: 05/24/2022] [Accepted: 05/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The study was focused on comparing crude and sex-adjusted hazard ratio calculated by the baseline variables which may have contributed to the severity of the disease course and fatal outcomes in Coronavirus Disease-19 (COVID-19) patients. METHOD The study enrolled 150 eligible adult patients with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection. There were 61 (40.7%) male patients, and 89 (59.3%) female patients. Baseline information of patients was collected from patient medical records and surveys that the patients had completed on admission to the hospital. RESULTS Considerable number of baseline variables stratified according to disease severity and outcomes showed different optimal cut-points (OCP) in men and women. Sex-adjusted baseline data categories such as age; BMI; systolic and diastolic blood pressure; peripheral RBC and platelet counts; haematocrit; percentage of neutrophils, lymphocytes, monocytes, and their ratio; percentage of eosinophils; titre of plasma IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, and IL-17; and CXCL10; and ratio of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines demonstrated significant impacts on the development of the severe stage and fatal outcomes by the mean hazard ratio in the Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression models. CONCLUSION This study confirmed some improved predictive capabilities of the sex-adjusted approach in the analysis of the baseline predictive variables for severity and outcome of the COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Munkh-Undrakh Batmunkh
- Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Jamyan Street 3, Sukhbaatar District, Ulaanbaatar, 14210, Mongolia
| | - Oyungerel Ravjir
- Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Jamyan Street 3, Sukhbaatar District, Ulaanbaatar, 14210, Mongolia
| | - Enkhsaikhan Lkhagvasuren
- Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Jamyan Street 3, Sukhbaatar District, Ulaanbaatar, 14210, Mongolia
| | - Naranzul Dambaa
- National Centre for Communicable Diseases, Horoo 14, 13th Horoolol, Nam Yan Ju Street, Bayanzurkh District, Ulaanbaata, 13335, Mongolia
| | - Tsolmon Boldoo
- National Centre for Communicable Diseases, Horoo 14, 13th Horoolol, Nam Yan Ju Street, Bayanzurkh District, Ulaanbaata, 13335, Mongolia
| | - Sarangua Ganbold
- National Centre for Communicable Diseases, Horoo 14, 13th Horoolol, Nam Yan Ju Street, Bayanzurkh District, Ulaanbaata, 13335, Mongolia
| | - Khorolgarav Ganbaatar
- Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Jamyan Street 3, Sukhbaatar District, Ulaanbaatar, 14210, Mongolia
| | - Chinbayar Tserendorj
- National Centre for Communicable Diseases, Horoo 14, 13th Horoolol, Nam Yan Ju Street, Bayanzurkh District, Ulaanbaata, 13335, Mongolia
| | - Khongorzul Togoo
- Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Jamyan Street 3, Sukhbaatar District, Ulaanbaatar, 14210, Mongolia
| | - Ariunzaya Bat-Erdene
- Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Jamyan Street 3, Sukhbaatar District, Ulaanbaatar, 14210, Mongolia
| | - Zolmunkh Narmandakh
- Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Jamyan Street 3, Sukhbaatar District, Ulaanbaatar, 14210, Mongolia
| | - Chimidtseren Soodoi
- Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Jamyan Street 3, Sukhbaatar District, Ulaanbaatar, 14210, Mongolia
| | - Otgonbayar Damdinbazar
- Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Jamyan Street 3, Sukhbaatar District, Ulaanbaatar, 14210, Mongolia
| | - Bilegtsaikhan Tsolmon
- National Centre for Communicable Diseases, Horoo 14, 13th Horoolol, Nam Yan Ju Street, Bayanzurkh District, Ulaanbaata, 13335, Mongolia
| | - Batbaatar Gunchin
- Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Jamyan Street 3, Sukhbaatar District, Ulaanbaatar, 14210, Mongolia
| | - Tsogtsaikhan Sandag
- Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Jamyan Street 3, Sukhbaatar District, Ulaanbaatar, 14210, Mongolia
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21
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Kuo PF, Brawiswa Putra IG, Setiawan FA, Wen TH, Chiu CS, Sulistyah UD. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on O-D flow and airport networks in the origin country and in Northeast Asia. JOURNAL OF AIR TRANSPORT MANAGEMENT 2022; 100:102192. [PMID: 35194345 PMCID: PMC8849875 DOI: 10.1016/j.jairtraman.2022.102192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2021] [Revised: 01/28/2022] [Accepted: 02/03/2022] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has posed a global threat to human health. In order to prevent the spread of this virus, many countries have imposed travel restrictions. This difficult situation has dramatically affected the airline industry by reducing the passenger volume, number of flights, airline flow patterns, and even has changed the entire airport network, especially in Northeast Asia (because it includes the original disease seed). However, although most scholars have used conventional statistical analysis to describe the changes in passenger volume before and during the COVID-19 outbreak, very few of them have applied statistical assessment or time series analysis, and have not even examined how the impact may be different from place to place. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to identify the impact of COVID-19 on the airline industry and affected areas (including the origin-destination flow and the airport network). First, a Clustering Large Applications (CLARA) algorithm was used to group numerous origin-destination (O-D) flow patterns based on their characteristics and to determine if these characteristics have changed the severity of the impact of each cluster during the COVID-19 outbreak. Second, two statistical tests (the paired t-test and the Wilcoxon signed-rank test) were utilized to determine if the entire airport network and the top 30 hub airports changed during COVID-19. Four centrality measurement indices (degree, closeness, eigenvector, and betweenness centrality) of the airports were used to assess the entire network and ranking of individual hub airports. The study data, provided by The Official Aviation Guide (OAG) from December 2019 to April 2020, indicated that during the COVID-19 outbreak, there was a decrease in passenger volume (60%-98.4%) as well as the number of flights (1.5%-82.6%). However, there were no such significant changes regarding the popularity ranking of most airports during the outbreak. Before this occurred (December 2019), most hub airports were in China (April 2020), and this trend remain similar during the COVID-19 outbreak. However, the values of the centrality measurement decreased significantly for most hub airports due to travel restrictions issued by the government.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pei-Fen Kuo
- Department of Geomatics, National Cheng Kung University, Taiwan
| | | | | | - Tzai-Hung Wen
- Department of Geography, National Taiwan University, Taiwan
| | - Chui-Sheng Chiu
- Department of Geomatics, National Cheng Kung University, Taiwan
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22
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Abstract
The study aims to validate the measures taken by the government of Mongolia against COVID-19 and to analyse the negative impacts of COVID-19 on the livelihood of different types of households. The survey covers 362 households consisting of five different types, namely, apartment households, ger district households, herder households, vegetable growing households, and small farmer households. Principal component analysis is used to reduce the number of variables to a few factors that best explain the variation in the variables. Two to three components were found from the principal component analyses that describe (i) government policy, (ii) challenges due to COVID-19, and (iii) risk and vulnerability that occurred due to COVID-19. Multiple regression models attributed by the household’s type were used to analyse the impact of the selected variables on the households’ income. According to the regression results, herding households are the least affected, compared to the other four types of households. The government measures to mitigate the negative impacts of COVID-19 have better results for apartment households and ger district households. Rural households are less affected and seem to be more resilient to COVID-19 shocks than other households.
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Uthman OA, Adetokunboh OO, Wiysonge CS, Al-Awlaqi S, Hanefeld J, El Bcheraoui C. Classification Schemes of COVID-19 High Risk Areas and Resulting Policies: A Rapid Review. Front Public Health 2022; 10:769174. [PMID: 35284361 PMCID: PMC8916531 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2022.769174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2021] [Accepted: 01/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has posed a significant global health threat since January 2020. Policies to reduce human mobility have been recognized to effectively control the spread of COVID-19; although the relationship between mobility, policy implementation, and virus spread remains contentious, with no clear pattern for how countries classify each other, and determine the destinations to- and from which to restrict travel. In this rapid review, we identified country classification schemes for high-risk COVID-19 areas and associated policies which mirrored the dynamic situation in 2020, with the aim of identifying any patterns that could indicate the effectiveness of such policies. We searched academic databases, including PubMed, Scopus, medRxiv, Google Scholar, and EMBASE. We also consulted web pages of the relevant government institutions in all countries. This rapid review's searches were conducted between October 2020 and December 2021. Web scraping of policy documents yielded additional 43 country reports on high-risk area classification schemes. In 43 countries from which relevant reports were identified, six issued domestic classification schemes. International classification schemes were issued by the remaining 38 countries, and these mainly used case incidence per 100,000 inhabitants as key indicator. The case incidence cut-off also varied across the countries, ranging from 20 cases per 100,000 inhabitants in the past 7 days to more than 100 cases per 100,000 inhabitants in the past 28 days. The criteria used for defining high-risk areas varied across countries, including case count, positivity rate, composite risk scores, community transmission and satisfactory laboratory testing. Countries either used case incidence in the past 7, 14 or 28 days. The resulting policies included restrictions on internal movement and international travel. The quarantine policies can be summarized into three categories: (1) 14 days self-isolation, (2) 10 days self-isolation and (3) 14 days compulsory isolation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olalekan A. Uthman
- Warwick Centre for Global Health Research, The University of Warwick, Coventry, United Kingdom
| | - Olatunji O. Adetokunboh
- South African Centre for Epidemiological Modelling and Analysis, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa
- Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Department of Global Health, Stellenbosch University, South Africa
| | - Charles Shey Wiysonge
- Cochrane South Africa, South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Sameh Al-Awlaqi
- Evidence-Based Public Health, Centre for International Health Protection, Robert Koch Institute, Berlin, Germany
| | - Johanna Hanefeld
- Centre for International Health Protection, Robert Koch Institute, Berlin, Germany
| | - Charbel El Bcheraoui
- Evidence-Based Public Health, Centre for International Health Protection, Robert Koch Institute, Berlin, Germany
- *Correspondence: Charbel El Bcheraoui
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Villar EB, Magnawa JP. Surveillance and pandemic governance in least‐ideal contexts: The Philippine case. JOURNAL OF CONTINGENCIES AND CRISIS MANAGEMENT 2022. [PMCID: PMC9111276 DOI: 10.1111/1468-5973.12394] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
This paper inquires how surveillance manifests in least‐ideal contexts (LICs), that is, countries with resource constraints, poor governance and proclivity for populism during COVID‐19, and its implications for crisis governance. Using the Philippines as a case, we advance three arguments. First, LICs can become spaces where inappropriate surveillance is undertaken. Second, liminal surveillance practices can become permanent policy fixtures in LICs. Finally, when a prevailing crisis approach of a government is perceived to be inconsistent with the needs of the public, it can lead to a self‐help system among various societal groups and actors. This self‐help system may not necessarily be aligned with the general direction of the national government. As a result, it can perpetuate a disjointed and maladaptive crisis governance approach, where main actors like national governments, and complementary actors like private sector firms, local government units and citizen organizations pursue goals independent of one another.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eula Bianca Villar
- Stephen Zuellig Graduate School of Development Management Asian Institute of Management Makati Philippines
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25
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Byambadorj A, Amarsanaa S, Enebish O, Mandakh U, Batsaikhan O, Purevsuren U, Gantumur K, Yundendorj G, Davaakhuu N. Spending Assessment and Economic Burden of COVID-19 in Mongolia, January- September, 2020. Asia Pac J Public Health 2022; 34:456-458. [PMID: 35086346 DOI: 10.1177/10105395221074551] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Undram Mandakh
- Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
| | | | | | | | - Gantugs Yundendorj
- Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
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Yang L, Wei C, Jiang X, Ye Q, Tatano H. Estimating the Economic Effects of the Early Covid-19 Emergency Response in Cities Using Intracity Travel Intensity Data. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DISASTER RISK SCIENCE 2022; 13:125-138. [PMCID: PMC8855741 DOI: 10.1007/s13753-022-00393-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/20/2022] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
In the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic, China implemented the most stringent and serious emergency response. To understand the effect of such an emergency response strategy on the economic system, this study proposed a simultaneous overall estimation method using intracity travel intensity data. The overall effect is represented by the difference between intracity travel intensity with and without the emergency response. Using historical data and time series analysis, we compared intracity travel intensity post China’s implementation of the emergency response with predicted intracity travel intensity without such a response. The loss rates, defined by the proportion of intracity travel intensity loss, were calculated for 360 cities within 33 provincial-level regions in China based on data availability. We found that 30 days after the emergency response, 21% of the cities saw over 80% recovery and 10% of the cities showed more than 90% recovery; 45 days after the emergency response, more than 83% of the 360 cities witnessed 80% recovery. The correlation between gross domestic production loss rate and travel intensity loss rate was studied quantitatively to demonstrate the representativeness of the intracity travel intensity loss rate. This indicator was also used to analyze the spatial and temporal patterns of the effects on the economy. The results of this study can help us understand the economic effects caused by the early Covid-19 emergency response and the method can be a reference for fast and real-time economic loss estimation to support emergency response decision making under pandemic conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lijiao Yang
- School of Management, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan, 430070 China
| | - Caiyun Wei
- School of Management, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan, 430070 China
| | - Xinyu Jiang
- School of Management, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan, 430070 China
| | - Qian Ye
- Academy of Disaster Reduction and Emergency Management, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875 China
| | - Hirokazu Tatano
- Disaster Prevention Research Institute, Kyoto University, Kyoto, 611-0011 Japan
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Turbat B, Sharavyn B, Tsai FJ. Attitudes towards Mandatory Occupational Vaccination and Intention to Get COVID-19 Vaccine during the First Pandemic Wave among Mongolian Healthcare Workers: A Cross-Sectional Survey. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 19:329. [PMID: 35010589 PMCID: PMC8751197 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19010329] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2021] [Revised: 12/22/2021] [Accepted: 12/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Mandatory occupational vaccination for health care workers (HCWs) is a debatable issue, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aimed to determine Mongolian HCWs' attitudes towards mandatory occupational vaccination, the intention to get the COVID-19 vaccine, and the associated factors. A cross-sectional study based on an online survey with a convenience sampling strategy was conducted from February to April 2021 among 238 Mongolia HCWs. Chi-square and logistic regression were performed for analysis. While only 39.9% of HCWs were aware of recommended occupational vaccinations, they highly agreed with the mandatory occupational vaccination on HCWs (93.7%). The agreement rate is significantly higher than their attitude toward general vaccination (93.7% vs. 77.8%). HCW's willingness to get the COVID-19 vaccine was high (67.2%). HCWs aged 26-35 years old who worked in tertiary level hospitals had less willingness to get the COVID-19 vaccine (50%). Participants with lower confidence in the efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccine (ORs = 15.659) and less positive attitudes toward general vaccination (ORs = 5.288) were less likely to get the COVID-19 vaccine. Mongolian HCWs' agreement rate of mandatory occupational vaccination is higher than other countries. Their intention to get the COVID-19 vaccine is high and associated with confidence in the effectiveness of the vaccine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Battsetseg Turbat
- Ph.D. Program in Global Health and Health Security, College of Public Health, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan;
- Department of Nursing, Mongolian University of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ulaanbaatar 18130, Mongolia
| | - Bold Sharavyn
- Department of Traditional Medicine, International School of Mongolian Medicine, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Ulaanbaatar 14210, Mongolia;
| | - Feng-Jen Tsai
- Ph.D. Program in Global Health and Health Security, College of Public Health, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan;
- Master’s Program in Global Health and Development, College of Public Health, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
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Chimeddorj B, Mandakh U, Le LV, Bayartsogt B, Deleg Z, Enebish O, Altanbayar O, Magvan B, Gantumur A, Byambaa O, Enebish G, Saindoo BE, Davaadorj M, Amgalanbaatar A, Enkhtugs K, Munkhbayar U, Bayanjargal B, Badamsambuu T, Dashtseren M, Narmandakh Z, Togoo K, Boldbaatar EA, Bat-Erdene A, Mukhtar Y, Shagdarsuren OE, Ganbat M, Batjargal O, Bavuusuren B, Batchuluun B, Zulmunkh G, Byambatsogt G, Nyamdavaa K, Dalkh T, Boldbaatar D, Tseren T, Gantulga D, Damdinbazar O, Vanchin B, Subissi L, Bergeri I, Dambadarjaa D, Pagbajabyn N, Greif G, Erkhembayar R. SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence in Mongolia: Results from a national population survey. THE LANCET REGIONAL HEALTH. WESTERN PACIFIC 2021; 17:100317. [PMID: 34841381 PMCID: PMC8609908 DOI: 10.1016/j.lanwpc.2021.100317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2021] [Revised: 09/20/2021] [Accepted: 10/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Background With the global spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in early 2020, Mongolia implemented rapid emergency measures and did not report local transmission until November 2020. We conducted a national seroprevalence survey to monitor the burden of SARS-CoV-2 in Mongolia in the months surrounding the first local transmission. Methods During October-December 2020, participants were randomly selected using age stratification and invited for interviews and blood samples at local primary health centres. We screened for total SARS-CoV-2 antibodies, followed by two-step quantitative SARS-CoV-2 IgG serology tests for positive samples. Weighted and test-adjusted seroprevalences were estimated. We used chi-square, Fisher's exact and other tests to identify variables associated with seropositivity. Findings A total of 5000 subjects were enrolled. We detected SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies in 72 samples. Crude seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies was 1·44% (95%CI,1·21-1·67). Population weighted and test-adjusted seroprevalences were 1·36% (95%CI,1·11-1·63) and 1·45% (95%CI,1·11-1·63), respectively. Age, sex, geographical, and occupational factors were not associated with seropositivity (p>0·05). Symptoms and signs within past 3 months and seropositivity were not associated at the time of the survey (p>0·05). Interpretation SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence in Mongolia was low in the first year of the pandemic potentially due to strong public health measures, including border restrictions, educational facilities closure, earlier adoption of mask-wearing and others. Our findings suggest large-scale community transmission could not have occurred up to November 2020 in Mongolia. Additional serosurveys are needed to monitor the local pandemic dynamic and estimate how far from herd immunity Mongolia will be following-up with vaccination programme in 2021 and 2022. Funding World Health Organisation, WHO UNITY Studies initiative, with funding by the COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund and the German Federal Ministry of Health (BMG) COVID-19 Research and development. Translation Cyrillic and Traditional Mongolian translation of abstract is available on appendix section.
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Affiliation(s)
- Battogtokh Chimeddorj
- Department of Microbiology and Infection Prevention Control, School of Biomedicine, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.,Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.,Mongolia Japan Hospital, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
| | - Undram Mandakh
- Department of Family Medicine, School of Medicine, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
| | - Linh-Vi Le
- World Health Organization, Regional Office for the Western Pacific, Manila, Philippines
| | - Batzorig Bayartsogt
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
| | - Zolzaya Deleg
- Department of Microbiology and Infection Prevention Control, School of Biomedicine, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
| | - Oyunsuren Enebish
- Department of Planning and Research, Ministry of Health, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
| | - Oyunbaatar Altanbayar
- Department of Microbiology and Infection Prevention Control, School of Biomedicine, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
| | - Battur Magvan
- Department of Microbiology and Infection Prevention Control, School of Biomedicine, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
| | - Anuujin Gantumur
- Department of Microbiology and Infection Prevention Control, School of Biomedicine, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
| | - Otgonjargal Byambaa
- Department of Microbiology and Infection Prevention Control, School of Biomedicine, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
| | - Gerelmaa Enebish
- Department of Microbiology and Infection Prevention Control, School of Biomedicine, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
| | - Bat-Erdene Saindoo
- Department of Microbiology and Infection Prevention Control, School of Biomedicine, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
| | - Mandakhnaran Davaadorj
- Department of Microbiology and Infection Prevention Control, School of Biomedicine, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
| | - Avarzed Amgalanbaatar
- Department of International Cyber Education, Graduate School, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
| | - Khangai Enkhtugs
- Department of Family Medicine, School of Medicine, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
| | - Usukhbayar Munkhbayar
- Department of Family Medicine, School of Medicine, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
| | - Batkhuu Bayanjargal
- Department of Family Medicine, School of Medicine, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
| | - Tuyajargal Badamsambuu
- Department of Family Medicine, School of Medicine, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
| | - Myagmartseren Dashtseren
- Department of Family Medicine, School of Medicine, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
| | - Zolmunkh Narmandakh
- Department of Immunology, School of Biomedicine, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
| | - Khongorzul Togoo
- Department of Immunology, School of Biomedicine, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
| | - Enkh-Amar Boldbaatar
- Department of Immunology, School of Biomedicine, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
| | - Ariunzaya Bat-Erdene
- Department of Immunology, School of Biomedicine, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
| | - Yerkyebulan Mukhtar
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
| | - Oyu-Erdene Shagdarsuren
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
| | - Mandukhai Ganbat
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
| | - Ochbadrakh Batjargal
- Department of Microbiology and Infection Prevention Control, School of Biomedicine, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
| | - Bayasgalantai Bavuusuren
- Mongolia Japan Hospital, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
| | - Batzaya Batchuluun
- Mongolia Japan Hospital, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
| | - Gereltsetseg Zulmunkh
- Mongolia Japan Hospital, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
| | - Ganbaatar Byambatsogt
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Biomedicine, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
| | | | - Tserendagva Dalkh
- Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
| | | | | | | | | | - Byambasuren Vanchin
- Department of Cardiology, School of Medicine, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
| | | | | | | | | | - Gregory Greif
- Department of International Cyber Education, Graduate School, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
| | - Ryenchindorj Erkhembayar
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.,Department of International Cyber Education, Graduate School, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
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Bater J, Bromage S, Jambal T, Tsendjav E, Lkhagvasuren E, Jutmann Y, Martineau AR, Ganmaa D. Prevalence and Determinants of Vitamin D Deficiency in 9595 Mongolian Schoolchildren: A Cross-Sectional Study. Nutrients 2021; 13:nu13114175. [PMID: 34836430 PMCID: PMC8625867 DOI: 10.3390/nu13114175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2021] [Revised: 11/19/2021] [Accepted: 11/19/2021] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Population-based data relating to vitamin D status of children in Northeast Asia are lacking. We conducted a cross-sectional study to determine the prevalence and determinants of vitamin D deficiency in 9595 schoolchildren aged 6-13 years in Ulaanbaatar (UB), the capital city of Mongolia. Risk factors for vitamin D deficiency were collected by questionnaire, and serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) concentrations were measured using an enzyme-linked fluorescent assay, standardized and categorized as deficient (25[OH]D <10 ng/mL) or not. Odds ratios for associations between independent variables and risk of vitamin D deficiency were calculated using multivariate analysis with adjustment for potential confounders. The prevalence of vitamins D deficiency was 40.6% (95% CI 39.7% to 41.6%). It was independently associated with female gender (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] for girls vs. boys 1.23, 95% CI 1.11-1.35), month of sampling (aORs for December-February vs. June-November 5.28 [4.53-6.15], March-May vs. June-November 14.85 [12.46-17.74]), lower levels of parental education (P for trend <0.001), lower frequency of egg consumption (P for trend <0.001), active tuberculosis (aOR 1.40 [1.03-1.94]), household smoking (aOR 1.13 [1.02 to1.25]), and shorter time outdoors (P for trend <0.001). We report a very high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency among Mongolian schoolchildren, which requires addressing as a public health priority.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jorick Bater
- Department of Nutrition, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA; (S.B.); (D.G.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-636-579-4312
| | - Sabri Bromage
- Department of Nutrition, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA; (S.B.); (D.G.)
| | - Tuyatsetseg Jambal
- T School of Industrial Technology, Mongolian University of Science & Technology, Ulaanbaatar 14210, Mongolia;
| | | | - Enkhsaikhan Lkhagvasuren
- Ministry of Health, Ulaanbaatar 14210, Mongolia;
- Department of Immunology, School of Biomedicine, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Ulaanbaatar 14210, Mongolia
| | - Yanjmaa Jutmann
- Department of Math and Statistics, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlootte, NC 28223, USA;
| | - Adrian R. Martineau
- Blizard Institute, Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, London E1 4NS, UK;
| | - Davaasambuu Ganmaa
- Department of Nutrition, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA; (S.B.); (D.G.)
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Wome’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
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30
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Chen Z, Yu M, Wang Y, Zhou L. The effect of the synchronized multi-dimensional policies on imported COVID-19 curtailment in China. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0252224. [PMID: 34061912 PMCID: PMC8168853 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0252224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2020] [Accepted: 05/11/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
As countries are lifting restrictions and resuming international travels, the rising risk of COVID-19 importation remains concerning, given that the SARS-CoV-2 virus could be transmitted unintentionally through the global transportation network. To explore and assess the effective strategies for curtailing the epidemic risk from international importation nationwide, we evaluated "the joint prevention and control" mechanism, which made up of 19 containment policies, on how it impacted the change of medical observation and detection time from border arrival to laboratory confirmation of COVID-19 in its burst in China. Based on 1,314 epidemiological-survey cases from February 29 to May 25, 2020, we found that the synchronized approach of implementing multi-dimensional interventional policies, such as a centralized quarantine and nucleic acid testing (NAT), flight service adjustment and border closure, effectively facilitate early identification of infected case. Specifically, the implementation of the international flight service reduction was found to be associated with a reduction of the mean intervals of diagnosis from arrival to lab-confirmation by 0.44 days maximally, and the border closure was associated with a reduction of the diagnosis interval of imported cases by 0.69 days, from arrival to laboratory confirmation. The study suggests that a timely and synchronized implementation of multi-dimensional policies is compelling in preventing domestic spreading from importation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenhua Chen
- City and Regional Planning, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States of America
| | - Meng Yu
- City and Regional Planning, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States of America
| | - Yuxuan Wang
- City and Regional Planning, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States of America
| | - Lei Zhou
- School of Economics and Management, Shanghai Maritime University, Shanghai, China
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31
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Van Hoang M, Tran AT, Vu TT, Duong TK. Covid-19 Preparedness and Response Capability: A Case Study of the Hanoi Primary Healthcare System. Health Serv Insights 2021; 14:11786329211019224. [PMID: 34103938 PMCID: PMC8161850 DOI: 10.1177/11786329211019224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2020] [Accepted: 05/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
This study examined the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) preparedness and response of the health system (HS) in Hanoi, Vietnam, and identified enabling factors and barriers. This cross-sectional, mixed-methods study was conducted in 4 urban and peri-urban districts that included some wards with COVID-19-positive cases and some without. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) analytical frameworks were used. Overall, 10% of health facilities (HFs) failed to fully implement COVID-19 risk determination; 8.8% failed to fully implement stronger community partnerships with local stakeholders to support public health (PH) preparedness; 35% and 2.5% incompletely implemented and did not implement evaluation of PH emergency operations, respectively; 10% did not identify communication channels to issue public information, alerts, warnings, and notifications; 25% incompletely implemented identification, development of guidance, and standards for information; 72.5% had good preventive and treatment collaboration; and 10% did not fully implement procedures for laboratory testing and reporting results. Enablers included sufficient infrastructure and equipment, strong leadership, and good cross-public-sector collaboration with police and military forces. Barriers included workforce constraints, overburdened and inconsistent reporting systems, inappropriate financial mechanisms, ambiguous health governance, and lack of private-sector engagement. Nonetheless, the HS preparedness and response were satisfactory, although further coordinated efforts in evaluation, coordination, communication, and volunteering remain necessary.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Trang Thu Vu
- Hanoi University of Public Health, Hanoi, Vietnam
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32
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Thomas MJ, Lal V, Baby AK, Rabeeh Vp M, James A, Raj AK. Can technological advancements help to alleviate COVID-19 pandemic? a review. J Biomed Inform 2021; 117:103787. [PMID: 33862231 PMCID: PMC8056973 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbi.2021.103787] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2020] [Revised: 03/22/2021] [Accepted: 04/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic is continuing, and the innovative and efficient contributions of the emerging modern technologies to the pandemic responses are too early and cannot be completely quantified at this moment. Digital technologies are not a final solution but are the tools that facilitate a quick and effective pandemic response. In accordance, mobile applications, robots and drones, social media platforms (such as search engines, Twitter, and Facebook), television, and associated technologies deployed in tackling the COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) outbreak are discussed adequately, emphasizing the current-state-of-art. A collective discussion on reported literature, press releases, and organizational claims are reviewed. This review addresses and highlights how these effective modern technological solutions can aid in healthcare (involving contact tracing, real-time isolation monitoring/screening, disinfection, quarantine enforcement, syndromic surveillance, and mental health), communication (involving remote assistance, information sharing, and communication support), logistics, tourism, and hospitality. The study discusses the benefits of these digital technologies in curtailing the pandemic and 'how' the different sectors adapted to these in a shorter period. Social media and television's role in ensuring global connectivity and serving as a common platform to share authentic information among the general public were summarized. The World Health Organization and Governments' role globally in-line with the prevention of propagation of false news, spreading awareness, and diminishing the severity of the COVID-19 was discussed. Furthermore, this collective review is helpful to investigators, health departments, Government organizations, and policymakers alike to facilitate a quick and effective pandemic response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mervin Joe Thomas
- Dept. of Mechanical Engg., National Institute of Technology Calicut, Kerala 673601, India
| | - Vishnu Lal
- Dept. of Mechanical Engg., National Institute of Technology Calicut, Kerala 673601, India
| | - Ajith Kurian Baby
- Dept. of Mechanical Engg., National Institute of Technology Calicut, Kerala 673601, India
| | - Muhammad Rabeeh Vp
- School of Materials Science and Engg., National Institute of Technology Calicut, Kerala 673601, India
| | - Alosh James
- Solar Energy Center, Dept. of Mechanical Engg., National Institute of Technology Calicut, Kerala 673601, India
| | - Arun K Raj
- Dept. of Mechanical Engg., Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Maharashtra 400076, India.
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33
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Chen S, Zhang X, Zhou Y, Yang K, Lu X. COVID-19 protective measures prevent the spread of respiratory and intestinal infectious diseases but not sexually transmitted and bloodborne diseases. J Infect 2021; 83:e37-e39. [PMID: 33895225 PMCID: PMC8061184 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinf.2021.04.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2021] [Accepted: 04/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Shuilian Chen
- Changsha Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Changsha 410004, Hunan, China; College of Systems Engineering, National University of Defense Technology, Changsha 410073, Hunan, China
| | - Xixing Zhang
- Changsha Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Changsha 410004, Hunan, China
| | - Yinzhu Zhou
- Changsha Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Changsha 410004, Hunan, China
| | - Kewei Yang
- College of Systems Engineering, National University of Defense Technology, Changsha 410073, Hunan, China
| | - Xin Lu
- College of Systems Engineering, National University of Defense Technology, Changsha 410073, Hunan, China; Department of Public Health Sciences, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
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34
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Dorjdagva J, Batbaatar E, Kauhanen J. Mass testing for COVID-19 in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia: "One door-one test" approach. LANCET REGIONAL HEALTH-WESTERN PACIFIC 2021; 9:100149. [PMID: 34327444 PMCID: PMC8315464 DOI: 10.1016/j.lanwpc.2021.100149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2021] [Revised: 03/25/2021] [Accepted: 03/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Javkhlanbayar Dorjdagva
- Institute of Public Health and Clinical Nutrition, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Enkhjargal Batbaatar
- Department of Social Sciences, Faculty of Social Sciences and Business Studies, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Jussi Kauhanen
- Institute of Public Health and Clinical Nutrition, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
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Yunusa I, Iloanusi S, Mgbere O, Iloanusi NJR, Ajayi AI, Essien EJ. Public opinion regarding government response to COVID-19: case study of a large commercial city in Nigeria. Pan Afr Med J 2021; 38:282. [PMID: 34122709 PMCID: PMC8179992 DOI: 10.11604/pamj.2021.38.282.26361] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2020] [Accepted: 03/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION government measures to contain the COVID-19 pandemic cannot be effective without widespread compliance by the public. A greater understanding of citizens' perceptions of these measures can help government agencies adapt their strategies to boost compliance. We examined citizens' perceptions of government's measures to contain the COVID-19 pandemic and its implications on compliance using data from Onitsha city, Anambra State Nigeria. METHODS data was obtained through in-person interviews of 140 consenting adults in March 2020. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to summarize the data. RESULTS most participants (84.7%) doubted government's ability to manage the COVID-19 outbreak, raising concerns about ineffective governance (25.7%) and inadequate health facilities (20.7%). However, participants expressed a favorable perception of school closures (92.3%) and a ban on large gatherings (83.9%), driven mostly by the need to contain the COVID-19 and avoid its spread. But, they were generally indifferent about the closure of the markets and workplaces due to concerns for food insecurity and lack of government's relief programs. Participants who had a positive perception of the ban on large gatherings were more likely to have high knowledge and to adopt good COVID-19 preventive practices. CONCLUSION the study showed a lack of public's confidence in the government's ability to manage the pandemic. This provides an opportunity for the city government and the public to reflect on the existing relationships, build mutual trust, and devise collaborative engagement that will boost compliance and help contain the devastating impact of COVID-19 pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ismaeel Yunusa
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Outcomes Sciences, University of South Carolina College of Pharmacy, Columbia, South Carolina, USA
| | - Sorochi Iloanusi
- Department of Pharmaceutical Health Outcomes and Policy, University of Houston College of Pharmacy, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Osaro Mgbere
- Department of Pharmaceutical Health Outcomes and Policy, University of Houston College of Pharmacy, Houston, Texas, USA
- Institute of Community Health, University of Houston College of Pharmacy, Houston, Texas, USA
| | | | - Anthony Idowu Ajayi
- Population Dynamics and Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights Unit, African Population and Health Research Center, African Population and Health Research Center (APHRC) Campus, Manga Close, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Ekere James Essien
- Department of Pharmaceutical Health Outcomes and Policy, University of Houston College of Pharmacy, Houston, Texas, USA
- Institute of Community Health, University of Houston College of Pharmacy, Houston, Texas, USA
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Post LA, Lin JS, Moss CB, Murphy RL, Ison MG, Achenbach CJ, Resnick D, Singh LN, White J, Boctor MJ, Welch SB, Oehmke JF. SARS-CoV-2 Wave Two Surveillance in East Asia and the Pacific: Longitudinal Trend Analysis. J Med Internet Res 2021; 23:e25454. [PMID: 33464207 PMCID: PMC7857528 DOI: 10.2196/25454] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2020] [Revised: 11/30/2020] [Accepted: 01/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound global impact on governments, health care systems, economies, and populations around the world. Within the East Asia and Pacific region, some countries have mitigated the spread of the novel coronavirus effectively and largely avoided severe negative consequences, while others still struggle with containment. As the second wave reaches East Asia and the Pacific, it becomes more evident that additional SARS-CoV-2 surveillance is needed to track recent shifts, rates of increase, and persistence associated with the pandemic. Objective The goal of this study is to provide advanced surveillance metrics for COVID-19 transmission that account for speed, acceleration, jerk, persistence, and weekly shifts, to better understand country risk for explosive growth and those countries who are managing the pandemic successfully. Existing surveillance coupled with our dynamic metrics of transmission will inform health policy to control the COVID-19 pandemic until an effective vaccine is developed. We provide novel indicators to measure disease transmission. Methods Using a longitudinal trend analysis study design, we extracted 330 days of COVID-19 data from public health registries. We used an empirical difference equation to measure the daily number of cases in East Asia and the Pacific as a function of the prior number of cases, the level of testing, and weekly shift variables based on a dynamic panel model that was estimated using the generalized method of moments approach by implementing the Arellano-Bond estimator in R. Results The standard surveillance metrics for Indonesia, the Philippines, and Myanmar were concerning as they had the largest new caseloads at 4301, 2588, and 1387, respectively. When looking at the acceleration of new COVID-19 infections, we found that French Polynesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines had rates at 3.17, 0.22, and 0.06 per 100,000. These three countries also ranked highest in terms of jerk at 15.45, 0.10, and 0.04, respectively. Conclusions Two of the most populous countries in East Asia and the Pacific, Indonesia and the Philippines, have alarming surveillance metrics. These two countries rank highest in new infections in the region. The highest rates of speed, acceleration, and positive upwards jerk belong to French Polynesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines, and may result in explosive growth. While all countries in East Asia and the Pacific need to be cautious about reopening their countries since outbreaks are likely to occur in the second wave of COVID-19, the country of greatest concern is the Philippines. Based on standard and enhanced surveillance, the Philippines has not gained control of the COVID-19 epidemic, which is particularly troubling because the country ranks 4th in population in the region. Without extreme and rigid social distancing, quarantines, hygiene, and masking to reverse trends, the Philippines will remain on the global top 5 list of worst COVID-19 outbreaks resulting in high morbidity and mortality. The second wave will only exacerbate existing conditions and increase COVID-19 transmissions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lori Ann Post
- Buehler Center for Health Policy and Economics, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Jasmine S Lin
- Feinburg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Charles B Moss
- Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Gainsville, FL, United States
| | - Robert Leo Murphy
- Institute for Global Health, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Michael G Ison
- Division of Infectious Disease, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Chad J Achenbach
- Division of Infectious Disease, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Danielle Resnick
- International Food Policy Research Institute, Washington DC, DC, United States
| | - Lauren Nadya Singh
- Buehler Center for Health Policy and Economics, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Janine White
- Buehler Center for Health Policy and Economics, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Michael J Boctor
- Feinburg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Sarah B Welch
- Buehler Center for Health Policy and Economics, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - James Francis Oehmke
- Buehler Center for Health Policy and Economics, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States
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Le TAT, Vodden K, Wu J, Atiwesh G. Policy Responses to the COVID-19 Pandemic in Vietnam. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:ijerph18020559. [PMID: 33440841 PMCID: PMC7828055 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18020559] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2020] [Revised: 12/22/2020] [Accepted: 12/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has become one of the most serious health crises in human history, spreading rapidly across the globe from January 2020 to the present. With prompt and drastic measures, Vietnam is one of the few countries that has largely succeeded in controlling the outbreak. This result is derived from a harmonious combination of many factors, with the policy system playing a key role. This study assessed the policy responses to the COVID-19 pandemic in Vietnam from the early days of the outbreak in January 2020 to 24 July 2020 (with a total of 413 cases confirmed and 99 days of no new cases infected from the local community) by synthesizing and evaluating 959 relevant policy documents in different classifications. The findings show that the Vietnamese policy system responded promptly, proactively, and effectively at multiple authority levels (33 different agencies from the national to provincial governments), using a range of policy tools and measures. Parallel to the daily occurrence of 2.24 new cases, 5.13 new policy documents were issued on average per day over the study period. The pandemic policy response over the first six months in Vietnam were divided into four periods, I (23 January-5 March), II (6-19 March), III (20 March-21 April), and IV (22 April-24 July). This paper synthesizes eight solution groups for these four anti-pandemic phases, including outbreak announcements and steering documents, medical measures, blockade of the schools, emergency responses, border and entry control measures, social isolation and nationwide social isolation measures, financial supports, and other measures. By emphasizing diversification of the policy responses, from the agencies to the tools and measures, the case study reviews and shares lessons from the successful COVID-19 prevention and control in Vietnam that could be useful for other nations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tuyet-Anh T. Le
- School of Science and the Environment, Grenfell Campus, Memorial University of Newfoundland, Corner Brook, NL A2H 5G4, Canada;
- Forestry Economics Research Centre, Vietnamese Academy of Forest Sciences, 46 Duc Thang Ward, Northern Tu Liem District, Hanoi 11910, Vietnam
- Environmental Policy Institute, Grenfell Campus, Memorial University of Newfoundland, Corner Brook, NL A2H 5G4, Canada
- Correspondence: (T.-A.T.L.); (K.V.)
| | - Kelly Vodden
- School of Science and the Environment, Grenfell Campus, Memorial University of Newfoundland, Corner Brook, NL A2H 5G4, Canada;
- Environmental Policy Institute, Grenfell Campus, Memorial University of Newfoundland, Corner Brook, NL A2H 5G4, Canada
- Correspondence: (T.-A.T.L.); (K.V.)
| | - Jianghua Wu
- School of Science and the Environment, Grenfell Campus, Memorial University of Newfoundland, Corner Brook, NL A2H 5G4, Canada;
| | - Ghada Atiwesh
- Department of Environmental Science, St. John’s Campus, Memorial University of Newfoundland, NL A1C 5S7, Canada;
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A review of deciphering the successes and learning from the failures in preventive and health policies to stop the COVID-19 pandemic. ENVIRONMENTAL AND HEALTH MANAGEMENT OF NOVEL CORONAVIRUS DISEASE (COVID-19 ) 2021. [PMCID: PMC8237401 DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-323-85780-2.00003-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, some countries have had successful experiences as well as failures. Countries have taken significant and different approaches to reducing the spread of COVID-19. This chapter states the soft method and herd immunity policy of some European countries (e.g., Sweden) in the early days of the epidemic, which failed. Most countries (e.g., Italy) that enacted a mandatory lockdown during the epidemic soon realized that this trend should not continue for longer periods because of side effects, namely social and economic troubles. Some other countries (e.g., Germany) imposed a social distancing of two meters in public places, which have been effective in reducing infection. Nowadays, reports indicate that some Asian countries have had more success than most European and American countries in taking containment measures. Hong Kong and Singapore are among the most successful countries in the world since the beginning of the pandemic, while the United States and Brazil are among the countries that have handled the development of the pandemic worst. Wearing a face mask in combination with social distancing is effective around 50% of the time. However, a complete combination of the following contention policies must be carried out by all countries, always considering the political, social, and above all, economic characteristics of each of them: (1) use face masks in public places, (2) keep suitable physical distancing, (3) extremely thorough hand hygiene, and (4) isolate all infected people. This should also include improving the ventilation in enclosed environments, designing safe routes in public and particular business locations, together with cleaning and disinfection activities.
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Awan UA, Zahoor S, Rehman K, Khattak AA, Ahmed H, Aftab N, Afzal MS. COVID-19 and influenza H1N1: A dangerous combination for Pakistan in the upcoming winter season. J Med Virol 2020; 93:1875-1877. [PMID: 33230888 PMCID: PMC7753294 DOI: 10.1002/jmv.26687] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2020] [Accepted: 11/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Usman A Awan
- Department of Medical Laboratory Technology, The University of Haripur, Haripur, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
| | - Sarmad Zahoor
- Department of Internal Medicine, Mayo Hospital, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Khudija Rehman
- Department of Medical Laboratory Technology, The University of Haripur, Haripur, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
| | - Aamer A Khattak
- Department of Medical Laboratory Technology, The University of Haripur, Haripur, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
| | - Haroon Ahmed
- Department of Biosciences, COMSATS University, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Nauman Aftab
- Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Government College University, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad S Afzal
- Department of Life Sciences, School of Science, University of Management and Technology (UMT), Lahore, Pakistan
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Leffler CT, Ing E, Lykins JD, Hogan MC, McKeown CA, Grzybowski A. Association of Country-wide Coronavirus Mortality with Demographics, Testing, Lockdowns, and Public Wearing of Masks. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2020; 103:2400-2411. [PMID: 33124541 PMCID: PMC7695060 DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.20-1015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 103] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
We studied sources of variation between countries in per-capita mortality from COVID-19 (caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus). Potential predictors of per-capita coronavirus-related mortality in 200 countries by May 9, 2020 were examined, including age, gender, obesity prevalence, temperature, urbanization, smoking, duration of the outbreak, lockdowns, viral testing, contact-tracing policies, and public mask-wearing norms and policies. Multivariable linear regression analysis was performed. In univariate analysis, the prevalence of smoking, per-capita gross domestic product, urbanization, and colder average country temperature were positively associated with coronavirus-related mortality. In a multivariable analysis of 196 countries, the duration of the outbreak in the country, and the proportion of the population aged 60 years or older were positively associated with per-capita mortality, whereas duration of mask-wearing by the public was negatively associated with mortality (all P < 0.001). Obesity and less stringent international travel restrictions were independently associated with mortality in a model which controlled for testing policy. Viral testing policies and levels were not associated with mortality. Internal lockdown was associated with a nonsignificant 2.4% reduction in mortality each week (P = 0.83). The association of contact-tracing policy with mortality was not statistically significant (P = 0.06). In countries with cultural norms or government policies supporting public mask-wearing, per-capita coronavirus mortality increased on average by just 16.2% each week, as compared with 61.9% each week in remaining countries. Societal norms and government policies supporting the wearing of masks by the public, as well as international travel controls, are independently associated with lower per-capita mortality from COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher T Leffler
- Department of Ophthalmology, Hunter Holmes McGuire VA Medical Center, Richmond, Virginia.,Department of Ophthalmology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia
| | - Edsel Ing
- Department of Ophthalmology and Vision Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Joseph D Lykins
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia.,Department of Internal Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia
| | - Matthew C Hogan
- School of Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia
| | - Craig A McKeown
- Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, Florida
| | - Andrzej Grzybowski
- Institute for Research in Ophthalmology, Poznan, Poland.,Department of Ophthalmology, University of Warmia and Mazury, Olsztyn, Poland
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Mongolia Red Cross Society, influenza preparedness planning and the response to COVID-19: the case for investing in epidemic preparedness. Western Pac Surveill Response J 2020; 11:41-42. [PMID: 34046241 PMCID: PMC8152823 DOI: 10.5365/wpsar.2020.11.2.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Influenza preparedness planning by Mongolia Red Cross Society in 2019 has provided a strong foundation for engagement with COVID-19 preparedness and response. The experience underscores the importance and value of investing in epidemic preparedness, and the importance of doing so well in advance of disease outbreaks.
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Furuse Y, Oshitani H. Viruses That Can and Cannot Coexist With Humans and the Future of SARS-CoV-2. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:583252. [PMID: 33042101 PMCID: PMC7530166 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.583252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2020] [Accepted: 08/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has become a worldwide pandemic. Many projections concerning the outbreak, such as the estimated number of cases and deaths in upcoming months, have been made available. However, what happens to the virus after the pandemic subsides has not been fully explored. In this article, we discuss the ways that past and present human viruses have emerged via zoonotic transmission, the mechanisms that they have acquired the ability for effective transmission among humans, the process to sustain a chain of transmission to coexist with humans, and the factors important for complete containment leading to eradication of viruses. These aspects of viral disease may provide clues for the future path that SARS-CoV-2 might take in relation to human infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuki Furuse
- Institute for Frontier Life and Medical Sciences, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
- Hakubi Center for Advanced Research, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Hitoshi Oshitani
- Department of Virology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan
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