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Effects of Coronavirus Disease Pandemic on Tuberculosis Notifications, Malawi.
- Source :
-
Emerging infectious diseases [Emerg Infect Dis] 2021 Jul; Vol. 27 (7), pp. 1831-1839. - Publication Year :
- 2021
-
Abstract
- The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic might affect tuberculosis (TB) diagnosis and patient care. We analyzed a citywide electronic TB register in Blantyre, Malawi and interviewed TB officers. Malawi did not have an official COVID-19 lockdown but closed schools and borders on March 23, 2020. In an interrupted time series analysis, we noted an immediate 35.9% reduction in TB notifications in April 2020; notifications recovered to near prepandemic numbers by December 2020. However, 333 fewer cumulative TB notifications were received than anticipated. Women and girls were affected more (30.7% fewer cases) than men and boys (20.9% fewer cases). Fear of COVID-19 infection, temporary facility closures, inadequate personal protective equipment, and COVID-19 stigma because of similar symptoms to TB were mentioned as reasons for fewer people being diagnosed with TB. Public health measures could benefit control of both TB and COVID-19, but only if TB diagnostic services remain accessible and are considered safe to attend.
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 1080-6059
- Volume :
- 27
- Issue :
- 7
- Database :
- MEDLINE
- Journal :
- Emerging infectious diseases
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 34152962
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.3201/eid2707.210557