SARS-CoV-2 Prevalence in Malawi Based on Data from Survey of Communities and Health Workers in 5 High-Burden Districts, October 2020

Joe Alex Theu; Alinune Nathanael Kabaghe; George Bello; Evelyn Chitsa-Banda; Matthews Kagoli; Andrew Auld; Jonathan Mkungudza; Gabrielle O’Malley; Fred Fredrick Bangara; Elizabeth F. Peacocke; Yusuf Babaye; Wingston Ng’ambi; Christel Saussier; Ellen MacLachlan; Gertrude Chapotera; Mphatso Dennis Phiri; Evelyn Kim; Mabvuto Chiwaula; Danielle Payne; Nellie Wadonda-Kabondo; Annie Chauma-Mwale; Titus Henry Divala; Abena Amoah; Joseph Bitilinyu; Bernard Mvula; Mavuto Chiwaula; Vincent Samuel; Christopher Lington Blair; Davie Chalira; Wiseman Chimwaza; Amelia Crampin; Oscar Divala; Kondwani Jambo; Watipaso Kasambara; Kingsley Manda; Regina Mankhamba; Daniel Mapemba; Collins Mitambo; Malango Msukwa; Fatsani Ngwalangwa; Simon Ntopi; Kenneth Nyoni

doi:10.3201/eid2813.212348

SARS-CoV-2 Prevalence in Malawi Based on Data from Survey of Communities and Health Workers in 5 High-Burden Districts, October 2020

Joe Alex Theu, Alinune Nathanael Kabaghe, George Bello, Evelyn Chitsa-Banda, Matthews Kagoli, Andrew Auld, Jonathan Mkungudza, Gabrielle O’Malley, Fred Fredrick Bangara, Elizabeth F. Peacocke, Yusuf Babaye, Wingston Ng’ambi, Christel Saussier, Ellen MacLachlan, Gertrude Chapotera, Mphatso Dennis Phiri, Evelyn Kim, Mabvuto Chiwaula, Danielle Payne, Nellie Wadonda-KabondoAnnie Chauma-Mwale, Titus Henry Divala, Abena Amoah, Joseph Bitilinyu, Bernard Mvula, Mavuto Chiwaula, Vincent Samuel, Christopher Lington Blair, Davie Chalira, Wiseman Chimwaza, Amelia Crampin, Oscar Divala, Kondwani Jambo, Watipaso Kasambara, Kingsley Manda, Regina Mankhamba, Daniel Mapemba, Collins Mitambo, Malango Msukwa, Fatsani Ngwalangwa, Simon Ntopi, Kenneth Nyoni

Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

12 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

To determine early COVID-19 burden in Malawi, we conducted a multistage cluster survey in 5 districts. During October–December 2020, we recruited 5,010 community members (median age 32 years, interquartile range 21–43 years) and 1,021 health facility staff (HFS) (median age 35 years, interquartile range 28–43 years). Real-time PCR–confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection prevalence was 0.3% (95% CI 0.2%–0.5%) among community and 0.5% (95% CI 0.1%–1.2%) among HFS participants; seroprevalence was 7.8% (95% CI 6.3%–9.6%) among community and 9.7% (95% CI 6.4%–14.5%) among HFS participants. Most seropositive community (84.7%) and HFS (76.0%) participants were asymptomatic. Seroprevalence was higher among urban community (12.6% versus 3.1%) and HFS (14.5% versus 7.4%) than among rural community participants. Cumulative infection findings 113-fold higher from this survey than national statistics (486,771 versus 4,319) and predominantly asymptomatic infections highlight a need to identify alternative surveillance approaches and predictors of severe disease to inform national response.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	S76-S84
Journal	Emerging Infectious Diseases
Volume	28
Issue number	13
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.3201/eid2813.212348
Publication status	Published - 1 Dec 2022

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Theu, J. A., Kabaghe, A. N., Bello, G., Chitsa-Banda, E., Kagoli, M., Auld, A., Mkungudza, J., O’Malley, G., Bangara, F. F., Peacocke, E. F., Babaye, Y., Ng’ambi, W., Saussier, C., MacLachlan, E., Chapotera, G., Phiri, M. D., Kim, E., Chiwaula, M., Payne, D., ... Nyoni, K. (2022). SARS-CoV-2 Prevalence in Malawi Based on Data from Survey of Communities and Health Workers in 5 High-Burden Districts, October 2020. Emerging Infectious Diseases, 28(13), S76-S84. https://doi.org/10.3201/eid2813.212348

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title = "SARS-CoV-2 Prevalence in Malawi Based on Data from Survey of Communities and Health Workers in 5 High-Burden Districts, October 2020",

abstract = "To determine early COVID-19 burden in Malawi, we conducted a multistage cluster survey in 5 districts. During October–December 2020, we recruited 5,010 community members (median age 32 years, interquartile range 21–43 years) and 1,021 health facility staff (HFS) (median age 35 years, interquartile range 28–43 years). Real-time PCR–confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection prevalence was 0.3\% (95\% CI 0.2\%–0.5\%) among community and 0.5\% (95\% CI 0.1\%–1.2\%) among HFS participants; seroprevalence was 7.8\% (95\% CI 6.3\%–9.6\%) among community and 9.7\% (95\% CI 6.4\%–14.5\%) among HFS participants. Most seropositive community (84.7\%) and HFS (76.0\%) participants were asymptomatic. Seroprevalence was higher among urban community (12.6\% versus 3.1\%) and HFS (14.5\% versus 7.4\%) than among rural community participants. Cumulative infection findings 113-fold higher from this survey than national statistics (486,771 versus 4,319) and predominantly asymptomatic infections highlight a need to identify alternative surveillance approaches and predictors of severe disease to inform national response.",

author = "Theu, \{Joe Alex\} and Kabaghe, \{Alinune Nathanael\} and George Bello and Evelyn Chitsa-Banda and Matthews Kagoli and Andrew Auld and Jonathan Mkungudza and Gabrielle O{\textquoteright}Malley and Bangara, \{Fred Fredrick\} and Peacocke, \{Elizabeth F.\} and Yusuf Babaye and Wingston Ng{\textquoteright}ambi and Christel Saussier and Ellen MacLachlan and Gertrude Chapotera and Phiri, \{Mphatso Dennis\} and Evelyn Kim and Mabvuto Chiwaula and Danielle Payne and Nellie Wadonda-Kabondo and Annie Chauma-Mwale and Divala, \{Titus Henry\} and Abena Amoah and Joseph Bitilinyu and Bernard Mvula and Mavuto Chiwaula and Vincent Samuel and Blair, \{Christopher Lington\} and Davie Chalira and Wiseman Chimwaza and Amelia Crampin and Oscar Divala and Kondwani Jambo and Watipaso Kasambara and Kingsley Manda and Regina Mankhamba and Daniel Mapemba and Collins Mitambo and Malango Msukwa and Fatsani Ngwalangwa and Simon Ntopi and Kenneth Nyoni",

year = "2022",

month = dec,

day = "1",

doi = "10.3201/eid2813.212348",

language = "English",

volume = "28",

pages = "S76--S84",

journal = "Emerging Infectious Diseases",

issn = "1080-6040",

publisher = "Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)",

number = "13",

}

Theu, JA, Kabaghe, AN, Bello, G, Chitsa-Banda, E, Kagoli, M, Auld, A, Mkungudza, J, O’Malley, G, Bangara, FF, Peacocke, EF, Babaye, Y, Ng’ambi, W, Saussier, C, MacLachlan, E, Chapotera, G, Phiri, MD, Kim, E, Chiwaula, M, Payne, D, Wadonda-Kabondo, N, Chauma-Mwale, A, Divala, TH, Amoah, A, Bitilinyu, J, Mvula, B, Chiwaula, M, Samuel, V, Blair, CL, Chalira, D, Chimwaza, W, Crampin, A, Divala, O, Jambo, K, Kasambara, W, Manda, K, Mankhamba, R, Mapemba, D, Mitambo, C, Msukwa, M, Ngwalangwa, F, Ntopi, S & Nyoni, K 2022, 'SARS-CoV-2 Prevalence in Malawi Based on Data from Survey of Communities and Health Workers in 5 High-Burden Districts, October 2020', Emerging Infectious Diseases, vol. 28, no. 13, pp. S76-S84. https://doi.org/10.3201/eid2813.212348

TY - JOUR

T1 - SARS-CoV-2 Prevalence in Malawi Based on Data from Survey of Communities and Health Workers in 5 High-Burden Districts, October 2020

AU - Theu, Joe Alex

AU - Kabaghe, Alinune Nathanael

AU - Bello, George

AU - Chitsa-Banda, Evelyn

AU - Kagoli, Matthews

AU - Auld, Andrew

AU - Mkungudza, Jonathan

AU - O’Malley, Gabrielle

AU - Bangara, Fred Fredrick

AU - Peacocke, Elizabeth F.

AU - Babaye, Yusuf

AU - Ng’ambi, Wingston

AU - Saussier, Christel

AU - MacLachlan, Ellen

AU - Chapotera, Gertrude

AU - Phiri, Mphatso Dennis

AU - Kim, Evelyn

AU - Chiwaula, Mabvuto

AU - Payne, Danielle

AU - Wadonda-Kabondo, Nellie

AU - Chauma-Mwale, Annie

AU - Divala, Titus Henry

AU - Amoah, Abena

AU - Bitilinyu, Joseph

AU - Mvula, Bernard

AU - Chiwaula, Mavuto

AU - Samuel, Vincent

AU - Blair, Christopher Lington

AU - Chalira, Davie

AU - Chimwaza, Wiseman

AU - Crampin, Amelia

AU - Divala, Oscar

AU - Jambo, Kondwani

AU - Kasambara, Watipaso

AU - Manda, Kingsley

AU - Mankhamba, Regina

AU - Mapemba, Daniel

AU - Mitambo, Collins

AU - Msukwa, Malango

AU - Ngwalangwa, Fatsani

AU - Ntopi, Simon

AU - Nyoni, Kenneth

PY - 2022/12/1

Y1 - 2022/12/1

N2 - To determine early COVID-19 burden in Malawi, we conducted a multistage cluster survey in 5 districts. During October–December 2020, we recruited 5,010 community members (median age 32 years, interquartile range 21–43 years) and 1,021 health facility staff (HFS) (median age 35 years, interquartile range 28–43 years). Real-time PCR–confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection prevalence was 0.3% (95% CI 0.2%–0.5%) among community and 0.5% (95% CI 0.1%–1.2%) among HFS participants; seroprevalence was 7.8% (95% CI 6.3%–9.6%) among community and 9.7% (95% CI 6.4%–14.5%) among HFS participants. Most seropositive community (84.7%) and HFS (76.0%) participants were asymptomatic. Seroprevalence was higher among urban community (12.6% versus 3.1%) and HFS (14.5% versus 7.4%) than among rural community participants. Cumulative infection findings 113-fold higher from this survey than national statistics (486,771 versus 4,319) and predominantly asymptomatic infections highlight a need to identify alternative surveillance approaches and predictors of severe disease to inform national response.

AB - To determine early COVID-19 burden in Malawi, we conducted a multistage cluster survey in 5 districts. During October–December 2020, we recruited 5,010 community members (median age 32 years, interquartile range 21–43 years) and 1,021 health facility staff (HFS) (median age 35 years, interquartile range 28–43 years). Real-time PCR–confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection prevalence was 0.3% (95% CI 0.2%–0.5%) among community and 0.5% (95% CI 0.1%–1.2%) among HFS participants; seroprevalence was 7.8% (95% CI 6.3%–9.6%) among community and 9.7% (95% CI 6.4%–14.5%) among HFS participants. Most seropositive community (84.7%) and HFS (76.0%) participants were asymptomatic. Seroprevalence was higher among urban community (12.6% versus 3.1%) and HFS (14.5% versus 7.4%) than among rural community participants. Cumulative infection findings 113-fold higher from this survey than national statistics (486,771 versus 4,319) and predominantly asymptomatic infections highlight a need to identify alternative surveillance approaches and predictors of severe disease to inform national response.

U2 - 10.3201/eid2813.212348

DO - 10.3201/eid2813.212348

M3 - Article

SN - 1080-6040

VL - 28

SP - S76-S84

JO - Emerging Infectious Diseases

JF - Emerging Infectious Diseases

IS - 13

ER -

SARS-CoV-2 Prevalence in Malawi Based on Data from Survey of Communities and Health Workers in 5 High-Burden Districts, October 2020

Abstract

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