Effects of coronavirus disease pandemic on tuberculosis notifications, Malawi
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.
Citation
Soko , R N , Burke , R M , Feasey , H R A , Sibande , W , Nliwasa , M , Henrion , M Y R , Khundi , M , Dodd , P J , Ku , C C , Kawalazira , G , Choko , A T , Divala , T H , Corbett , E L & Macpherson , P 2021 , ' Effects of coronavirus disease pandemic on tuberculosis notifications, Malawi ' , Emerging Infectious Diseases , vol. 27 , no. 7 , pp. 1831-1839 . https://doi.org/10.3201/eid2707.210557
Publication
Emerging Infectious Diseases
Status
Peer reviewed
ISSN
1080-6040Type
Journal article
Collections
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