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Background: At the global level, the dynamics of the COVID-19 pandemic have been driven by several epidemiological waves, determined by the emergence of new SARS-CoV-2 variants from the original viral lineage from Wuhan, China. While the SARS-CoV-2 dynamic has been described globally, there is a lack of data from Sub-Saharan African. Method(s): A laboratory-based survey was conducted in Cameroon, from March 1, 2020 to March 30, 2022, through an assessment of the evolutionary patterns of SARS-CoV-2 lineages across the four COVID-19 waves in the country. Data on full-length sequencing from all four sequencing laboratories were consecutively entered into the GISAID platform. These data were downloaded, and the molecular phylogeny of the SARS-CoV-2 sequences was performed using Nexstrain. The Mann-Whitney U test was used to calculate the correlation between the duration of each outbreak and the number of confirmed cases and between hospitalised cases and CFR, with a p value < 0.05 considered statistically significant. Result(s): A total of 3,881 samples were successfully processed, of which 38.9% (n=1,509) using PCR mutation assay, 41.5% (n=1,612) using targeted sequencing, and 19.6% (n=760) using whole-genome sequencing. The mean age of the study population was 36 years (min-max: 2-86), and 45% were within the age range 26-45. Regarding gender distribution, 50.9% were male, and 49.1% were female. Phylogenetic analysis of the 760 whole-genome sequences generated from March 2020 to March 2022 revealed that the greater proportion of SARS-CoV-2 circulating in Cameroon belonged to the viral sub-lineages of the original strain from Wuhan (74%), 15% Delta variant, 6% Omicron variant, 3% Alpha variant and 2% Beta variant.The pandemic was driven by SARS-CoV-2 lineages of origin in Wave 1 (16 weeks, 2.3% CFR), the Alpha and Beta variants in Wave 2 (21 weeks, 1.6% CFR), Delta variants in Wave 3 (11 weeks, 2.0% CFR), and Omicron variants in Wave 4 (8 weeks, 0.73% CFR), with a declining trend over time (p=0.01208). Conclusion(s): In a nutshell, the SARS-CoV-2 epidemic in Cameroon appears to have been driven by the SARS-CoV-2 lineage of origin in Wave 1, the cointroduction of the Alpha and Beta variants in Wave 2, the Delta variant in Wave 3, and the Omicron variant in Wave 4, with an overall declining trend in the wave duration, confirmed cases and hospitalisations over time.The SARS-CoV-2 lineage of origin and the Delta variant appeared to be the drivers of COVID-19 severity in Cameroon.
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Recurrent disease outbreaks caused by a range of emerging and resurging pathogens over the past decade reveal major gaps in public health preparedness, detection, and response systems in Africa. Underlying causes of recurrent disease outbreaks include inadequacies in the detection of new infectious disease outbreaks in the community, in rapid pathogen identification, and in proactive surveillance systems. In sub-Saharan Africa, where 70% of zoonotic outbreaks occur, there remains the perennial risk of outbreaks of new or re-emerging pathogens for which no vaccines or treatments are available. As the Ebola virus disease, COVID-19, and mpox (formerly known as monkeypox) outbreaks highlight, a major paradigm shift is required to establish an effective infrastructure and common frameworks for preparedness and to prompt national and regional public health responses to mitigate the effects of future pandemics in Africa.Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Ltd
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The COVID-19 pandemic is one of the greatest challenges that humankind has faced in generations. It has already cost more than five million lives globally, sickened over 300 million people around the world, upended countless livelihoods, and caused substantial economic loss. Despite advances in the development and rollout of vaccines as well as in the clinical management of patients with COVID-19, the end of the worst public-health crisis in a century is not yet in sight as new variants that decrease the effectiveness of the public health interventions and vaccines continue to emerge. Since the beginning of the pandemic, there have been multiple SARS-CoV-2 variants across the world. The early COVID-19 pandemic was dominated by the D614G mutation, which was more transmissible. Over the past two years, several more variants have been identified with five becoming rapidly dominant within their countries and have raised concerns, including: Alpha (B.1.1.7/VOC-202012/01), Beta (501Y.V2/B.1.351), Gamma (P.1/B.1.1.28.1), Delta (B.1.617.2) and Omicron (B.1.1.529). This presentation reflects on the identification, through genomic surveillance, and public health response to variants of concern in South Africa with a particular focus on the Beta and Omicron variants that were first identified in the country. South Africa has experienced four distinct waves. The first was associated with a mix of SARS-CoV-2 lineages, while the second and third waves were driven by the Beta and Delta variants, respectively. The most recent wave was dominated by the Omicron variant. In November 2021, genomic surveillance teams in South Africa and Botswana detected a new SARS-CoV-2 variant associated with a rapid resurgence of infections in Gauteng Province, South Africa. Within three days of the first genome being uploaded, it was designated a variant of concern (Omicron) by the World Health Organization and, within three weeks, had been identified in 87 countries. The Omicron variant is exceptional for carrying over 30 mutations in the spike glycoprotein, predicted to influence antibody neutralization and spike function. The genomic profile, early transmission, and rapid spread of Omicron will be highlighted.
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This work presents the results of CAST (Causal Analysis using Systems Theory) application, technique initially created to understand the aerospace accidents root causes, to identify the main reasons that may have contributed to the considerable amount of human deaths caused by the Coronavirus pandemic in Brazil. Through the CAST process, it was possible to identify the dangers involved in safety control mechanisms related to the pandemic and its health implications, understanding the events that allowed this occurrence, identifying why the components related to the system's safety were not effective and, suggest mechanisms that reinforce safety controls at national and global levels, in order to avoid or mitigate similar losses related to pandemics in future events the steps established in the CAST structured approach, allowed to analyze the factors that contributed to the high number of human deaths, obtaining a greater amount of information and details, used in the elaboration of improvement proposals to face the problem, mainly with regard to the health system. © 2021 IEEE.
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[Figure: see text].
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SARS-CoV-2 is easily spread by aerosols and direct contact with contaminated people. Therefore, adverse conditions in rural areas can influence the spread of the virus. Thus, a reflection was established about the dissemination of COVID-19 due to the habits of wash hands, sanitation conditions, socioeconomic aspects, and habitability conditions in 26 rural quilombola communities in the state of Goias. For this, informations were collected in 533 locals households and it was applied the Analytic Hierarchy Process using criteria selected based on the literature. The communities presented a priority for the dissemination of COVID-19 ranging from 14.9 x 10(-3) (worst condition) to 64.3 x 10(-3) (best condition), and the Community Jose Coleto has occupied the most unfavorable position. Community Buracao showed a more satisfactory result, being less susceptible to the spread of COVID-19. Improving sanitation conditions can increase hand hygiene habits, which would reduce the spread of COVID-19 and other infectious diseases. Thus, from the results obtained, it is noticeable the importance of empowerment regarding hygiene habits, access to information, basic sanitation and health. The managers should give greater attention to implement infrastructures and improve the conditions of the criteria presented and discussed in this paper.
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Late in 2020, two genetically-distinct clusters of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) with mutations of biological concern were reported, one in the United Kingdom and one in South Africa. Using a combination of data from routine surveillance, genomic sequencing and international travel we track the international dispersal of lineages B.1.1.7 and B.1.351 (variant 501Y-V2). We account for potential biases in genomic surveillance efforts by including passenger volumes from location of where the lineage was first reported, London and South Africa respectively. Using the software tool grinch (global report investigating novel coronavirus haplotypes), we track the international spread of lineages of concern with automated daily reports, Further, we have built a custom tracking website (cov-lineages.org/global_report.html) which hosts this daily report and will continue to include novel SARS-CoV-2 lineages of concern as they are detected.
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Background: New SARS-CoV-2 variants with mutations in the spike glycoprotein have arisen independently at multiple locations and may have functional significance. The combination of mutations in the 501Y.V2 variant first detected in South Africa include the N501Y, K417N, and E484K mutations in the receptor binding domain (RBD) as well as mutations in the N-terminal domain (NTD). Here we address whether the 501Y.V2 variant could escape the neutralizing antibody response elicited by natural infection with earlier variants. Methods: We were the first to outgrow two variants of 501Y.V2 from South Africa, designated 501Y.V2.HV001 and 501Y.V2.HVdF002. We examined the neutralizing effect of convalescent plasma collected from adults hospitalized with COVID-19 using a microneutralization assay with live (authentic) virus. Whole genome sequencing of the infecting virus of the plasma donors confirmed the absence of the spike mutations which characterize 501Y.V2. We infected with 501Y.V2.HV001 and 501Y.V2.HVdF002 and compared plasma neutralization to first wave virus which contained the D614G mutation but no RBD or NTD mutations. Results: We observed a reduction in antibody activity ranging from 6-fold to knockout for the 501Y.V2 (B.1.351) relative to the B.1.1 variant derived from the first wave of the pandemic in South Africa. Conclusion: This observation indicates that 501Y.V2 may escape the neutralizing antibody response elicited by prior natural infection. It raises a concern of potential reduced protection against re-infection and by vaccines designed to target the spike protein of earlier SARS-CoV-2 variants.
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Objectives: to review the available literature on the general aspects of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Methods: this is a narrative literature review carried out from March to September 2020. Results: COVID-19 caused by the new coronavirus or SARS-CoV-2, grows with devas-tating effects worldwide. The literature describes epidemiological data and mortality risk groups of the disease, which presents a high rate of transmission. Prevention is the most effective way to fight the disease, persisting the absence of strong evidence on the treatment. Vaccines are not yet available. Dexamethasone is effective in reducing mortality in severe forms. Conclusions: despite great efforts, as the number of confirmed cases increases, evidence on transmission, incidence, disease progression, lethality, effects and outcomes remain limited and without any high levels of evidence. Studies are still necessary for all aspects of the disease. © 2021, Instituto Materno Infantil Professor Fernando Figueira. All rights reserved.
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Objectives: Reviewing the available literature on COVID-19 infection and the maternal and perinatal outcomes. Methods: This is a narrative review oftheliteraturecarried out from March to September 2020, usingthe MESH: Coronavirus, Covid 19, SARS-CoV-2, pregnancy, gravidity, pregnancy complications and pregnancy complications infectius. All study designs, reviews, recommendations and technical notes were included, without distinction of language and that would bring the approach ofthe new coronavirus in the gestational and perinatal scenario. Results: The COVID-19 pandemic has had devastating effects, affecting millions of people and claiming almost a million lives worldwide. Initially, pregnant women were not seen as a risk group for the disease, however as the proportion of women affected during the pregnancy- puerperal cycle increased, several studies were published showing an increased risk of complications. Brazilian studies have also warned of a high number of maternal deaths, associated with the presence of comorbidities but, above all, with the social determinants of the disease and serious failures in care. Conclusion: The need for new studies with an adequate research design was observed, as many studies are only letters or small series of cases, in addition expert recommendations, without the necessary scientific rigor.