Division of Community Paediatrics, School of Clinical Medicine, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa; AFRIQUIP Health, Department of Systems Strengthening, Johannesburg, South Africa.
Wits Reproductive Health and HIV Institute, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.
Int J Infect Dis. 2021 May;106:269-275. doi: 10.1016/j.ijid.2021.03.055. Epub 2021 Mar 23.
The COVID-19 pandemic in Malawi emerged amidst widespread anti-government demonstrations and subsequent mass gatherings. This paper describes the incidence and factors associated with the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic in Malawi.
This was a retrospective study of public data analysing geopolitical and immigration activities that occurred between 02 April and 08 September 2020. The Chi-square test of independence was used to tabulate sex and age-related fatality ratios among deaths due to COVID-19-related complications.
The drivers for COVID-19 spread were mass gatherings secondary to the country's political landscape and repatriation of citizens from high-risk areas coupled with minimum use of public health interventions. The prevalence was higher in people aged 50-59 years, males and in urban areas. Men had an increased risk of COVID-19-related deaths (Case Fatality Ratio: 1.58 (95% CI 1.11-2.22) compared with women. Furthermore, men and women aged ≥40 years were 16.1 times and 7.1 times more likely to die of COVID-related complications, respectively. Men aged ≥40 years had a 62% increased risk of deaths compared with women of the same age group.
Mass political gatherings and cross-border immigration from high-risk areas were drivers for infection. Males, older age and urban residence were associated with increased COVID-19 morbidity and mortality. To control the spread of COVID-19 there is a need to regulate mass gatherings and repatriation of citizens, and strengthen the use of preventive health interventions. Men, the older age groups and urban areas should be prioritised for COVID-19 prevention strategies.
马拉维的 COVID-19 疫情是在广泛的反政府示威活动和随后的大规模集会中出现的。本文描述了 COVID-19 疫情在马拉维的传播情况及相关因素。
这是一项回顾性研究，分析了 2020 年 4 月 2 日至 9 月 8 日期间发生的地缘政治和移民活动的公共数据。使用独立性卡方检验来计算 COVID-19 相关并发症导致的死亡中与性别和年龄相关的病死率。
COVID-19 传播的驱动因素是该国政治局势导致的大规模集会以及从高风险地区遣返公民，同时公共卫生干预措施的使用最少。50-59 岁、男性和城市地区的人患病率较高。男性死于 COVID-19 相关疾病的风险增加（病例病死率比：1.58（95%置信区间 1.11-2.22），与女性相比。此外，≥40 岁的男性和女性死于 COVID 相关并发症的可能性分别是其 16.1 倍和 7.1 倍。≥40 岁的男性与同年龄组的女性相比，死亡风险增加了 62%。
大规模的政治集会和来自高风险地区的跨境移民是感染的驱动因素。男性、年龄较大和城市居住与 COVID-19 的发病率和死亡率增加相关。为了控制 COVID-19 的传播，需要规范大规模集会和遣返公民，并加强预防卫生干预措施的使用。男性、年龄较大的人群和城市地区应成为 COVID-19 预防策略的重点。
