Coronavirus Disease 2019 Diagnostics: Key to Africa's Recovery

Abstract

With the coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) becoming a full-blown outbreak in Africa, coupled with many other challenges faced on the African continent, it is apparent that Africa continues to need diagnostics to enable case identification and recovery to this and future challenges. With the slow vaccination rates across the continent, reliable diagnostic tests will be in demand, likely for years to come. Thus, access to reliable diagnostic tools to detect the severe acute respiratory syndrome of the coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), the virus responsible for COVID-19, remain a critical pillar to monitor and contain new waves of COVID-19. Increasing the local capacity to manufacture and roll-out vaccines and decentralized COVID-19 testing are paramount for fighting the pandemic in Africa.

Systematic Approach to Address Early Pandemic's Diagnostic Unmet Needs

“…It is also important to emphasize that the rubric system is adaptable to meet the testing demands in different contexts. For instance, we can adjust the rubric to assign a higher importance to low cost, and low complexity in rural resource-constrained settings, which face additional challenges (Naidoo et al, 2022).…”

Head-to-head comparison of nasal and nasopharyngeal sampling using SARS-CoV-2 rapid antigen testing in Lesotho

“…Wide-spread testing and contact tracing remain key to contain coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreaks, particularly in settings with low vaccination coverage [ 1 ]. In many sub-Saharan African countries, health systems are struggling to meet the demand of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) testing due to limited technical and human resource capacity to perform nucleic acid amplification tests, such as real-time Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) testing at larger scale [ 2 ]. SARS-CoV-2 antigen rapid diagnostic tests (Ag-RDTs) that can be used at point-of-care by health professionals, as well as trained lay workers could replace more resource intensive and technical demanding PCR testing in these settings [ 3 ].…”

Positive SARS‐CoV‐2 RT‐qPCR of a nasal swab spot after 30 days of conservation on filter paper at room temperature

“…2 These recommendations require cost‐effective and temperature‐controlled transport, which is particularly difficult to implement in developing countries, which contributes to under‐diagnosis of the true incidence of the disease. 3 The WHO has estimated that six of seven COVID‐19 infections go undetected in Africa. 4 In our laboratory, we routinely use blood spots dried onto filter paper for enzyme‐linked immunoassay and RT‐qPCR of arboviruses.…”

“…According to the World Health Organization (WHO), swabs should be quickly delivered to the laboratory and shipping and storage should be performed at 2°C–8°C or the sample frozen to −20°C or −70°C in case of a delay 2 . These recommendations require cost‐effective and temperature‐controlled transport, which is particularly difficult to implement in developing countries, which contributes to under‐diagnosis of the true incidence of the disease 3 . The WHO has estimated that six of seven COVID‐19 infections go undetected in Africa 4 .…”