Dynamics and Determinants of SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR Testing on Symptomatic Individuals Attending Healthcare Centers during 2020 in Bahia, Brazil

Abstract

RT-PCR testing data provides opportunities to explore regional and individual determinants of test positivity and surveillance infrastructure. Using Generalized Additive Models, we explored 222,515 tests of a random sample of individuals with COVID-19 compatible symptoms in the Brazilian state of Bahia during 2020. We found that age and male gender were the most significant determinants of test positivity. There was evidence of an unequal impact among socio-demographic strata, with higher positivity among those living in areas with low education levels during the first epidemic wave, followed by those living in areas with higher education levels in the second wave. Our estimated probability of testing positive after symptom onset corroborates previous reports that the probability decreases with time, more than halving by about two weeks and converging to zero by three weeks. Test positivity rates generally followed state-level reported cases, and while a single laboratory performed ~90% of tests covering ~99% of the state’s area, test turn-around time generally remained below four days. This testing effort is a testimony to the Bahian surveillance capacity during public health emergencies, as previously witnessed during the recent Zika and Yellow Fever outbreaks.

Evaluation of SARS-CoV-2 ORF7a Deletions from COVID-19-Positive Individuals and Its Impact on Virus Spread in Cell Culture

“…According to the tree clusters, these samples correlate to individuals by place of home or work. Recent data show the spread of SARS-CoV-2 infection in the whole country during pandemics [ 39 , 40 , 41 , 42 , 43 , 44 ].…”

Relationship between clinical-epidemiological parameters and outcomes of patients with COVID-19 admitted to the intensive care unit: a report from a Brazilian hospital

“…Notably, in our study, 35.32% of the COVID-19 patients in the ICU died. An in-hospital mortality rate of 37% for COVID-19 was reported in Brazil, and the mortality rate increased with advanced age, low Notably, determining the clinical-epidemiological and laboratory profiles of COVID-19 patients can provide valuable information for a multidisciplinary healthcare team for more assertive clinical management, better resource allocation, and improved survival of patients admitted with COVID-19 in the ICU (44,45). In this study, when multifactorial variables were correlated using regression analysis, the male sex had a higher chance of death, consistent with previous studies (46,47).…”