scholarly journals Change in profile of COVID-19 deaths in the Western Cape during the fourth wave

2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Masudah Paleker ◽  
Mary-Ann Davies ◽  
Peter Raubenheimer ◽  
Jonathan Naude ◽  
Andrew Boulle ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Oxygen Consumption ◽  
Public Sector ◽  
Third Wave ◽  
Western Cape ◽  
Western Cape Province ◽  
The Third ◽  
Routinely Collected Data ◽  
Bulk Oxygen ◽  
Fourth Wave

Fewer COVID-19 deaths have been reported in this fourth wave, with clinicians reporting less admissions due to severe COVID-19 pneumonia when compared to previous waves. We therefore aimed to rapidly compare the profile of deaths in wave 4 with wave 3 using routinely collected data on admissions to public sector hospitals in the Western Cape province of South Africa. Findings show that there have been fewer COVID-19 pneumonia deaths in the Omicron-driven fourth wave compared to the third wave, which confirms anecdotal reports and lower bulk oxygen consumption by hospitals in the province.

scholarly journals Two new species of Parisotoma (Collembola: Isotomidae) from the Western Cape, South Africa

Zootaxa ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 2771 (1) ◽  
pp. 17 ◽  
Author(s):  
MIKHAIL POTAPOV ◽  
CHARLENE JANION ◽  
LOUIS DEHARVENG
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
New Species ◽  
South African ◽  
Western Cape ◽  
Western Cape Province ◽  
The Third ◽  
Two New Species

Two new species, Parisotoma sexsetosa sp. nov. and P. obscurocellata sp. nov., are described from the Western Cape Province in South Africa. The former is characterized with 2+2 ocelli and 4 sensilla in the p-row on each side of three first abdominal segments, the latter with 5+5 or more ocelli and 3+3 chaetae on the postlabial area. Both species have only 6 posterior chaetae on dens. A comparison of South African and Asiatic Parisotoma species is given. Sensillar chaetotaxy of the third and fourth abdominal segments is critical in the separation of these geographically distinct groups.

scholarly journals Outcomes of laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection in the Omicron-driven fourth wave compared with previous waves in the Western Cape Province, South Africa

2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mary-Ann Davies ◽  
Reshma Kassanjee ◽  
Petro Rousseau ◽  
Erna Morden ◽  
Leigh Johnson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Cox Regression ◽  
Severe Disease ◽  
Western Cape ◽  
High Seroprevalence ◽  
Western Cape Province ◽  
Vaccine Protection ◽  
Fourth Wave ◽  
Prior Infection ◽  
Reduced Risk

Objectives: We aimed to compare COVID-19 outcomes in the Omicron-driven fourth wave with prior waves in the Western Cape, the contribution of undiagnosed prior infection to differences in outcomes in a context of high seroprevalence due to prior infection, and whether protection against severe disease conferred by prior infection and/or vaccination was maintained. Methods: In this cohort study, we included public sector patients aged ≥20 years with a laboratory confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis between 14 November-11 December 2021 (wave four) and equivalent prior wave periods. We compared the risk between waves of the following outcomes using Cox regression: death, severe hospitalization or death and any hospitalization or death (all ≤14 days after diagnosis) adjusted for age, sex, comorbidities, geography, vaccination and prior infection. Results: We included 5,144 patients from wave four and 11,609 from prior waves. Risk of all outcomes was lower in wave four compared to the Delta-driven wave three (adjusted Hazard Ratio (aHR) [95% confidence interval (CI)] for death 0.27 [0.19; 0.38]. Risk reduction was lower when adjusting for vaccination and prior diagnosed infection (aHR:0.41, 95% CI: 0.29; 0.59) and reduced further when accounting for unascertained prior infections (aHR: 0.72). Vaccine protection was maintained in wave four (aHR for outcome of death: 0.24; 95% CI: 0.10; 0.58). Conclusions: In the Omicron-driven wave, severe COVID-19 outcomes were reduced mostly due to protection conferred by prior infection and/or vaccination, but intrinsically reduced virulence may account for an approximately 25% reduced risk of severe hospitalization or death compared to Delta.

scholarly journals Trends in public sector radiological usage in the Western Cape Province, South Africa: 2009–2019

2021 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Monica Van Wijk ◽  
Michelle M. Barnard ◽  
Amanda Fernandez ◽  
Keith Cloete ◽  
Matodzi Mukosi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Public Sector ◽  
Medical Imaging ◽  
Conventional Radiography ◽  
Plain Radiography ◽  
Whole Body ◽  
Western Cape ◽  
Western Cape Province ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Main Driver

Background: Although global use of medical imaging has increased significantly, little is known about utilisation trends in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).Objectives: To evaluate changes over a decade in public sector diagnostic imaging utilisation at provincial level in a middle-income country.Method: A retrospective analysis of medical imaging utilisation in the Western Cape Province of South Africa in 2009 and 2019. Use of conventional radiography, ultrasonography (US), fluoroscopy, CT, MRI, digital subtraction angiography (DSA) and whole-body digital radiography was assessed by total studies and studies/103 people, for the whole province, the rural and metropolitan areas. Mammography utilisation was calculated for every 103 females aged 40–70 years.Results: The provincial population and total imaging investigations increased by 25% and 32%, respectively, whilst studies/103 people increased by 5.5% (256 vs 270/103), with marked variation by modality. Provincial US, CT and MRI utilisation/103 people increased by 111% (20 vs 43/103), 78% (10 vs 18/103) and 32% (1.9 vs 2.5/103) respectively, whilst use of fluoroscopy (3.6 vs 3.7/103) and mammography (14.2 vs 15.9/103 women aged 40–70 years) was steady and plain radiography decreased by 20% (216 vs 196/103). For CT, mammography and fluoroscopy, percentage utilisation increases/103 people were higher in the rural than metropolitan areas.Conclusion: Population growth is the main driver of overall imaging utilisation in our setting. The relatively constant imaging workload per 1000 people, albeit with increasing ultrasound, CT and MR utilisation, and decreasing use of plain radiography, reflects improved provincial imaging infrastructure, and appropriate use of available resources.

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