Infectious Disease Commons^™

Medical Students In Karachi And Covid-19: Myths And Facts, Omer Bin Khalid Jamil, Muhammad Muhib, Muhammad Anas Abbal, Amna Muhammed Ahmed, Hafsa Hayat Khan, Nabeela Yar Khan

Department of Surgery Docs

Objectives: COVID-19 pandemic brought mortalities, morbidities, fear, and financial despair among people around the world. As it advanced, misinformation and myths about it caught wildfire, contributing to misbelief among the already shocked population. Medical students are the building blocks of the medical community and can provide a pivotal role in combating COVID-19 misinformation by delivering correct knowledge and awareness to the non-medical population of the country. Hence, it is important to assess their knowledge and perception of COVID-19 myths. Therefore, this study evaluates medical student's knowledge regarding myths and misinformation related to COVID-19 infection and its vaccine. The study also …

Covid-19, Vaccination, And Heart Transplantation, Forest W. Arnold

The University of Louisville Journal of Respiratory Infections

No abstract provided.

Case Report: Covid Arm (Covid Vaccine Arm), Joseph Pagano, James Espinosa, Alan Lucerna, Henry Schuitema

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

We report the case of a 38-year-old male physician who was vaccinated with the Pfizer vaccine. He experienced arm pain and swelling on the vaccinated arm as well as systemic symptoms, including fever, chills, headache and weakness. The systemic symptoms improved after the use of oral prednisone. A review of the literature on the COVID vaccine is presented.

The Racial Divide: A Follow Up Study On Racial Disparity Amongst Covid-19 Survivors In An Urban Community, Christopher Millet, Emily Racoosin, Spandana Narvaneni, George Horani, Sherif Roman, Alisa Farokhian, Arslan Chaudhry, Sohail Chaudhry, Yezin Shamoon, Humberto Jimenez, Patrick Michael, Jin Suh

Journal of Community Hospital Internal Medicine Perspectives

Background Studies have shown that COVID-19 has had a disproportionate effect on minority groups in both the clinical and social settings in America. We conducted a follow up study on patients previously diagnosed with COVID-19 one year ago in an urban community in New Jersey. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the socioeconomic impact of COVID-19 as well as assess for receptiveness towards COVID-19 vaccination amongst various ethnic groups.

Methods This was a prospective cohort study consisting of patients who had recovered from COVID-19 one year prior. The patients included in the study had a confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis …

Covid-19 Case Complicated With Organizing Pneumonia And Pneumothorax: A Case Report, Tammy E. Phillips, Hammad A. Bhatti, Minh Q. Ho

The University of Louisville Journal of Respiratory Infections

Organizing pneumonia can be idiopathic or caused by multiple etiologies, including viral or bacterial pneumonia, drugs, and autoimmune disorders. It can rarely lead to cyst formation and pneumothorax with the exact mechanism remaining unclear. This case presents a previously healthy 50-year-old male who contracted COVID-19 with subsequent development of organizing pneumonia and pneumothorax. Patients presenting with hypoxic respiratory failure due to COVID-19 should be screened for organizing pneumonia upon discharge. This case also illustrates the importance of following such patients radiologically to monitor interstitial lung disease and consider pneumothorax for patients re-presenting with acute symptoms.

Outcomes Of Covid-19 Infection In Patients With Hematological Malignancies- A Multicenter Analysis From Pakistan, Adeeba Zaki, Salman Muhammad Soomar, Danish Hasan Khan, Hasan Shaharyar Sheikh, Raheel Iftikhar, Ayaz Mir, Zeba Aziz, Khadija Bano, Hafsa Naseer, Qamar Un-Nisa Chaudhry

Section of Haematology/Oncology

Purpose: COVID-19 infection resulting from severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) began to spread across the globe in early 2020. Patients with hematologic malignancies are supposed to have an increased risk of mortality from coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) infection. From Pakistan, we report the analysis of the outcome and interaction between patient demographics and tumor subtype and COVID-19 infection and hematological malignancy.
Patients and methods: This multicenter, retrospective study included adult patients with a history of histologically proven hematological malignancies who were tested positive for COVID-19 via PCR presented at the oncology department of 5 tertiary care hospitals …

Sotrovimab: Neutralizing Antibody To Combat Covid-19, Aya Allam, Steven Lippmann

The University of Louisville Journal of Respiratory Infections

No abstract provided.

Are Antipyretic Medications Compatible With Sars-Cov-2 Vaccines?, Sharanya S E Santhi, Niguma Rayamajhi, Steven B Lippmann

The University of Louisville Journal of Respiratory Infections

No abstract provided.

Clinical Characteristics, Risk Factors, And Outcomes Among A Large Midwestern U.S. Cohort Of Patients Hospitalized With Covid-19 Prior To Vaccine Availability, Viviana Zlochiver, Ana Cristina Perez Moreno, Michael Peterson, Khalil Odeh, Ashley Mainville, Katherine Busniewski, Jon Wrobel, Mohamed Hommeida, Blair Tilkens, Payal Sharma, Hlu Vang, Sara Walczak, Fekadesilassie Moges, Kritika Garg, A. Jamil Tajik, Suhail Q. Allaqaband, Tanvir Bajwa, M. Fuad Jan

Journal of Patient-Centered Research and Reviews

Purpose: The COVID-19 pandemic posed unprecedented demands on health care. This study aimed to characterize COVID-19 inpatients and examine trends and risk factors associated with hospitalization duration, intensive care unit (ICU) admission, and in-hospital mortality.

Methods: This retrospective study analyzed patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection hospitalized at an integrated health system between February 2, 2020, and December 12, 2020. Patient characteristics and clinical outcomes were obtained from medical records. Backward stepwise logistic regression analyses were used to identify independent risk factors of ICU admission and in-hospital mortality. Cox proportional hazards models were used to evaluate relationships between ICU admission and in-hospital …

Mucormycosis: Covid-19 And Corticosteroids, Mittal Savaliya, Nivedita Jha, Steven B Lippmann

The University of Louisville Journal of Respiratory Infections

No abstract provided.

Physician's Attitudes On Pulmonary Rehabilitation Following Covid-19: A Brief Perspective From A Developing Country, Ivan Cherrez-Ojeda, Emanuel Vanegas, Miguel Felix, María José Farfán Bajaña, Azza Sarfraz, Zouina Sarfraz, Genesis Camacho, Alanna Barrios-Ruiz, Jack Michel

Department of Paediatrics and Child Health

Despite the uncertainty about the follow up of COVID-19 survivors, there is a growing body of evidence supporting specific interventions including pulmonary rehabilitation, which may lead to a reduced hospital stay and improved overall respiratory function. The aim of this short report was to assess the attitudes toward pulmonary rehabilitation following COVID-19 among Ecuadorian physicians. A cross-sectional study was conducted, in which a 5-question survey was used to assess the level of agreement to specific statements with a 5-point Likert scale. Out of the 282 participants, 48.2% (n=136) were male, with a mean of 12.6 (SD=11.3) years of experience. More …

Laboratory Findings In Covid-19 - Alterations Of Hematological, Immunological, Biochemical, Hormonal And Other Lab Panels: A Narrative Review, Yousef Rasmi, Lucas Paulo Jacinto Saavedra, Matei-Alexandru Cozma, Heba El-Nashar, Shaza Aly, Nouran Fahmy, Omayma Eldahshan, Mohamed El-Shazly, Elena Codruța Dobrică, Hamed Kord-Varkaneh, Camelia Cristina Diaconu, Mihnea Alexandru Găman

Journal of Mind and Medical Sciences

Up to the present date, according to the official reports of the World Health Organization (WHO), 205,338,159 patients have been confirmed with the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and 4,333,094 have died as a consequence of this infectious disorder. The majority of COVID-19 patients will develop hematological, biochemical, immunological, hormonal and other complex alterations of their laboratory data which may be diagnosed using different biomarkers. In this paper, we review the alterations of the hematology, immunology, biochemistry, hormonal and other laboratory panels discovered in the subjects diagnosed with SARS-CoV-2 infection, based on the available data in the literature.

The Who Global Tuberculosis 2021 Report - Not So Good News And Turning The Tide Back To End Tb, Chakaya Jeremiah, Eskild Petersen, Rebecca Nantanda, Brenda N. Mungai, Giovanni Battista Migliori, Farhana Amanullah, Patrick Lungu, Francine Ntoumi, Nagalingeswaran Kumarasamy

Department of Paediatrics and Child Health

Objective: To review the data presented in the 2021 WHO global TB report and discuss the current constraints in the global response.
Introduction and methods: The WHO global TB reports, consolidate TB data from countries and provide up to date assessment of the global TB epidemic. We reviewed the data presented in the 2021 report.
Results: We noted that the 2021 WHO global TB report presents a rather grim picture on the trajectory of the global epidemic of TB including a stagnation in the annual decline in TB incidence, a decline in TB notifications and an increase in estimated TB …

Pharmacologic Ascorbic Acid As Early Therapy For Hospitalized Patients With Covid-19: A Randomized Clinical Trial, Dagan Coppock, Pierre-Christian Violet, Gustavo Vasquez, Katherine Belden, Michael Foster, Bret Mullin, Devon Magee, Isabelle Mikell, Lokesh Shah, Victoria Powers, Brian Curcio, Daniel A. Monti, Mark Levine

Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics Faculty Papers

Despite the widespread availability of effective vaccines, new cases of infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2, the cause of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), remain a concern in the settings of vaccine hesitancy and vaccine breakthrough. In this randomized, controlled, phase 2 trial, we hypothesized that high-dose ascorbic acid delivered intravenously to achieve pharmacologic concentrations may target the high viral phase of COVID-19 and thus improve early clinical outcomes. Sixty-six patients admitted with COVID-19 and requiring supplemental oxygen were randomized to receive either escalating doses of intravenous ascorbic acid plus standard of care or standard of care alone. The demographic …

Landscape Of Molecular Crosstalk Perturbation Between Lung Cancer And Covid-19, Aditi Kuchi, Jiande Wu, Jyotsna Fuloria, Chindo Hicks

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

Background: Lung cancer patients have the worst outcomes when affected by coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The molecular mechanisms underlying the association between lung cancer and COVID-19 remain unknown. The objective of this investigation was to determine whether there is crosstalk in molecular perturbation between COVID-19 and lung cancer, and to identify a molecular signature, molecular networks and signaling pathways shared by the two diseases. Methods: We analyzed publicly available gene expression data from 52 severely affected COVID-19 human lung samples, 594 lung tumor samples and 54 normal disease-free lung samples. We performed network and pathways analysis to identify molecular networks …

An Epidemiological, Strategic And Response Analysis Of The Covid-19 Pandemic In South Asia: A Population-Based Observational Study, Hafiz Muhammad Salman, Javaria Syed, Atif Riaz, Zouina Sarfraz, Azza Sarfraz, Syed Hashim Abbas Ali Bokhari, Ivan Cherrez Ojeda

Department of Paediatrics and Child Health

Introduction: South Asia has had a dynamic response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The overall burden and response have remained comparable across highly-burdened countries within the South Asian Region.
Methodology: Using a population-based observational design, all eight South Asian countries were analyzed using a step-wise approach. Data were obtained from government websites and publicly-available repositories for population dynamics and key variables.
Results: South Asian countries have a younger average age of their population. Inequitable distribution of resources centered in urban metropolitan cities within South Asia is present. Certain densely populated regions in these countries have better testing and healthcare facilities …

The Aoc In The Age Of Covid—Pandemic Preparedness Planning In The Federal Courts, Zoe Niesel

St. Mary's Law Journal

The 2020 COVID-19 pandemic created a crisis for American society—and the federal courts were not exempt. Court facilities came to a grinding halt, cases were postponed, and judiciary employees adopted work-from-home practices. Having court operations impacted by a pandemic was not a new phenomenon, but the size, scope, and technological lift of the COVID-19 pandemic was certainly unique.

Against this background, this Article examines the history and future of pandemic preparedness planning in the federal court system and seeks to capture some of the lessons learned from initial federal court transitions to pandemic operations in 2020. The Article begins by …

Antibody Response To Sars-Cov-2 Infection And Vaccination In Covid-19-Naive And Experienced Individuals, Susan L. Uprichard, Amornrat O'Brien, Monika Evdokimova, Cynthia L. Rowe, Cara Joyce, Matthew Hackbart, Yazmin Edith Cruz Pulido, Courtney A. Cohen, Michelle L. Rock, John M. Dye, Paul Kuehnert, Keersten M. Ricks, Marybeth Casper, Lori Linhart, Katrina Anderson, Laura Kirk, Jack A. Maggiore, Andrew S. Herbert, Nina M. Clark, Gail E. Reid, Susan C. Baker

Biostatistics Collaborative Core: Faculty Publications and Other Works

Understanding the magnitude of responses to vaccination during the ongoing SARS-CoV-2 pandemic is essential for ultimate mitigation of the disease. Here, we describe a cohort of 102 subjects (70 COVID-19-naïve, 32 COVID-19-experienced) who received two doses of one of the mRNA vaccines (BNT162b2 (Pfizer–BioNTech) and mRNA-1273 (Moderna)). We document that a single exposure to antigen via infection or vaccination induces a variable antibody response which is affected by age, gender, race, and co-morbidities. In response to a second antigen dose, both COVID-19-naïve and experienced subjects exhibited elevated levels of anti-spike and SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing activity; however, COVID-19-experienced individuals achieved higher antibody …

Implementation Of A Drive-Through Covid-19 Mass Vaccination Site: Experiences From Louvax–Broadbent In Louisville, Kentucky, Ruth Carrico, Sarah Beth Hartlage, Valenchia Brown Msn, Aprn, Fnp-C, Sarah M. Bishop, Luanne Didelot, William Hayden, Beverly Williams Coleman, Sarah Tan, Delanor Manson, Kellie Kane, Dawn Balcom, Paul Kern

The University of Louisville Journal of Respiratory Infections

Background: Response to the COVID-19 pandemic has required innovative approaches to vaccination, including methods to rapidly and safely immunize communities. A major challenge to such a response involved access to untapped healthcare worker resources. The Louisville, Kentucky, response involved the use of a large volunteer workforce to supplement local public health employees in planning and implementing a large-scale drive-through vaccination event. The objective of this manuscript was to outline processes involved in training a mass immunization workforce and implementating a large-scale COVID-19 community vaccination.

Approach: Competency-based and standardized training was provided for every volunteer before working their shift. Volunteers worked …

Literature Review Of Omicron: A Grim Reality Amidst Covid-19, Suraj Arora, Vishakha Grover, Priyanka Saluja, Youssef Abdullah Algarni, Shahabe Abullais Saquib, Shaik Mohammed Asif, Kavita Batra, Mohammed Y. Alshahrani, Gotam Das, Rajni Jain, Anchal Ohri

School of Medicine Faculty Research

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) first emerged in Wuhan city in December 2019, and became a grave global concern due to its highly infectious nature. The Severe Acute Respiratory Coronavirus-2, with its predecessors (i.e., MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV) belong to the family of Coronaviridae. Reportedly, COVID-19 has infected 344,710,576 people around the globe and killed nearly 5,598,511 persons in the short span of two years. On November 24, 2021, B.1.1.529 strain, later named Omicron, was classified as a Variant of Concern (VOC). SARS-CoV-2 has continuously undergone a series of unprecedented mutations and evolved to exhibit varying characteristics. These mutations have largely occurred …

Contact Dermatitis Due To Personal Protective Equipment Use And Hygiene Practices During The Covid-19 Pandemic: A Systematic Review Of Case Reports, Zouina Sarfraz, Azza Sarfraz, Muzna Sarfraz, Miguel Felix, Jonathan A. Bernstein, Luz Fonacier, Ivan Cherrez-Ojeda

Department of Paediatrics and Child Health

Background: Prolonged use of personal protective equipment (PPE) may lead to contact dermatitis during the coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) pandemic. This paper aims to identify the causative factors of contact dermatitis from PPE and hygiene practices.
Methods: The search was conducted adhering to PRISMA 2020 guidelines. A Delphi process was employed to ensure that the aims of this study were met. PubMed and Web of Science databases were systematically searched through September 12, 2021, using search terms: Contact dermatitis, case report, covid-19. The findings were tabulated as author/year, gender, age, presentation, cause, dermatological diagnosis, testing modality, provided treatment, symptom resolution …

The Effect Of Ivermectin On Non-Severe And Severe Covid-19 Disease And Gender-Based Difference Of Its Effectiveness, Syed Muhammad Zubair, Muhammad Waleed Chaudhry, Ali Bin Sarwar Zubairi, Talha Shahzad, Aqusa Zahid, Ibrahim Ali Khan, Javaid Ahmed Khan, Muhammad Irfan

Section of Pulmonary & Critical Care

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to mortality and morbidity since December 2019. Many possible treatment options have been advised till date. The role of ivermectin in the treatment of COVID-19 disease remains controversial. The aim of our study was to evaluate the effect of ivermectin in hospitalized patients with non-severe and severe COVID-19 disease. We conducted a retrospective cohort study that compared outcomes in 2 groups of COVID-19 patients hospitalized at the largest tertiary care center of Pakistan. The study group was given ivermectin along with standard treatment of covid-19 disease; the comparison group was not. Data on mortality, inflammatory …

Assessment Of Regional Variability In Covid-19 Outcomes Among Patients With Cancer In The United States., Jessica E Hawley, Tianyi Sun, David D Chism, Narjust Duma, Julie C Fu, Na Tosha N Gatson, Sanjay Mishra, Ryan H Nguyen, Sonya A Reid, Oscar K Serrano, Sunny R K Singh, Neeta K Venepalli, Ziad Bakouny, Babar Bashir, Mehmet A Bilen, Paolo F Caimi, Toni K Choueiri, Scott J Dawsey, Leslie A Fecher, Daniel B Flora, Christopher R Friese, Michael J Glover, Cyndi J Gonzalez, Sharad Goyal, Thorvardur R Halfdanarson, Dawn L Hershman, Hina Khan, Chris Labaki, Mark A Lewis, Rana R Mckay, Ian Messing, Nathan A Pennell, Matthew Puc, Deepak Ravindranathan, Terence D Rhodes, Andrea V Rivera, John Roller, Gary K Schwartz, Sumit A Shah, Justin A Shaya, Mitrianna Streckfuss, Michael A Thompson, Elizabeth M Wulff-Burchfield, Zhuoer Xie, Peter Paul Yu, Jeremy L Warner, Dimpy P Shah, Benjamin French, Clara Hwang

Kimmel Cancer Center Faculty Papers

Importance: The COVID-19 pandemic has had a distinct spatiotemporal pattern in the United States. Patients with cancer are at higher risk of severe complications from COVID-19, but it is not well known whether COVID-19 outcomes in this patient population were associated with geography.

Objective: To quantify spatiotemporal variation in COVID-19 outcomes among patients with cancer.

Design, Setting, and Participants: This registry-based retrospective cohort study included patients with a historical diagnosis of invasive malignant neoplasm and laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection between March and November 2020. Data were collected from cancer care delivery centers in the United States.

Exposures: Patient residence was categorized …

Covid-19 Vaccine Brand Hesitancy And Other Challenges To Vaccination In The Philippines, Arianna Maever L. Amit, Veincent Christian F. Pepito, Lourdes S. Tanchanco, Manuel Dayrit

Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health Publications

Effective and safe COVID-19 vaccines have been developed at a rapid and unprecedented pace to control the spread of the virus, and prevent hospitalisations and deaths. However, COVID-19 vaccine uptake is challenged by vaccine hesitancy and anti-vaccination sentiments, a global shortage of vaccine supply, and inequitable vaccine distribution especially among low- and middle-income countries including the Philippines. In this paper, we explored vaccination narratives and challenges experienced and observed by Filipinos during the early vaccination period. We interviewed 35 individuals from a subsample of 1,599 survey respondents 18 years and older in the Philippines. The interviews were conducted in Filipino, …

Factors Associated With Mask Use In New York City Neighborhood Parks During The Covid-19 Pandemic: A Field Audit Study, Lisa Hitch, Marie A. Sillice, Hanish Kodali, Katarzyna E. Wyka, Javier Otero Peña, Terry Tk Huang

Publications and Research

Background: Mask use is a cost-effective measure to decrease COVID-19 transmission. Mask mandates intend to increase mask compliance but are often ambiguous when it comes to public outdoor spaces.

Methods: We used a field audit study to examine mask use in New York City neighborhood parks during COVID-19. 1453 park visitors were observed in 13 parks during July–August 2020 using a modified and validated park use audit tool (System for Observing Play and Recreation in Communities) that included items on general and proper mask use (i.e., mask covering both nose and mouth). Generalized estimating equation regression was used to determine …

Does The Novel Coronavirus Use The Ocular Surface As An Entrance Into The Body Or As An Infection Site?, Remzi Karadag, Alp Kayiran, Christopher J Rapuano

Wills Eye Hospital Papers

This study attempts to review whether the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) is transmitted through the ocular surface and examine the symptoms and signs of ocular disease. Considering that COVID-19 is transmitted by airborne droplets and close contact with infected individuals, we will also review the conditions to which eye clinics and ophthalmologists should pay attention to prevent the transmission of the disease. Although some researchers have argued that COVID-19 transmission cannot occur through the ocular surface, most of them are of the opinion that the ocular surface is a potential pathway of transmission. Until date, ocular signs and symptoms have been …

Auto- Ethnography With A Deep Dive Into Changes Mental Health During The Pandemic And A Look Into The Way The Pandemic Has Shaped Nursing Protocols For Recent Nursing College Graduates, Audrey Shaffer, Sarah Bereznay

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

In this project we completed a deep dive into how the Covid-19 pandemic reshaped our mental health and has affected our preparation for careers as registered nurses through a series of auto- ethnographic narrative journals using scholarly articles to support this idea. By utilizing personal narratives, we analyzed and reflected upon the cognitive and mental changes we experienced throughout this pandemic. We fulfilled this by comprising two personal narratives with inquiries pertaining to each shared narrative by utilizing the common themes of being nursing students and living through a pandemic. Within these personal narratives, we discussed how the pandemic influenced …

Methodology To Estimate Natural- And Vaccine-Induced Antibodies To Sars-Cov-2 In A Large Geographic Region, Stacia M Desantis, Luis G León-Novelo, Michael D Swartz, Ashraf S Yaseen, Melissa A Valerio-Shewmaker, Yashar Talebi, Frances A Brito, Jessica A Ross, Harold W Kohl, Sarah E Messiah, Steve H Kelder, Leqing Wu, Shiming Zhang, Kimberly A Aguillard, Michael O Gonzalez, Onyinye S Omega-Njemnob, David Lakey, Jennifer A Shuford, Stephen Pont, Eric Boerwinkle

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Accurate estimates of natural and/or vaccine-induced antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 are difficult to obtain. Although model-based estimates of seroprevalence have been proposed, they require inputting unknown parameters including viral reproduction number, longevity of immune response, and other dynamic factors. In contrast to a model-based approach, the current study presents a data-driven detailed statistical procedure for estimating total seroprevalence (defined as antibodies from natural infection or from full vaccination) in a region using prospectively collected serological data and state-level vaccination data. Specifically, we conducted a longitudinal statewide serological survey with 88,605 participants 5 years or older with 3 prospective blood draws beginning …

The Effect Of Heparinoid As Systemic Prophylactic Anticoagulants On Covid-19 Patient Mortality And Its Safety Profiles: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Ariska Deffy Anggarany, Rani Sauriasari, Muhammad Alkaff, Famila Takhwifa, Hayatun Nufus, Diana Paramita

Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research

Coagulopathy is one of the complications of COVID-19 and is associated with a higher risk of mortality. However, evidence regarding the effectiveness and safety of anticoagulant therapy in various doses among COVID-19 patients is limited. This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to review and explore the effect of using heparinoids as a systemic anticoagulant at prophylactic doses on mortality in COVID-19 patients. Systematic searches were conducted of various databases (Pubmed, ScienceDirect, SpringerLink, Scopus, and ProQuest) covering the period 2019-2021. We assessed the quality of the articles using the STROBE checklist. Studies with a high risk of bias were excluded before …

Likely Community Transmission Of Covid-19 Infections Between Neighboring, Persistent Hotspots In Ontario, Canada, Ben C. Shirley, Eliseos J. Mucaki, Peter Rogan

Biochemistry Publications

Introduction: This study aimed to produce community-level geo-spatial mapping of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Ontario Canada in near real-time to support decision-making. This was accomplished by area-to-area geostatistical analysis, space-time integration, and spatial interpolation of COVID-19 positive individuals.
Methods: COVID-19 cases and locations were curated for geostatistical analyses from March 2020 through June 2021, corresponding to the first, second, and third waves of infections. Daily cases were aggregated according to designated forward sortation area (FSA), and postal codes (PC) in municipal regions Hamilton, Kitchener/Waterloo, London, Ottawa, Toronto, and Windsor/Essex county. Hotspots were identified with area-to-area tests including Getis-Ord Gi*, Global …