Methods for early characterisation of the severity and dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 variants: a population-based time series analysis in South Africa.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Assessment of disease severity associated with a novel pathogen or variant provides crucial information needed by public health agencies and governments to develop appropriate responses. The SARS-CoV-2 omicron variant of concern (VOC) spread rapidly through populations worldwide before robust epidemiological and laboratory data were available to investigate its relative severity. Here we develop a set of methods that make use of non-linked, aggregate data to promptly estimate the severity of a novel variant, compare its characteristics with those of previous VOCs, and inform data-driven public health responses.

Methods

Using daily population-level surveillance data from the National Institute for Communicable Diseases in South Africa (March 2, 2020, to Jan 28, 202

SUBMITTER: Reichert E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9432868 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature