The Pan African Medical Journal (Oct 2020)

Increased number of brought-in-dead cases with COVID-19: is it due to poor health-seeking behaviour among the Zambian population?

  • Misheck Chileshe,
  • David Mulenga,
  • Ruth Lindizyani Mfune,
  • Tato Herbert Nyirenda,
  • James Mwanza,
  • Bright Mukanga,
  • Steward Mudenda,
  • Victor Daka

DOI
https://doi.org/10.11604/pamj.2020.37.136.25967
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 37, no. 136

Abstract

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The novel Coronavirus Disease-2019 which was first reported on 31st December, 2019 in Wuhan city, China has resulted in over 889, 256 deaths and over 27 million infections worldwide. In Zambia there have been a total of 295 deaths among which there were 214 brought-in-dead (BID). This high number of BIDs raises critical questions about the health seeking behaviour among the Zambian population. There is need to investigate drivers of community deaths. Here we postulate possible causes and suggest possible mitigation measures.

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