Emerging Infectious Diseases (Aug 2021)

SARS-CoV-2 Prevalence among Outpatients during Community Transmission, Zambia, July 2020

  • Jonas Z. Hines,
  • Sombo Fwoloshi,
  • Davies Kampamba,
  • Danielle T. Barradas,
  • Dabwitso Banda,
  • James E. Zulu,
  • Adam Wolkon,
  • Samuel Yingst,
  • Mary Adetinuke Boyd,
  • Mpanji Siwingwa,
  • Lameck Chirwa,
  • Muzala Kapina,
  • Nyambe Sinyange,
  • Victor Mukonka,
  • Kennedy Malama,
  • Lloyd B. Mulenga,
  • Simon Agolory

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3201/eid2708.210502
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 27, no. 8
pp. 2166 – 2168

Abstract

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During the July 2020 first wave of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 in Zambia, PCR-measured prevalence was 13.4% among outpatients at health facilities, an absolute difference of 5.7% compared with prevalence among community members. This finding suggests that facility testing might be an effective strategy during high community transmission.

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