Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42000998›Full record

ArticleBMC infectious diseases2026

Public health surveillance: characterizing the Covid 19 pandemic in the Monze district, Zambia.

William Nsemani, Bismark Sarfo, Fortress Yayra Aku, Delia Bandoh, Charles Noora, Donne Ameme, Emmanuel Kooma, Mildred Mwanja, Benedicta Atsu, Ernest Kenu

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Article in BMC infectious diseases, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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1 · What the graph read from it

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2 · The registry

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3 · Its place in the literature

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

William NsemaniGhana Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Programme, School of Public Health, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana. nsemaniwilliam@gmail.com.
Bismark SarfoGhana Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Programme, School of Public Health, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana.
Fortress Yayra AkuDepartment of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Fred Binka School of Public Health, University of Health and Allied Sciences, Hohoe, Ghana.
Delia BandohGhana Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Programme, School of Public Health, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana.
Charles NooraGhana Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Programme, School of Public Health, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana.
Donne AmemeGhana Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Programme, School of Public Health, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana.
Emmanuel KoomaCity University of Science and Technology, Lusaka, Zambia.
Mildred MwanjaMinistry of Health, Monze District Health Office, Monze, Zambia.
Benedicta AtsuGhana Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Programme, School of Public Health, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana.
Ernest KenuGhana Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Programme, School of Public Health, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundCOVID – 19 remains a public health threat, posing negative socio-economic and health impacts globally. The Zambian government instituted control measures against COVID 19 pandemic thus conducting public health surveillance is essential to target surveillance insights. The inclusion of the COVID – 19 into the Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response (IDSR) demands for regular analysis of data to inform decisions. This analysis was done to assess COVID – 19 descriptively, and to determine the factors associated with its mortalities in Monze district.

methodsWe conducted a retrospective data analysis on COVID – 19 cases and mortalities for the period 1st June 2020 to 30th June 2022 in Monze district. The data were extracted from Monze district COVID – 19 master line list. The data were cleaned using Microsoft Excel version 2013 and analyzed using Epi-Info version 7.2.5.0. Frequencies and proportions were calculated and results presented in tables and graphs.

resultsBetween June 2020 and June 2022, Monze district recorded 3141 cases of COVID – 19, where 54.2% (n = 1702) were females. The median age was 31 years (IQR 22–43) with the case fatality rate of 2.5% (n = 77). Most 71.3% (n = 2239) of the people who were infected reside in the urban area. The highest number of cases 28.5% (n = 895) were from the age group 20–29 years. A total of 77 deaths were recorded with majority 66% (n = 51) being males. More than half (53.2%) of mortality was recorded from age group 70 years and above. Majority of the cases 29.0% (n = 912) and mortalities 32.5% (n = 25) occurred in June 2021. The commonest signs and symptoms were cough 96.8% (n = 3039) and fever 96.4% (n = 3027). Sex and age were associated with COVID – 19 mortalities.

conclusionMore females were infected with COVID – 19, however, more males died from COVID – 19. The highly infected age group was 20–29 years, nonetheless, higher mortalities were recorded in the age group 70 years and above. Majority of the cases were from urban areas. The highest number of cases and mortalities occurred in June 2021. Cough and fever were the commonest signs and symptoms. Further studies are required to determine higher reported cases among females, urban settings, 20–29 age group and deaths in the elderly.

Indexed as

COVID-19Public Health SurveillanceAdolescentAdultAgedChildChild, PreschoolFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedPandemicsRetrospective StudiesSARS-CoV-2Young AdultZambiaCoughCOVID – 19Monze districtMortalitiesZambia

Identifiers

PMID42000998
PMCPMC13220462

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.