STUDY TO INVESTIGATE COVID-19 DEATHS IN GAUTENG HOSPITALS AND COMMUNITIES
Abstract
The SARS-CoV-2 virus epidemic in South Africa has to date resulted in over 2.7 million confirmed cases as of 31 August 2021 with 32.6% (South African Department of Health, 2021) of the cases overall from Gauteng province.
South Africa is now in the throes of a resurgence of COVID-1[a9 cases and Gauteng province is just coming out the third wave. Issues of concern are the detection of a new variants such the SARS-CoV-2 variant (501Y.V2) which seems to be accounting for the high transmission of the virus. The Delta variate has been shown to be more transmissible, thus there are concerns about the impact that such infections have on the health sector- in particular hospital admissions and deaths.
At the same time, the National Department of Health is rolling out an aggressive risk stratified vaccination strategy as an additional strategy to improve herd immunity within the South African population.
Phase 2 Objectives
1. Describe COVID-19 mortality rates within hospitals compared to non-Covid-19 deaths
2. To quantify risk of death based on clinical presentations (patterns and groups of symptoms), severity of disease, clinical management, and other factors such as age, length of stay, readmission, relative severity of comorbidities (atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, non-atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease e.g., atrial fibrillation and heart failure, cerebrovascular disease, peripheral arterial disease, obesity, chronic pulmonary disease, malignancy) for COVID-19 related deaths
3. To identify biomarkers of severity of COVID-19 that are associated with mortality that could be used as indicators of prognosis e.g., inflammatory markers (C-reactive protein, D-dimer, lymphocytes, lactate dehydrogenase etc.); hypoxia (lung function, radiological/ CT changes), damage to other organs (e.g., kidneys, cardiac manifestations) and in-hospital complications
4. To validate COVID-19 reported mortality figures using the death certificate and mortuary registers
5. Assess the perspective of Data captures, HIM personnel and Clinicians on COVID mortality statistics management and quality improvement initiatives
