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News Scan for May 31, 2022
Vaccine-preventable COVID deaths;
Excess deaths during COVID-19;
Strawberry-linked hepatitis outbreak
Filed Under:
Hepatitis;
COVID-19;
Foodborne Disease
Study: Vaccine could have averted 75% of COVID deaths in some Chicago areas
About 75% of COVID-19 deaths in the least-vaccinated Chicago areas could have been prevented if their uptake would have equaled that of the highest-coverage areas during the Alpha and Delta variant surges, suggests a study late last week in JAMA Network Open.
University of Chicago researchers studied vaccine uptake and outcomes of 2,686,355 Chicago residents of 52 ZIP codes using data from the Chicago Department of Public Health and the Cook County Medical Examiner from Mar 1, 2020, to Nov 6, 2021.
Median age was 34 years, 51% were women, 29% were Hispanic, 29% were Black, and 33% were White. Of residents of areas with the lowest vaccination rates, 80% were Black, compared with 8% of those in the most-vaccinated quartile.
After the researchers controlled for age distribution and recovery from infection, they found that a 10-percentage-point increase in ZIP code–level vaccination 6 weeks before the Alpha peak was tied to a 39% lower relative risk of death (incidence rate ratio [IRR], 0.61; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.52 to 0.72).
Similarly, a 10-percentage-point increase in vaccination 6 weeks before Delta peaked was linked to a 24% lower risk of COVID-19 death (IRR, 0.76; 95% CI, 0.66 to 0.87). A difference-in-difference analysis showed that 119 Alpha deaths (72%; 95% CI, 63% to 81%]) and 108 Delta deaths (75%; 95% CI, 66% to 84%]) could have been prevented in the least-vaccinated quartile if uptake has been that of the most-vaccinated quartile.
"Prior to the vaccination campaign, there existed consistent parallel trends in pandemic mortality between the different parts of the city," the study authors wrote. "During the Alpha wave, a large gap in COVID-19 death rate opened between the most and least vaccinated zip codes and continued to widen throughout the Delta wave."
The researchers said that the vaccine disparity "likely reflects structural inequity in access to testing and surveillance practices."
May 27 JAMA Netw Open study
Excess deaths varied greatly across Canada during COVID-19
An analysis of excess deaths in Canada in 2020 and 2021 published today in CMAJ showed great variation in COVID-19 deaths by province, leading authors to call for more consistent reporting.
Though the United States has reported a 22% increase in excess deaths due to the pandemic, a previous analysis of public data from Canada showed only a 5% increase during the pandemic. Using province-level data from March 2020 through October 2021, the authors measured excess deaths in the pre-Omicron period in each province.
Overall, Quebec had the highest COVID-19 mortality rate. British Columbia, Alberta, and Saskatchewan had double or more overall excess mortality than the other provinces, excluding Quebec, but the authors note that a summer 2021 heat wave contributed to the rise in excess deaths in British Colombia. Excess deaths were lowest in Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia.
The authors said the wide differences in provinces require a more comprehensive method of counting COVID-19 deaths in the future.
"Some people with COVID-19 were never tested, particularly at the beginning of the pandemic when criteria for testing were limited," the authors wrote. "Furthermore, in subsequent waves, some jurisdictions may have had limited testing capacity. Deaths from COVID-19 that occurred in the community rather than in hospital may not have been reported as COVID-19 deaths."
The pandemic also reduced some common causes of excess deaths, including motor vehicle accidents and influenza-related deaths. Conversely, the pandemic increased opioid use in Canada, leading to more drug overdoses.
"Having confidence in the accuracy of data on COVID-19 deaths is key to understanding different provincial experiences of the pandemic and to distinguish whether provinces had a 'COVID-19 problem,' a broader mortality problem, or both," said study author Kim McGrail, PhD of the University of British Columbia in a CMAJ press release.
May 30 CMAJ study
May 30 CMAJ press release
Strawberries suspected in multistate hepatitis A outbreak
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced over the weekend that health officials in the United States and Canada are investigating a hepatitis A outbreaks that appears to be linked to fresh organic strawberries that carry FreshKampo and HEB branding.
In its announcement, the FDA said 17 illnesses have been reported in three states: California (15), Minnesota (1), and North Dakota (1). The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) reported 10 lab-confirmed cases in two provinces: Alberta (4) and Saskatchewan (6).
The FDA said trace-back investigations found that strawberries from the two brands were bought between Mar 5 and Apr 25 before patients got sick. The brands were sold nationwide at several major grocery chains. The latest illness onset for US cases is Apr 30, and 12 patients were hospitalized. No deaths were reported.
Though the strawberries are past their shelf life, the FDA said people may have frozen them for later consumption. They urged people to throw the frozen strawberries away if they aren't sure if they were from the two brands. The FDA also urged consumers who bought and ate the berries in the past 2 weeks to talk to their doctors about postexposure prophylaxis if not vaccinated against hepatitis A.
Some hepatitis A infections, which cause liver disease, are caused by eating or drinking contaminated food or water, which can occur when an infected food handler prepares food without proper handwashing technique. Symptoms occur within 15 to 50 days of exposure. Infections range from mild to severe, and people with underlying health conditions or compromised immune systems are most at risk.
May 28 FDA outbreak announcement
May 27 PHAC notice
News Scan for May 31, 2022
Vaccine-preventable COVID deaths;
Excess deaths during COVID-19;
Strawberry-linked hepatitis outbreak
Filed Under:
Hepatitis;
COVID-19;
Foodborne Disease
Study: Vaccine could have averted 75% of COVID deaths in some Chicago areas
About 75% of COVID-19 deaths in the least-vaccinated Chicago areas could have been prevented if their uptake would have equaled that of the highest-coverage areas during the Alpha and Delta variant surges, suggests a study late last week in JAMA Network Open.
University of Chicago researchers studied vaccine uptake and outcomes of 2,686,355 Chicago residents of 52 ZIP codes using data from the Chicago Department of Public Health and the Cook County Medical Examiner from Mar 1, 2020, to Nov 6, 2021.
Median age was 34 years, 51% were women, 29% were Hispanic, 29% were Black, and 33% were White. Of residents of areas with the lowest vaccination rates, 80% were Black, compared with 8% of those in the most-vaccinated quartile.
After the researchers controlled for age distribution and recovery from infection, they found that a 10-percentage-point increase in ZIP code–level vaccination 6 weeks before the Alpha peak was tied to a 39% lower relative risk of death (incidence rate ratio [IRR], 0.61; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.52 to 0.72).
Similarly, a 10-percentage-point increase in vaccination 6 weeks before Delta peaked was linked to a 24% lower risk of COVID-19 death (IRR, 0.76; 95% CI, 0.66 to 0.87). A difference-in-difference analysis showed that 119 Alpha deaths (72%; 95% CI, 63% to 81%]) and 108 Delta deaths (75%; 95% CI, 66% to 84%]) could have been prevented in the least-vaccinated quartile if uptake has been that of the most-vaccinated quartile.
"Prior to the vaccination campaign, there existed consistent parallel trends in pandemic mortality between the different parts of the city," the study authors wrote. "During the Alpha wave, a large gap in COVID-19 death rate opened between the most and least vaccinated zip codes and continued to widen throughout the Delta wave."
The researchers said that the vaccine disparity "likely reflects structural inequity in access to testing and surveillance practices."
May 27 JAMA Netw Open study
Excess deaths varied greatly across Canada during COVID-19
An analysis of excess deaths in Canada in 2020 and 2021 published today in CMAJ showed great variation in COVID-19 deaths by province, leading authors to call for more consistent reporting.
Though the United States has reported a 22% increase in excess deaths due to the pandemic, a previous analysis of public data from Canada showed only a 5% increase during the pandemic. Using province-level data from March 2020 through October 2021, the authors measured excess deaths in the pre-Omicron period in each province.
Overall, Quebec had the highest COVID-19 mortality rate. British Columbia, Alberta, and Saskatchewan had double or more overall excess mortality than the other provinces, excluding Quebec, but the authors note that a summer 2021 heat wave contributed to the rise in excess deaths in British Colombia. Excess deaths were lowest in Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia.
The authors said the wide differences in provinces require a more comprehensive method of counting COVID-19 deaths in the future.
"Some people with COVID-19 were never tested, particularly at the beginning of the pandemic when criteria for testing were limited," the authors wrote. "Furthermore, in subsequent waves, some jurisdictions may have had limited testing capacity. Deaths from COVID-19 that occurred in the community rather than in hospital may not have been reported as COVID-19 deaths."
The pandemic also reduced some common causes of excess deaths, including motor vehicle accidents and influenza-related deaths. Conversely, the pandemic increased opioid use in Canada, leading to more drug overdoses.
"Having confidence in the accuracy of data on COVID-19 deaths is key to understanding different provincial experiences of the pandemic and to distinguish whether provinces had a 'COVID-19 problem,' a broader mortality problem, or both," said study author Kim McGrail, PhD of the University of British Columbia in a CMAJ press release.
May 30 CMAJ study
May 30 CMAJ press release
Strawberries suspected in multistate hepatitis A outbreak
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced over the weekend that health officials in the United States and Canada are investigating a hepatitis A outbreaks that appears to be linked to fresh organic strawberries that carry FreshKampo and HEB branding.
In its announcement, the FDA said 17 illnesses have been reported in three states: California (15), Minnesota (1), and North Dakota (1). The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) reported 10 lab-confirmed cases in two provinces: Alberta (4) and Saskatchewan (6).
The FDA said trace-back investigations found that strawberries from the two brands were bought between Mar 5 and Apr 25 before patients got sick. The brands were sold nationwide at several major grocery chains. The latest illness onset for US cases is Apr 30, and 12 patients were hospitalized. No deaths were reported.
Though the strawberries are past their shelf life, the FDA said people may have frozen them for later consumption. They urged people to throw the frozen strawberries away if they aren't sure if they were from the two brands. The FDA also urged consumers who bought and ate the berries in the past 2 weeks to talk to their doctors about postexposure prophylaxis if not vaccinated against hepatitis A.
Some hepatitis A infections, which cause liver disease, are caused by eating or drinking contaminated food or water, which can occur when an infected food handler prepares food without proper handwashing technique. Symptoms occur within 15 to 50 days of exposure. Infections range from mild to severe, and people with underlying health conditions or compromised immune systems are most at risk.
May 28 FDA outbreak announcement
May 27 PHAC notice