tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
North Clin Istanb
. 2020 Oct 5;7(5):443-451.
doi: 10.14744/nci.2020.87846. eCollection 2020.
A comparative analysis of the COVID-19 pandemic response: The case of Turkey
Engin Ersin Simsek[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Abdullah Emre Guner[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Seval Kul[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Zuhal Karakurt[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Kemal Tekesin[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Suayip Birinci[SUP] 6 [/SUP]
Affiliations
Abstract
Objective: COVID-19 has spread worldwide and leads to an increased risk of mortality. We aimed to analyze what actions have been effective in fighting COVID-19 in Turkey with a comparison to pandemic-affected countries.
Methods: This was a retrospective observational cross-sectional study. The Republic of Turkey Ministry of Health official web page includes data reported daily from 11 March to 26 April. Global COVID-19 data were recorded daily from https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/country/. Data were analyzed for 31 days according to Intensive Care Unit (ICU) admission, intubation and mortality rates. Segmented regression analysis was used. The results from COVID-19-affected countries were compared with the results from Turkey for the first 65 days.
Results: In total, 889.742 tests were performed (positive=110.130 [12.37%]). The mortality rate was 2.55% (n=2805) on 27 April 2020. The annual percent change (APC) values of the cases showed 5 segments ([23.1], [14.7] [11.4], [3.7], [0.7]; each p=0.001). ICU admission showed 4 segments (APC: [3.1, p=0.001], [-2.2, p=0.10], [-7.6, p=0.001], [-4.5, p=0.001]). The decline of APC for intubation rates showed 5 segments (APC: [1.1, p=0.10], [-1.1,p=0.001], [-2.0, p=0.001], [-0.4, p=0.40], [-2.7, p=0.001]). The mortality rates showed 4 segments (APC: [-6.3, p=0.001], [8.4, p=0.001], [0.2, p=0.30], [1.4, p=0.001]). Deaths were reported per 1 million individuals for the first 65 days: Spain 11.6%, Italy 11.4%, UK 11.3%, France 11.1%, USA 10.3%, Germany 8.4%, Iran 8.2%, Turkey 7.5%, South Korea 4.1% and China 2.4%.
Conclusion: Public health policies and protocols to combat COVID-19 helped control the spread and decrease positive cases and mortality rates in Turkey. Turkey managed COVID-19 better than Spain, Italy, UK, France, USA and Turkey managed COVID-19 similarly to Germany and Iran. China and South Korea were best at managing COVID-19.
Keywords: Covid-19; Turkey; intubation rate; mortality rate; public health policies.
. 2020 Oct 5;7(5):443-451.
doi: 10.14744/nci.2020.87846. eCollection 2020.
A comparative analysis of the COVID-19 pandemic response: The case of Turkey
Engin Ersin Simsek[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Abdullah Emre Guner[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Seval Kul[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Zuhal Karakurt[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Kemal Tekesin[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Suayip Birinci[SUP] 6 [/SUP]
Affiliations
- PMID: 33163879
- PMCID: PMC7603852
- DOI: 10.14744/nci.2020.87846
Abstract
Objective: COVID-19 has spread worldwide and leads to an increased risk of mortality. We aimed to analyze what actions have been effective in fighting COVID-19 in Turkey with a comparison to pandemic-affected countries.
Methods: This was a retrospective observational cross-sectional study. The Republic of Turkey Ministry of Health official web page includes data reported daily from 11 March to 26 April. Global COVID-19 data were recorded daily from https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/country/. Data were analyzed for 31 days according to Intensive Care Unit (ICU) admission, intubation and mortality rates. Segmented regression analysis was used. The results from COVID-19-affected countries were compared with the results from Turkey for the first 65 days.
Results: In total, 889.742 tests were performed (positive=110.130 [12.37%]). The mortality rate was 2.55% (n=2805) on 27 April 2020. The annual percent change (APC) values of the cases showed 5 segments ([23.1], [14.7] [11.4], [3.7], [0.7]; each p=0.001). ICU admission showed 4 segments (APC: [3.1, p=0.001], [-2.2, p=0.10], [-7.6, p=0.001], [-4.5, p=0.001]). The decline of APC for intubation rates showed 5 segments (APC: [1.1, p=0.10], [-1.1,p=0.001], [-2.0, p=0.001], [-0.4, p=0.40], [-2.7, p=0.001]). The mortality rates showed 4 segments (APC: [-6.3, p=0.001], [8.4, p=0.001], [0.2, p=0.30], [1.4, p=0.001]). Deaths were reported per 1 million individuals for the first 65 days: Spain 11.6%, Italy 11.4%, UK 11.3%, France 11.1%, USA 10.3%, Germany 8.4%, Iran 8.2%, Turkey 7.5%, South Korea 4.1% and China 2.4%.
Conclusion: Public health policies and protocols to combat COVID-19 helped control the spread and decrease positive cases and mortality rates in Turkey. Turkey managed COVID-19 better than Spain, Italy, UK, France, USA and Turkey managed COVID-19 similarly to Germany and Iran. China and South Korea were best at managing COVID-19.
Keywords: Covid-19; Turkey; intubation rate; mortality rate; public health policies.