Effectiveness of contact tracing to reduce fatality from COVID-19: preliminary evidence from Colombia.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

Conducting contact tracing (CT) programs in low- and middle-income countries is challenging, and there is no evidence of their effectiveness in Latin America. We evaluated the effectiveness of CT on reducing fatality from COVID-19 in Colombia.

Study design

The study design is a retrospective cohort study with nation-wide data of suspected and confirmed cases of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS-CoV-2) infection and their registered contacts.

Methods

We analyzed confirmed and suspected COVID-19 cases and their chains of contact using a nation-wide registry from March 28, 2020 to January 13, 2021. To estimate the effect of CT on fatality, we adjusted a multilevel negative binomial model using the number of deaths and the number of people within a chain of contacts as the outcome variable and offset variable, respectively. Sensitivity analysis was conducted using different cutoff values of contacts traced and a logistic model for the effect of CT on death at an individual level.

Results

We analyzed 1.4 million cases, 542,936 chains of contact, and 46,087 deaths. Only, 5.8% of total cases and contacts were included in a chain of a case and five or more contacts. We found that tracing of at least five contacts per case reduces fatality by 48% (95% confidence interval: 45-51), and, at the current levels of tracing in Colombia, it prevents 1.8% of deaths. Results obtained from the sensitivity analysis were consistent with the reduction of fatality at an individual level and higher protective effect with the higher number of contacts traced.

Conclusions

In Colombia, tracing of at least five contacts per case reduces fatality from COVID-19. The coverage and intensity of tracing needs to be increased as a strategy to mitigate fatality in Colombia.

SUBMITTER: Fernandez-Nino JA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8289626 | biostudies-literature |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature