Mozambique: Low coronavirus prevalence in Lichinga

Login

Register

http://www.clubofmozambique.com/

Mozambique: Low coronavirus prevalence in Lichinga

9:53 CAT | 22 Oct 2020

Photo: O País

An epidemiological survey in the northern Mozambican city of Lichinga, capital of the northern province of Niassa, has shown that only 0.3 per cent of the city’s population has been exposed to the coronavirus, which causes the Covid-19 respiratory disease.

The survey, undertaken by the National Health Institute (INS), covered a sample of 3,783 people aged between 14 and 60, and was held between 28 September and 16 October. The preliminary results were announced in Lichinga on Monday night.

This survey, like earlier surveys held in other Mozambican cities, used a simple blood test. This does not show whether the person tested is currently infected with the coronavirus, but it does show whether there are coronavirus antibodies in his bloodstream, which is evidence that he has been in contact with the virus.

In addition to a random sample of Lichinga households, the survey also looked at key professional groups, such as market sellers, transporters, health workers and police.

The residential areas with the highest exposure to the coronavirus were the Sanjala and Popular neighbourhoods, where three per cent and one per cent of the sample had the antibodies in their blood.

Among the professional groups, the highest risk is faced by inter-provincial truck drivers, 4.8 per cent of whom were carrying the antibodies. The prevalence among health workers and the police was 1.8 and 1.5 per cent respectively.

As for Lichinga markets, the Central and Chiauala markets had a prevalence of 0.3 per cent among the sellers. No cases at all were detected in the other markets. The average exposure among the market sellers was 0.2 per cent.

To date, there have been 245 cases of Covid-19 in Niassa, mostly in Lichinga. 171 have made a full recovery and 74 cases are regarded as active. No Covid-19 deaths have been reported from Niassa.

Source: AIM