Kritische Blicke auf die Coronakrise und ihre Folgen
Kritische Blicke auf die Coronakrise und ihre Folgen

Impact of omicron subvariants in South Africa.

Waasila Jassat et al.: Trends in Cases, Hospitalization and Mortality Related to the Omicron BA.4/BA.5 Sub-Variants in South Africa, in: Clinical infectious diseases (December 1, 2022), online in: https://doi.org/10.1093/cid/ciac921.

Abstract

Background: This study compared admission incidence risk across waves, and the risk of mortality in the Omicron BA.4/BA.5 wave, to the Omicron BA.1/BA.2 and Delta waves.

Methods: Data from South Africa’s national hospital surveillance system, SARS-CoV-2 case linelist and Electronic Vaccine Data System were linked and analysed. Wave periods were defined when the country passed a weekly incidence of 30 cases/100,000 people. In-hospital case fatality ratios (CFR) in the Delta, Omicron BA.1/BA.2 and Omicron BA.4/BA.5 wave periods were compared by post-imputation random effect multivariable logistic regression models.

Results: The CFR was 25.9% (N = 37,538/144,778), 10.9% (N = 6,123/56,384) and 8.2% (N = 1,212/14,879) in the Delta, Omicron BA.1/BA.2, and Omicron BA.4/BA.5 waves respectively. After adjusting for age, sex, race, comorbidities, health sector and province, compared to the Omicron BA.4/BA.5 wave, patients had higher risk of mortality in the Omicron BA.1/BA.2 wave (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.3; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.2-1.4) and Delta (aOR 3.0; 95% CI 2.8-3.2) wave. Being partially vaccinated (aOR 0.9, CI 0.9-0.9), fully vaccinated (aOR 0.6, CI 0.6-0.7) and boosted (aOR 0.4, CI 0.4-0.5); and prior laboratory-confirmed infection (aOR 0.4, CI 0.3-0.4) were associated with reduced risks of mortality.

Conclusion: Overall, admission incidence risk and in-hospital mortality, which had increased progressively in South Africa’s first three waves, decreased in the fourth Omicron BA.1/BA.2 wave and declined even further in the fifth Omicron BA.4/BA.5 wave. Mortality risk was lower in those with natural infection and vaccination, declining further as the number of vaccine doses increased.

Link to the article on the Oxford University Press (OUP) page.

Link to the download of the article as a PDF file from the page OUP