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Review
. 2022 Dec;28(13):S114-S120.
doi: 10.3201/eid2813.221068.

Community-Based Surveillance and Geographic Information System‒Linked Contact Tracing in COVID-19 Case Identification, Ghana, March‒June 2020

Ernest Kenu, Danielle T Barradas, Delia A Bandoh, Joseph A Frimpong, Charles L Noora, Franklin A Bekoe
Review

Community-Based Surveillance and Geographic Information System‒Linked Contact Tracing in COVID-19 Case Identification, Ghana, March‒June 2020

Ernest Kenu et al. Emerg Infect Dis. 2022 Dec.

Abstract

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Ghana implemented various mitigation strategies. We describe use of geographic information system (GIS)‒linked contact tracing and increased community-based surveillance (CBS) to help control spread of COVID-19 in Ghana. GIS-linked contact tracing was conducted during March 31-June 16, 2020, in 43 urban districts across 6 regions, and 1-time reverse transcription PCR testing of all persons within a 2-km radius of a confirmed case was performed. CBS was intensified in 6 rural districts during the same period. We extracted and analyzed data from Surveillance Outbreak Response Management and Analysis System and CBS registers. A total of 3,202 COVID-19 cases reported through GIS-linked contact tracing were associated with a 4-fold increase in the weekly number of reported SARS-CoV-2 infected cases. CBS identified 5.1% (8/157) of confirmed cases in 6 districts assessed. Adaptation of new methods, such as GIS-linked contact tracing and intensified CBS, improved COVID-19 case detection in Ghana.

Keywords: COVID-19; GIS; Ghana; case identification; community-based surveillance; contact tracing; coronavirus disease; districts; geographic information system; respiratory infections; zoonoses.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Sample spatial distribution of initial COVID-19 cases defining 2 km buffer around confirmed cases before geographic positioning system‒linked contact tracing, Greater Accra Region, Ghana, March 31, 2022. Insets show location of study area in Greater Accra and of Greater Accra in Ghana.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Sample spatial distribution of new COVID-19 cases identified after geographic positioning system‒linked contact tracing, Greater Accra Region, Ghana, May 16, 2020. Insets show location of study area in Greater Accra and of Greater Accra in Ghana. Large red circles indicate initial cases, and small red circles indicate cases after ECT. ECT, enhanced contact tracing.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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