An Epidemiological Report on Schools Transmission of COVID-19 in Al Bayda City, Libya
-
Naeima Houssein
- Alsalihin Majeed
- Emad Amkhatirha
- Abdelghffar F. Abdelghffar
- Asma Abubakr Mustafa
- Houssain Ali
Journal of Disease and Global Health,
Page 8-15
DOI:
10.56557/jodagh/2023/v16i18099
Abstract
Background: In the context of COVID-19, the reopening of schools and resuming the education process at the beginning of 2021, in the east of Libya were under international preventive measures. The aim of the present study was to provide an epidemiological report on the transmission of COVID-19 Cases in primary, preparatory, and secondary schools in Al Bayda city.
Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted from the 3rd to the 16th of March 2021. A non-probability sample of schools was included based on school health surveillance reports on suspected cases in 33 schools. From each school, 8 students and 2 staff members have been randomly selected with priority to any symptomatic person. The resultant sample consisted of 264 students, and 66 staff members. Data were collected on age, sex, class, and symptoms of COVID-19. A rapid antigen test was performed as a diagnostic test for COVID-19 to detect the presence of a viral antigen. The specimen was taken from the upper nasopharyngeal swab. A polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test further confirmed every positive rapid antigen test.
Results: Out of 330 participants tested, two specimens were positive from students and one sample was positive from staff members. Two male infected students were detected by the Ag rapid test from different schools. Whereas, one positive case among staff members was female. The infected students reported no symptoms. In contrast, the infected teacher-reported symptoms of Fever, Cough, Shortness of Breath, and Muscle or body aches.
Conclusion: This survey highlights epidemiological concern about COVID-19 among students and staff members in the school settings in Al Bayda and reflects the community transmission in the city. Therefore, prevention policies should be implemented to prevent further school and community outbreaks.
Keywords:
- COVID-19
- transmission
- school
- student
- Ag test
- Libya
How to Cite
Houssein, N., Majeed, A., Amkhatirha, E., Abdelghffar, A. F., Mustafa, A. A., & Ali, H. (2023). An Epidemiological Report on Schools Transmission of COVID-19 in Al Bayda City, Libya. Journal of Disease and Global Health, 16(1), 8-15. https://doi.org/10.56557/jodagh/2023/v16i18099
References
World Health Organization. Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) Situation Report—51. Geneva: WHO; 2020.
Available:https://www.who.int/docs/default-source/coronaviruse/situation-reports/20200426-sitrep-97-covid-19.pdf
European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC). COVID-19 in children and the role of school settings in COVID-19 transmission [Internet]. ECDC; [updated 6 August 2020].
Available:https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/publications-data/children-and-school-settings-covid-19-transmission
Torres JP, Piñera C, De La Maza V, Lagomarcino AJ, Simian D, Torres B, Urquidi C, Valenzuela MT, O'Ryan M. Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Antibody Prevalence in Blood in a Large School Community Subject to a Coronavirus Disease 2019 Outbreak: A Cross-sectional Study. Clin Infect Dis. 2021 Jul 15;73(2):e458-e465.
DOI: 10.1093/cid/ciaa955. PMID: 32649743; PMCID: PMC7454451
Available:https://academic.oup.com/cid/article/73/2/e458/5869860?login=false
Rajmil L. Role of children in the transmission of the COVID-19 pandemic: a rapid scoping review BMJ Paediatrics Open. 2020;4:e000722. DOI: 10.1136/bmjpo-2020-000722 Available:https://bmjpaedsopen.bmj.com/content/4/1/e000722
Li Y, Campbell H, Kulkarni D, et al. The temporal association of introducing and lifting non-pharmaceutical interventions with the time-varying reproduction number (R) of SARS-CoV-2: a modelling study across 131 countries. Lancet Infect Dis 2021;21:193–202.
Available:https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33729915/
Stein-Zamir C, Abramson N, Shoob H, et al. A large COVID-19 outbreak in a high school 10 days after schools’ reopening, Israel, May 2020. Eurosurveillance. 2020;25:2001352
Available:https://www.eurosurveillance.org/content/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2020.25.29.2001352
Ingelbeen B, Peckeu L, Laga M. Reducing contacts to stop SARSCoV-2 transmission during the second pandemic wave in Brussels. Belgium; 2020.
Available:https://medrxiv.org/cgi/content/short/2020.12.23. 20248795
Panovska-Griffiths J, Kerr CC, Stuart RM, et al. Determining the optimal strategy for reopening schools, the impact of test and trace interventions, and the risk of occurrence of a second COVID-19 epidemic wave in the UK: a modelling study. Lancet Child Adolesc Health. 2020;4:817–27.
Available:https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32758453/
Heikkinen T. Influenza in children. Acta Paediatr 2006;95:778–84.
Available:https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16801171/
Walsh S, Chowdhury A, Braithwaite V, Russell S, Birch JM, Ward JL, Waddington C, Brayne C, Bonell C, Viner RM, Mytton OT. Do school closures and school re-openings affect community transmission of COVID-19? A systematic review of observational studies. BMJ Open. 2021 Aug 17;11(8): e053371.
DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2021-053371. PMID: 34404718; PMCID: PMC8375447
Available:https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/11/8/e053371.long
Krishnaratne S, Pfadenhauer LM, Coenen M, Geffert K, Jung-Sievers C, Klinger C, Kratzer S, Littlecott H, Movsisyan A, Rabe JE, Rehfuess E, Sell K, Strahwald B, Stratil JM, Voss S, Wabnitz K, Burns J. Measures implemented in the school setting to contain the COVID-19 pandemic: a scoping review. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2020;12(12):CD013812. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD013812. PMID: 33331665; PMCID: PMC9206727
Available:https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD015029/full
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Adverse consequences of school closures [22 July 2020]. Available:https://en.unesco.org/covid19/educationresponse/consequences
Courtney D, Watson P, Battaglia M, Mulsant BH, Szatmari P. COVID-19 Impacts on Child and Youth Anxiety and Depression: Challenges and Opportunities. Canadian Journal of Psychiatry. 2020:706743720935646.
Available:https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0706743720935646?url_ver=Z39.882003&rfr_id=ori:rid:crossref.org&rfr_dat=cr_pub%20%200pubmed
Norman RE, Byambaa M, De R, Butchart A, Scott J, Vos T. The long-term health consequences of child physical abuse, emotional abuse, and neglect: a systematic review and meta-analysis. PLoS Med. 2012;9(11):e1001349
Available:https://journals.plos.org/plosmedicine/article?id=10.1371/journal.pmed.1001349
World Health Organization. Key Messages and Actions for COVID-19 Prevention and Control in Schools.
Available:https://www.who.int/docs/default-source/coronaviruse/key-messages-and-actions-for-covid-19-prevention-and-control-in-schools-march-2020
Centres for disease control and prevention. Operating schools during COVID-19: CDC's Considerations.
Available:https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/schools-childcare/schools.html
Centres for disease control and prevention. Testing, Screening, and Outbreak Response for Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs)
Available:https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/colleges-universities/ihe-testing.html#considerations-for-testing-strategy
Naeima Houssein, Alsalihin Majeed , Emad Amkhatirha , Abdelghffar F. Abdelghffar , Asma Abubakr Mustafa and Houssain Ali6 .Transmission of COVID-19 in Public and Private Schools in Benghazi, Libya: 13th -28th February. 2021;7(1):32-37, 2021. Available:https://journalajrid.com/index.php/AJRID/article/view/129
Simple Map. Libyan cities databases. Acceded 16 February 2023. Available from : https://simplemaps.com/data/ly-cities
European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. COVID-19 testing strategies and objectives. 15 September 2020. ECDC: Stockholm; 2020. Available:https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/sites/default/files/documents/TestingStrategy_Objective-Sept-2020.pdf
Guan W.-J., Ni Z.-Y., Hu Y., Liang W.-H., Ou C.-Q., He J.-X., Liu L., Shan H., Lei C.-L., Hui D.S., et al. Clinical Characteristics of Coronavirus Disease 2019 in China. N. Engl. J. Med. 2020;382:1708–1720.
DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa2002032.
Available:https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/nejmoa2002032
Chang TH, Wu JL, Chang LY. Clinical characteristics and diagnostic challenges of pediatric COVID-19: A systematic review and meta-analysis. J Formos Med Assoc. 2020 May;119(5):982-989.
DOI: 10.1016/j.jfma.2020.04.007
Available:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7161491/
Lu X, Zhang L, Du H, Zhang J, Li YY, Qu J, Zhang W, Wang Y, Bao S, Li Y, Wu C, Liu H, Liu D, Shao J, Peng X, Yang Y, Liu Z, Xiang Y, Zhang F, Silva RM, Pinkerton KE, Shen K, Xiao H, Xu S, Wong GWK; Chinese Pediatric Novel Coronavirus Study Team. SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Children. N Engl J.
Available:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7121177/
Hong K, Yum SJ, Kim JH, Chun BC. Re-estimation of basic reproduction number of COVID-19 based on the epidemic curve by symptom onset date. Epidemiol Infect. 2021 Feb 22;149:e53.
DOI: 10.1017/S0950268821000431. PMID: 33612125; PMCID: PMC7925979
Available:https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33612125/
Centres for disease control and prevention. Lesson 6: Investigating an Outbreak. Accessed page last reviewed: September 15, 2016. Acceded 16 February 2023
Available:https://www.cdc.gov/csels/dsepd/ss1978/lesson6/section2.html
Salah Awami. 2018.Investigation of Libyan Public Health Surveillance System: Health Informatics Perspective. Conference Paper.
Available:https://www.researchgate.net/publication/327189530
World Health Organization. Health Response to COVID-19 in Libya: WHO update 22- Reporting period: 10-22 December 2020. 2020.
Available:https://reliefweb.int/report/libya/who-libya-health-response-covid-19-libya-update-22-reporting-period-10-23-december-2020. Accessed: 14 February 2023
Available:https://reliefweb.int/report/libya/who-libya-health-response-covid-19-libya-update-22-reporting-period-10-23-december-2020
World Health Organization. Libya: Fighting COVID-19 in times of conflict. 2020. Accessed: 14 February 2023
Available:https://www.emro.who.int/lby/libya-news/libya-fighting-covid-19-in-times-of-conflict.html
Daw MA. Libyan healthcare system during the armed conflict: challenges and restoration. Afr J Emer Med. (2017) 7:47. DOI: 10.1016/j.afjem.2017.04.010 Available: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6234156/
Daw MA, El-Bouzedi AH, Ahmed MO. The Epidemiological and Spatiotemporal Characteristics of the 2019 Novel Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) in Libya. Front Public Health. 2021 Jun 14;9:628211. DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2021.628211. PMID: 34195168; PMCID: PMC8236517.
Available:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8236517/pdf/fpubh-09-628211.pdf
Bredan A, Bakoush O. COVID-19 epidemic in Libya. Libyan J Med. 2021;16(1):1871798.
DOI: 10.1080/19932820.2021.1871798. PMID: 33407008; PMCID: PMC7801096
Available:COVID-19 epidemic in Libya - PubMed (nih.gov)
Available:https://www.who.int/docs/default-source/coronaviruse/situation-reports/20200426-sitrep-97-covid-19.pdf
European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC). COVID-19 in children and the role of school settings in COVID-19 transmission [Internet]. ECDC; [updated 6 August 2020].
Available:https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/publications-data/children-and-school-settings-covid-19-transmission
Torres JP, Piñera C, De La Maza V, Lagomarcino AJ, Simian D, Torres B, Urquidi C, Valenzuela MT, O'Ryan M. Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Antibody Prevalence in Blood in a Large School Community Subject to a Coronavirus Disease 2019 Outbreak: A Cross-sectional Study. Clin Infect Dis. 2021 Jul 15;73(2):e458-e465.
DOI: 10.1093/cid/ciaa955. PMID: 32649743; PMCID: PMC7454451
Available:https://academic.oup.com/cid/article/73/2/e458/5869860?login=false
Rajmil L. Role of children in the transmission of the COVID-19 pandemic: a rapid scoping review BMJ Paediatrics Open. 2020;4:e000722. DOI: 10.1136/bmjpo-2020-000722 Available:https://bmjpaedsopen.bmj.com/content/4/1/e000722
Li Y, Campbell H, Kulkarni D, et al. The temporal association of introducing and lifting non-pharmaceutical interventions with the time-varying reproduction number (R) of SARS-CoV-2: a modelling study across 131 countries. Lancet Infect Dis 2021;21:193–202.
Available:https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33729915/
Stein-Zamir C, Abramson N, Shoob H, et al. A large COVID-19 outbreak in a high school 10 days after schools’ reopening, Israel, May 2020. Eurosurveillance. 2020;25:2001352
Available:https://www.eurosurveillance.org/content/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2020.25.29.2001352
Ingelbeen B, Peckeu L, Laga M. Reducing contacts to stop SARSCoV-2 transmission during the second pandemic wave in Brussels. Belgium; 2020.
Available:https://medrxiv.org/cgi/content/short/2020.12.23. 20248795
Panovska-Griffiths J, Kerr CC, Stuart RM, et al. Determining the optimal strategy for reopening schools, the impact of test and trace interventions, and the risk of occurrence of a second COVID-19 epidemic wave in the UK: a modelling study. Lancet Child Adolesc Health. 2020;4:817–27.
Available:https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32758453/
Heikkinen T. Influenza in children. Acta Paediatr 2006;95:778–84.
Available:https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16801171/
Walsh S, Chowdhury A, Braithwaite V, Russell S, Birch JM, Ward JL, Waddington C, Brayne C, Bonell C, Viner RM, Mytton OT. Do school closures and school re-openings affect community transmission of COVID-19? A systematic review of observational studies. BMJ Open. 2021 Aug 17;11(8): e053371.
DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2021-053371. PMID: 34404718; PMCID: PMC8375447
Available:https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/11/8/e053371.long
Krishnaratne S, Pfadenhauer LM, Coenen M, Geffert K, Jung-Sievers C, Klinger C, Kratzer S, Littlecott H, Movsisyan A, Rabe JE, Rehfuess E, Sell K, Strahwald B, Stratil JM, Voss S, Wabnitz K, Burns J. Measures implemented in the school setting to contain the COVID-19 pandemic: a scoping review. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2020;12(12):CD013812. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD013812. PMID: 33331665; PMCID: PMC9206727
Available:https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD015029/full
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Adverse consequences of school closures [22 July 2020]. Available:https://en.unesco.org/covid19/educationresponse/consequences
Courtney D, Watson P, Battaglia M, Mulsant BH, Szatmari P. COVID-19 Impacts on Child and Youth Anxiety and Depression: Challenges and Opportunities. Canadian Journal of Psychiatry. 2020:706743720935646.
Available:https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0706743720935646?url_ver=Z39.882003&rfr_id=ori:rid:crossref.org&rfr_dat=cr_pub%20%200pubmed
Norman RE, Byambaa M, De R, Butchart A, Scott J, Vos T. The long-term health consequences of child physical abuse, emotional abuse, and neglect: a systematic review and meta-analysis. PLoS Med. 2012;9(11):e1001349
Available:https://journals.plos.org/plosmedicine/article?id=10.1371/journal.pmed.1001349
World Health Organization. Key Messages and Actions for COVID-19 Prevention and Control in Schools.
Available:https://www.who.int/docs/default-source/coronaviruse/key-messages-and-actions-for-covid-19-prevention-and-control-in-schools-march-2020
Centres for disease control and prevention. Operating schools during COVID-19: CDC's Considerations.
Available:https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/schools-childcare/schools.html
Centres for disease control and prevention. Testing, Screening, and Outbreak Response for Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs)
Available:https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/colleges-universities/ihe-testing.html#considerations-for-testing-strategy
Naeima Houssein, Alsalihin Majeed , Emad Amkhatirha , Abdelghffar F. Abdelghffar , Asma Abubakr Mustafa and Houssain Ali6 .Transmission of COVID-19 in Public and Private Schools in Benghazi, Libya: 13th -28th February. 2021;7(1):32-37, 2021. Available:https://journalajrid.com/index.php/AJRID/article/view/129
Simple Map. Libyan cities databases. Acceded 16 February 2023. Available from : https://simplemaps.com/data/ly-cities
European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. COVID-19 testing strategies and objectives. 15 September 2020. ECDC: Stockholm; 2020. Available:https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/sites/default/files/documents/TestingStrategy_Objective-Sept-2020.pdf
Guan W.-J., Ni Z.-Y., Hu Y., Liang W.-H., Ou C.-Q., He J.-X., Liu L., Shan H., Lei C.-L., Hui D.S., et al. Clinical Characteristics of Coronavirus Disease 2019 in China. N. Engl. J. Med. 2020;382:1708–1720.
DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa2002032.
Available:https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/nejmoa2002032
Chang TH, Wu JL, Chang LY. Clinical characteristics and diagnostic challenges of pediatric COVID-19: A systematic review and meta-analysis. J Formos Med Assoc. 2020 May;119(5):982-989.
DOI: 10.1016/j.jfma.2020.04.007
Available:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7161491/
Lu X, Zhang L, Du H, Zhang J, Li YY, Qu J, Zhang W, Wang Y, Bao S, Li Y, Wu C, Liu H, Liu D, Shao J, Peng X, Yang Y, Liu Z, Xiang Y, Zhang F, Silva RM, Pinkerton KE, Shen K, Xiao H, Xu S, Wong GWK; Chinese Pediatric Novel Coronavirus Study Team. SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Children. N Engl J.
Available:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7121177/
Hong K, Yum SJ, Kim JH, Chun BC. Re-estimation of basic reproduction number of COVID-19 based on the epidemic curve by symptom onset date. Epidemiol Infect. 2021 Feb 22;149:e53.
DOI: 10.1017/S0950268821000431. PMID: 33612125; PMCID: PMC7925979
Available:https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33612125/
Centres for disease control and prevention. Lesson 6: Investigating an Outbreak. Accessed page last reviewed: September 15, 2016. Acceded 16 February 2023
Available:https://www.cdc.gov/csels/dsepd/ss1978/lesson6/section2.html
Salah Awami. 2018.Investigation of Libyan Public Health Surveillance System: Health Informatics Perspective. Conference Paper.
Available:https://www.researchgate.net/publication/327189530
World Health Organization. Health Response to COVID-19 in Libya: WHO update 22- Reporting period: 10-22 December 2020. 2020.
Available:https://reliefweb.int/report/libya/who-libya-health-response-covid-19-libya-update-22-reporting-period-10-23-december-2020. Accessed: 14 February 2023
Available:https://reliefweb.int/report/libya/who-libya-health-response-covid-19-libya-update-22-reporting-period-10-23-december-2020
World Health Organization. Libya: Fighting COVID-19 in times of conflict. 2020. Accessed: 14 February 2023
Available:https://www.emro.who.int/lby/libya-news/libya-fighting-covid-19-in-times-of-conflict.html
Daw MA. Libyan healthcare system during the armed conflict: challenges and restoration. Afr J Emer Med. (2017) 7:47. DOI: 10.1016/j.afjem.2017.04.010 Available: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6234156/
Daw MA, El-Bouzedi AH, Ahmed MO. The Epidemiological and Spatiotemporal Characteristics of the 2019 Novel Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) in Libya. Front Public Health. 2021 Jun 14;9:628211. DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2021.628211. PMID: 34195168; PMCID: PMC8236517.
Available:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8236517/pdf/fpubh-09-628211.pdf
Bredan A, Bakoush O. COVID-19 epidemic in Libya. Libyan J Med. 2021;16(1):1871798.
DOI: 10.1080/19932820.2021.1871798. PMID: 33407008; PMCID: PMC7801096
Available:COVID-19 epidemic in Libya - PubMed (nih.gov)
-
Abstract View: 43 times
PDF Download: 7 times
Download Statistics
Downloads
Download data is not yet available.
Subscription
Login to access subscriber-only resources.
Information