TITLE:
Impact of COVID-19 on Malaria: Clinical Changes before and during the COVID-19 Pandemic
AUTHORS:
Volatiana Andriananja, Etienne Rakotomijoro, Johary Andriamizaka, Andry Elody Christophe, Rado Lazasoa Andrianasolo, Mamy Jean De Dieu Randria
KEYWORDS:
Malaria, COVID-19, Impact, Severity, Madagascar
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Access Library Journal,
Vol.11 No.11,
November
12,
2024
ABSTRACT: Malaria is a parasitic disease that has always been controlled by national programs worldwide but still remains a public health problem. COVID-19 continues to spread and have an impact on pre-existing diseases such as malaria. The management of COVID-19 and the malaria is difficult in low income countries because the two main diseases share the same symptoms and require regular screening. Our study is aimed to evaluate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the epidemiological and clinical profile of malaria in a referral center in Madagascar. It was a retrospective comparative study, the study period was subdivided into two: before COVID-19 1st January to 31st December 2019 and during COVID-19 1st January 2020 to 31st September, 2021 in Infectious Disease department, a reference center for management of malaria and COVID-19. We retained 113 patients including 69 cases before COVID-19 and 44 cases during COVID-19. The statistical tests used for comparison were the parametric chi2 and exact Fischer tests with a significant threshold p ≤ 0.05. Even if the frequency of malaria decreased to 44 (38.94%), severe malaria (n = 44; 42.31%) is the predominant clinical form during COVID-19 period. Furthermore, the mean duration of disease progression to severe malaria was reduced to 2.4 days and the length of stay increased by 8 days. The death rate was broadly similar 17% (n = 12) before COVID-19 versus 16% (n = 7) during COVID-19. The gravity of malaria during COVID-19 may be explained by the disruption of malaria control related to COVID-19 pandemic which highlights that screening and awareness-raising for other diseases such as malaria must be maintained and even reinforced, and included in COVID-19 response.