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Cited by 149COVID-19 epidemiological studiesSARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 ResearchCOVID-19 Clinical Research Studies

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Characterizing the Qatar advanced-phase SARS-CoV-2 epidemic

Open access
Abu-Raddad, Laith J., Chemaitelly, Hiam, Ayoub, Houssein H., Al Kanaani, Zaina, Al Khal, Abdullatif, Al Kuwari, Einas, Butt, Adeel A., Coyle, Peter, Jeremijenko, Andrew, Kaleeckal, Anvar Hassan, Latif, Ali Nizar, Owen, Robert C., Rahim, Hanan F. Abdul, Al Abdulla, Samya A., Al Kuwari, Mohamed G., Kandy, Mujeeb C., Saeb, Hatoun, Ahmed, Shazia Nadeem N., Al Romaihi, Hamad Eid, Bansal, Devendra, Dalton, Louise, Al-Thani, Mohamed H., Bertollini, Roberto·2021·Scientific Reports
DOI 10.1038/s41598-021-85428-7PMC PMC7973743

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Abstract

The overarching objective of this study was to provide the descriptive epidemiology of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) epidemic in Qatar by addressing specific research questions through a series of national epidemiologic studies. Sources of data were the centralized and standardized national databases for SARS-CoV-2 infection. By July 10, 2020, 397,577 individuals had been tested for SARS-CoV-2 using polymerase-chain-reaction (PCR), of whom 110,986 were positive, a positivity cumulative rate of 27.9% (95% CI 27.8–28.1%). As of July 5, case severity rate, based on World Health Organization (WHO) severity classification, was 3.4% and case fatality rate was 1.4 per 1,000 persons. Age was by far the strongest predictor of severe, critical, or fatal infection. PCR positivity of nasopharyngeal/oropharyngeal swabs in a national community survey (May 6–7) including 1,307 participants was 14.9% (95% CI 11.5–19.0%); 58.5% of those testing positive were asymptomatic. Across 448 ad-hoc testing campaigns in workplaces and residential areas including 26,715 individuals, pooled mean PCR positivity was 15.6% (95% CI 13.7–17.7%). SARS-CoV-2 antibody prevalence was 24.0% (95% CI 23.3–24.6%) in 32,970 residual clinical blood specimens. Antibody prevalence was only 47.3% (95% CI 46.2–48.5%) in those who had at least one PCR positive result, but 91.3% (95% CI 89.5–92.9%) among those who were PCR positive > 3 weeks before serology testing. Qatar has experienced a large SARS-CoV-2 epidemic that is rapidly declining, apparently due to growing immunity levels in the population.

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Figure 1 Anti-SARS-CoV-2 prevalence assessed at different time intervals for the duration between the first PCR positive test and the antibody test. PCR polymerase chain reaction.
Figure 1 Anti-SARS-CoV-2 prevalence assessed at different time intervals for the duration between the first PCR positive test and the antibody test. PCR polymerase chain reaction.CC BY · PubMed Central
Figure 2 Association of age with (A) SARS-CoV-2 severe infection, (B) SARS-CoV-2 critical infection, and (C) COVID-19 death, adjusted for sex, nationality, and time of PCR testing. Severe infections, critical infections, and COVID-19 deaths were defined based on the World Health Organization criteria for classifying SARS-CoV-2 infection severity10 and COVID-19-related death3.
Figure 2 Association of age with (A) SARS-CoV-2 severe infection, (B) SARS-CoV-2 critical infection, and (C) COVID-19 death, adjusted for sex, nationality, and time of PCR testing. Severe infections, critical infections, and COVID-19 deaths were defined based on the World Health Organization criteria for classifying SARS-CoV-2 infection severity10 and COVID-19-related death3.CC BY · PubMed Central
Figure 3 Temporal trend in (A) crude case severity rate and (B) crude case fatality rate in Qatar.
Figure 3 Temporal trend in (A) crude case severity rate and (B) crude case fatality rate in Qatar.CC BY · PubMed Central

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Citations

Cites

Show all 40 references

Research works printed but not linked: 13

  1. Ministry of Public Health-State of Qatar. Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). Available from: https://covid19.moph.gov.qa/EN/Pages/default.aspx. Accessed on: January 27, 2021 (2021).
  2. World Health Organization. International guidelines for certification and classification (coding) of COVID-19 as cause of death. Available from: https://www.who.int/classifications/icd/Guidelines_Cause_of_Death_COVID-19-20200420-EN.pdf?ua=1. Document Number: WHO/HQ/DDI/DNA/CAT. Accessed on June 1, 2020 (2020).
  3. Planning and Statistics Authority- State of Qatar. Qatar Monthly Statistics. Available from: https://www.psa.gov.qa/en/pages/default.aspx. Accessed on: May 26, 2020 (2020).
  4. Planning and Statistics Authority-State of Qatar. The Simplified Census of Population, Housing & Establishments. Available from: https://www.psa.gov.qa/en/statistics/Statistical%20Releases/Population/Population/2018/Population_social_1_2018_AE.pdf Accessed on: April 2, 2020 (2019).
  5. World Population Review. Qatar Population (Live). Available from: https://worldpopulationreview.com/countries/qatar-population/. Accessed on April 23, 2020 (2020).
  6. Planning and Statistics Authority- State of Qatar. Labor force sample survey. Available from: https://www.psa.gov.qa/en/statistics/Statistical%20Releases/Social/LaborForce/2017/statistical_analysis_labor_force_2017_En.pdf. Accessed on: May 01, 2020 (2017).
  7. De Bel-Air, F. Demography, Migration, and Labour Market in Qatar. Available from: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/323129801_Demography_Migration_and_Labour_Market_in_Qatar-_UPDATED_June_2017. Accessed on May 01, 2020 (Gulf Labour Markets and Migration, 2018).
  8. World Health Organization. Population-based age-stratified seroepidemiological investigation protocol for COVID-19 virus infection. Available from: https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/331656. Accessed on: April 15, 2020 (2020).
  9. The Roche Group. Roche’s COVID-19 antibody test receives FDA Emergency Use Authorization and is available in markets accepting the CE mark. Available from: https://www.roche.com/media/releases/med-cor-2020-05-03.htm. Accessed on: June 5, 2020 (2020).
  10. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Weighting. Available from:https://wwwn.cdc.gov/nchs/nhanes/tutorials/module3.aspx. Accessed on May 13, 2020 (2020).
  11. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Symptom-Based Strategy to Discontinue Isolation for Persons with COVID-19. Available from: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/strategy-discontinue-isolation.html. Accessed on June 2, 2020 (2020).
  12. World Health Organization. Report of the WHO-China Joint Mission on Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). Available from :https://www.who.int/docs/default-source/coronaviruse/who-china-joint-mission-on-covid-19-final-report.pdf. Accessed on March 10, 2020 (2020).
  13. Public Health England. Evaluation of Roche Elecsys AntiSARS-CoV-2 serology assay for the detection of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. Available from: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/891598/Evaluation_of_Roche_Elecsys_anti_SARS_CoV_2_PHE_200610_v8.1_FINAL.pdf. Accessed on June 5, 2020 (2020).

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Metadata

Authors
Abu-Raddad, L. J., Chemaitelly, H., Ayoub, H. H., Al Kanaani, Z., Al Khal, A., Al Kuwari, E., Butt, A. A., Coyle, P., Jeremijenko, A., Kaleeckal, A. H., Latif, A. N., Owen, R. C., Rahim, H. F. A., Al Abdulla, S. A., Al Kuwari, M. G., Kandy, M. C., Saeb, H., Ahmed, S. N. N., Al Romaihi, H. E., Bansal, D., Dalton, L., Al-Thani, M. H., & Bertollini, R.
Affiliations
  • Cornell University (US)
  • Qatar University (QA)
  • Hamad Medical Corporation (QA)
  • Primary Health Care (QA)
  • Ministry of Public Health (QA)
Corresponding author
Abu-Raddad, Laith J.
ORCID
Venue
Scientific Reports
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Published
2021-03-18
Volume
11
Issue
1
Pages
6233-6233
ISSN
2045-2322 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1038/s41598-021-85428-7
PMC
PMC7973743
OpenAlex
W3138604848
Cited by
148
References
40
Citations by year
2026: 8 · 2025: 18 · 2024: 18 · 2023: 26 · 2022: 38 · 2021: 33
FWCI
11.10
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Scientific Reports (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • medRxiv (acceptedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • LSHTM Research Online (London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine) (acceptedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
  • Qatar University QSpace (Qatar University) (submittedVersion)
Funders
Qatar National Research Fund (NPRP grant number 9-040-3-008 and NPRP grant number 12S-0216-190094)
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Mathematics › Modeling and Simulation › COVID-19 epidemiological studies
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Infectious Diseases › SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 Research
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Infectious Diseases › COVID-19 Clinical Research Studies
Keywords
SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19 epidemic, Qatar, case fatality rate, case severity, age as risk factor, asymptomatic infection, seroprevalence, community survey, herd immunity, epidemic decline
MeSH terms
COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19 Nucleic Acid Testing, Adolescent, Adult, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Child, Child, Preschool, Cross-Sectional Studies, Female, Humans, Infant, Male, Middle Aged, Qatar, Young Adult, Asymptomatic Infections

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