Confirmed and Unreported COVID-19-Like Illness Death Counts: An Assessment of Reporting Discrepancy
Abstract
Objective
To assess the reporting discrepancy between officially confirmed COVID-19 death counts and unreported COVID-19-like illness (CLI) death counts.
Study Design
The study is based on secondary time-series data.
Methods
We used publicly available data to explore the differences between confirmed COVID-19 death counts and deaths with probable COVID-19 symptoms in Bangladesh between March 8, 2020, and July 18, 2020. Both tabular analysis and statistical tests were performed.
Results
During the week ending May 9, 2020, the unreported CLI death count was higher than the confirmed COVID-19 death count; however, it was lower in the following weeks. On average, unreported CLI death counts were almost equal to the confirmed COVID-19 death counts during the study period. However, the reporting authority neither considers CLI deaths nor adjusts for potential seasonal influenza-like illness or other related deaths, which might produce incomplete and unreliable COVID-19 data and respective mortality rates.
Conclusions
Deaths with probable COVID-19 symptoms needs to be included in provisional death counts in order to estimate an accurate COVID-19 mortality rate and to offer data-driven pandemic response strategies. An urgent initiative is needed to prepare a comprehensive guideline for reporting COVID-19 deaths.
Related articles
Related articles are currently not available for this article.