Combining wastewater surveillance and case data in estimating the time-varying effective reproduction number.

Wastewater surveillance has been increasingly acknowledged as a useful tool for monitoring transmission dynamics of infections of public health concern, including the coronavirus disease (COVID-19). While a range of models have been proposed to estimate the time-varying effective reproduction number (Rt) utilizing clinical data, few have harnessed the viral concentration in wastewater samples to do so, leaving uncertainties about the potential precision gains with its use. In this study, we developed a Bayesian hierarchical model which simultaneously reconstructed the latent infection trajectory and estimated Rt. Focusing on the 2022 and early 2023 COVID-19 transmission trends in Singapore, where mass community wastewater surveillance has become routine, we performed estimations using a spectrum of data sources, including reported case counts, hospital admissions, deaths, and wastewater viral loads. We further explored the performance of our wastewater model across various scenarios with different sampling strategies. The results showed consistent estimates derived from models employing diverse data streams, while models incorporating more wastewater samples exhibited greater uncertainty and variation in the inferred Rts. Additionally, our analysis revealed prominent day-of-the-week effect in reported case counts and substantial temporal variations in ascertainment rates. In response to these findings, we advocate for a hybrid approach leveraging both clinical and wastewater surveillance data to account for changes in case-ascertainment rates. Furthermore, our study demonstrates the possibility of reducing sampling frequency or sample size without compromising estimation accuracy for Rt, highlighting the potential for optimizing resource allocation in surveillance efforts while maintaining robust insights into the transmission dynamics of infectious diseases.

Feasibility of wastewater-based detection of emergent pandemics through a global network of airports.

Wastewater-based surveillance has been put into practice during the pandemic. Persistence of SARS-CoV-2 in faeces of infected individuals, and high volume of passengers travelling by air, make it possible to detect virus from aircraft wastewater, lending itself to the potential identification of a novel pathogen prior to clinical diagnosis. In this study, we estimated the likelihood of detecting the virus through aircraft wastewater from the probabilities of air travel, viral shedding, defecation, testing sensitivity, and sampling. We considered various hypothetical scenarios, with diverse sampling proportions of inbound flights, surveillance airports, and sources of outbreaks. Our calculations showed that the probability of detecting SARS-CoV-2 would increase exponentially against time in the early phase of the pandemic, and would be much higher if the 20 major airports in Asia, Europe, and North America cooperated to perform aircraft wastewater surveillance. We also found other contributors to early detection, including high sampling proportion of inbound flight at destination airports, small population size of the epicentre relative to the travel volume, and large volume of outbound travelers to major airports around the globe. We concluded that routine aircraft wastewater monitoring could be a feasible approach for early identification and tracking of an emerging pathogen with high faecal shedding rates, particularly when implemented through a global surveillance network of major airports.

Efficacy of Wolbachia-mediated sterility to reduce the incidence of dengue: a synthetic control study in Singapore.

BACKGROUND: Due to the absence of available therapeutics and good vaccines, vector control solutions are needed to mitigate the spread of dengue. Matings between male Aedes aegypti mosquitoes infected with the wAlbB strain of Wolbachia and wildtype females yield non-viable eggs. We evaluated the efficacy of releasing wAlbB-infected A aegypti male mosquitoes to suppress dengue incidence. METHODS: In this synthetic control study, we conducted large-scale field trials in Singapore involving release of wAlbB-infected A aegypti male mosquitoes for dengue control via vector population suppression, from epidemiological week (EW) 27, 2018, to EW 26, 2022. We selected two large towns (Yishun and Tampines) to adopt an expanding release strategy and two smaller towns (Bukit Batok and Choa Chu Kang) to adopt a targeted-release approach. Releases were conducted two times a week in high-rise public housing estates. All intervention and control locations practised the same baseline dengue control protocol. The main outcome was weekly dengue incidence rate caused by any dengue virus serotype. We used incidence data collected by the Singapore Ministry of Health to assess the efficacy of the interventions. To compare interventions, we used the synthetic control method to generate appropriate counterfactuals for the intervention towns using a weighted combination of 30 control towns between EW 1, 2014 and EW 26, 2022. FINDINGS: Our study comprised an at-risk population of 607 872 individuals living in intervention sites and 3 894 544 individuals living in control sites. Interventions demonstrated up to 77·28% (121/156, 95% CI 75·81-78·58) intervention efficacy despite incomplete coverage across all towns until EW 26, 2022. Intervention efficacies increased as release coverage increased across all intervention sites. Releases led to 2242 (95% CI 2092-2391) fewer cases per 100 000 people in intervention sites during the study period. Secondary analysis showed that these intervention effects were replicated across all age groups and both sexes for intervention sites. INTERPRETATION: Our results demonstrated the potential of Wolbachia-mediated incompatible insect technique for strengthening dengue control in tropical cities, where dengue burden is the greatest. FUNDING: Singapore Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Sustainability, and the National Environment Agency, and the Singapore National Robotics Program.

COVID-19 vaccine acceptance and its associated factors in the Western Pacific Region.

Background: COVID-19 vaccines effectively reduced the severity of the pandemic, but the mass rollout was challenged by vaccine hesitancy, which was related to heterogenous factors-such as religiosity, mistrust, and a lack of scientific knowledge-around the globe. Distinguishing these potential influencers and quantifying their impacts would help authorities to tailor strategies that boost vaccine confidence and acceptance. Methods: We conducted a large-scale, data-driven analysis on vaccine acceptance and actual uptake in eight Western Pacific countries before (2021) and after (2022) the mass COVID-19 vaccine rollouts. We compared vaccine acceptance or uptake rates between different subpopulations using Bootstrap methods and further constructed a logistic model to investigate the relationship between vaccine endorsement and diverse socio-demographic or trust-related determinants at these two time points. Findings: Substantial between-country differences in vaccine acceptance and uptake were observed across the Western Pacific, with Mongolia, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, and Malaysia being more pro-vaccine than the other three countries (Japan, South Korea, and the Philippines). Actual vaccination rates in 2022 were all higher than predicted from the 2021 responses. Influencers for vaccine endorsement were country-specific, but generally, groups susceptible to vaccine hesitancy included females, the less-educated, and those distrusting vaccines or health care providers. Interpretation: Our findings demonstrate the successful translation of vaccine intent to actual uptake with the deployment of COVID-19 vaccination in the Western Pacific. Increasing vaccine confidence and supressing dissemination of misinformation may play an essential role in reducing vaccine hesitancy and ramping up immunisation. Funding: AIR@InnoHK.

Optimising HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis and testing strategies in men who have sex with men in Australia, Thailand, and China: a modelling study and cost-effectiveness analysis.

BACKGROUND: Men who have sex with men (MSM) in the Asia-Pacific region have a disproportionately high burden of HIV infection compared with the general population. Although pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for HIV is highly effective at preventing new HIV infections, the cost-effectiveness of PrEP for MSM in different countries in the Asia-Pacific region with varying PrEP coverage and HIV testing frequencies remains unstudied. We aimed to analyse the economic and health benefits of long-acting injectable cabotegravir (CAB-LA) compared with oral PrEP in high-income countries and low-income and middle-income countries within the Asia-Pacific region. METHODS: We developed a decision-analytic Markov model to evaluate the population impact and cost-effectiveness of PrEP scale-up among MSM in Australia, Thailand, and China. We assumed a static cohort of 100 000 MSM aged 18 years or older who were at risk of HIV infection, with a monthly cycle length over a 40-year time period. We evaluated hypothetical scenarios with universal PrEP coverage of 80% among 100 000 suitable MSM in each country. We modelled oral PrEP and CAB-LA for MSM with diverse HIV testing frequency strategies. We adopted the health-care system's perspective with a 3% annual discount rate. We calculated the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER), measured as additional cost per quality-adjusted life-year (QALY) gained, to compare different strategies with the status quo in each country. All costs were reported in 2021 US$. We also performed one-way, two-way, and probabilistic sensitivity analyses to assess the robustness of our findings. FINDINGS: Compared with the status quo in each country, expanding oral PrEP to 80% of suitable MSM would avert 8·1% of new HIV infections in Australia, 14·5% in Thailand, and 26·4% in China in a 40-year period. Expanding oral PrEP use with 6-monthly HIV testing for both PrEP and non-PrEP users was cost-saving for Australia. Similarly, expanding oral PrEP use remained the most cost-effective strategy in both Thailand and China, but optimal testing frequency varied, with annual testing in Thailand (ICER $4707 per QALY gained) and 3-monthly testing in China (ICER $16 926 per QALY gained) for both PrEP and non-PrEP users. We also found that replacing oral PrEP with CAB-LA for MSM could avert more new HIV infections (12·8% in Australia, 27·6% in Thailand, and 32·8% in China), but implementing CAB-LA was not cost-effective due to its high cost. The cost of CAB-LA would need to be reduced by 50-90% and be used as a complementary strategy to oral PrEP to be cost-effective in these countries. INTERPRETATION: Expanding oral PrEP use for MSM, with country-specific testing frequency, is cost-effective in Australia, Thailand, and China. Due to the high cost, CAB-LA is currently not affordable as a single-use strategy but might be offered as an additional option to oral PrEP. FUNDING: Ministry of Science and Technology of the People's Republic of China, the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council, National Key Research and Development Program of China, and National Natural Science Foundation of China.

Informing Public Health Policies with Models for Disease Burden, Impact Evaluation, and Economic Evaluation.

Conducting real-world public health experiments is often costly, time-consuming, and ethically challenging, so mathematical models have a long-standing history of being used to inform policy. Applications include estimating disease burden, performing economic evaluation of interventions, and responding to health emergencies such as pandemics. Models played a pivotal role during the COVID-19 pandemic, providing early detection of SARS-CoV-2's pandemic potential and informing subsequent public health measures. While models offer valuable policy insights, they often carry limitations, especially when they depend on assumptions and incomplete data. Striking a balance between accuracy and timely decision-making in rapidly evolving situations such as disease outbreaks is challenging. Modelers need to explore the extent to which their models deviate from representing the real world. The uncertainties inherent in models must be effectively communicated to policy makers and the public. As the field becomes increasingly influential, it needs to develop reporting standards that enable rigorous external scrutiny. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Public Health, Volume 45 is April 2024. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.

Preferences and willingness-to-pay for a blood pressure telemonitoring program using a discrete choice experiment.

This study aimed to elicit the preferences and willingness-to-pay for blood pressure (BP) telemonitoring programs. This study also investigated the different factors or participant characteristics that could influence preferences and choice behaviors. Participants with hypertension were identified from an online survey panel demographically representative of Singapore's general population. Participants completed a discrete choice experiment (DCE) with 12 choice sets, selecting their preferred BP monitoring program differing on five attributes: mode of consultation, BP machine type (with Bluetooth or not), BP machine price, monthly fee, and program duration. The base reference population (male, married, higher income, more formal education years, full-time worker, aged 55 to <65 years, and digital skills score of 36) preferred teleconsultation over in-person consultation, Bluetooth feature, lower machine price, lower monthly fee, and shorter program duration. A subgroup of participants can be considered teleconsultation-resistant, and three demographic factors were associated with lower preference for teleconsultation: female, fewer formal education years, and lower income. Considering the reference population and Bluetooth attribute, participants were willing to pay 66 SGD (~49 USD) additional for the machine to obtain the Bluetooth feature. Considering the reference population and teleconsultation attribute, participants were willing to pay 6.80 SGD (~5.10 USD) extra monthly fee for a program using teleconsultation. Here we report that amongst participants with hypertension, there is strong preference for the use of teleconsultation and a BP machine with Bluetooth feature in a BP monitoring program. However, a subgroup of participants are teleconsultation-resistant and would prefer in-person consultation.

A qualitative exploration of factors that influence the uptake of tuberculosis services by low-skilled migrant workers in Singapore.

INTRODUCTION: Singapore relies heavily on migrant workers to build its country and harbours a relatively large population of these workers. Importantly, tuberculosis (TB) remains a pernicious threat to the health of these workers and in line with the United Nations High-Level Meeting in 2023, this paper aims to uncover the qualitative discourse facing migrant workers' uptake of TB services and provide policy recommendations to enable more equitable access to TB services for this population. METHODS: In-depth interviews were carried out with the migrant worker population recruited from a non-governmental organisation in Singapore that serves migrant workers through the provision of primary healthcare services, counselling, and social assistance. Interviews stopped once thematic saturation was achieved and no new themes and subthemes were found. RESULTS: A total of 29 participants were interviewed, including 16 Bangladeshis and 13 Chinese, aged between 22 and 54 years old, all worked in the construction sector. Four key themes emerged. They are (1) General TB knowledge: Misconceptions are prevalent, where we found that participants were aware of the disease but did not possess a clear understanding of its pathophysiology and associated health effects, (2) Contextual knowledge and perception of associated policies related to TB in Singapore: low awareness among migrant workers as participants' accounts depicted a lack of information sources in Singapore especially on issues related to healthcare including TB, (3) Attitude to towards TB: Motivation to seek treatment is underpinned by ability to continue working and (4) Stigma: mixed perception of how society views TB patients. The gaps identified in migrant workers' TB knowledge, their attitude towards the disease and their perception of the availability of TB-related services is despite Singapore's efforts to curb community spread of TB and its proactive initiatives to reduce the prevalence. CONCLUSION: Our study illuminates the various aspects that policymakers need to home in on to ensure this vulnerable group is sufficiently supported and equitably cared for if they develop active TB during their stay in Singapore as they contribute to the nation's economy. Leveraging the COVID-19 pandemic as a window of opportunity to improve overall healthcare access for vulnerable groups in Singapore can be a starting point.

Positive association of SARS-CoV-2 RNA concentrations in wastewater and reported COVID-19 cases in Singapore - A study across three populations.

Wastewater testing of SARS-CoV-2 has been adopted globally and has shown to be a useful, non-intrusive surveillance method for monitoring COVID-19 trends. In Singapore, wastewater surveillance has been widely implemented across various sites and has facilitated timely COVID-19 management and response. From April 2020 to February 2022, SARS-CoV-2 RNA concentrations in wastewater monitored across three populations, nationally, in the community, and in High Density Living Environments (HDLEs) were aggregated into indices and compared with reported COVID-19 cases and hospitalisations. Temporal trends and associations of these indices were compared descriptively and quantitatively, using Poisson Generalised Linear Models and Generalised Additive Models. National vaccination rates and vaccine breakthrough infection rates were additionally considered as confounders to shedding. Fitted models quantified the temporal associations between the indices and cases and COVID-related hospitalisations. At the national level, the wastewater index was a leading indicator of COVID-19 cases (p-value <0.001) of one week, and a contemporaneous association with hospitalisations (p-value <0.001) was observed. At finer levels of surveillance, the community index was observed to be contemporaneously associated with COVID-19 cases (p-value <0.001) and had a lagging association of 1-week in HDLEs (p-value <0.001). These temporal differences were attributed to differences in testing routines for different sites during the study period and the timeline of COVID-19 progression in infected persons. Overall, this study demonstrates the utility of wastewater surveillance in understanding underlying COVID-19 transmission and shedding levels, particularly for areas with falling or low case ascertainment. In such settings, wastewater surveillance showed to be a lead indicator of COVID-19 cases. The findings also underscore the potential of wastewater surveillance for monitoring other infectious diseases threats.

Time-varying overdispersion of SARS-CoV-2 transmission during the periods when different variants of concern were circulating in Japan.

Japan has implemented a cluster-based approach for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) from the pandemic's beginning based on the transmission heterogeneity (overdispersion) of severe acute respiratory coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). However, studies analyzing overdispersion of transmission among new variants of concerns (VOCs), especially for Omicron, were limited. Thus, we aimed to clarify how the transmission heterogeneity has changed with the emergence of VOCs (Alpha, Delta, and Omicron) using detailed contact tracing data in Yamagata Prefecture, Japan. We estimated the time-varying dispersion parameter ([Formula: see text]) by fitting a negative binomial distribution for each transmission generation. Our results showed that even after the emergence of VOCs, there was transmission heterogeneity of SARS-CoV-2, with changes in [Formula: see text] during each wave. Continuous monitoring of transmission dynamics is vital for implementing appropriate measures. However, a feasible and sustainable epidemiological analysis system should be established to make this possible.

EpiMix: A novel method to estimate effective reproduction number.

Transmission potential of a pathogen, often quantified by the time-varying reproduction number Rt, provides the current pace of infection for a disease and indicates whether an emerging epidemic is under control. In this study, we proposed a novel method, EpiMix, for Rt estimation, wherein we incorporated the impacts of exogenous factors and random effects under a Bayesian regression framework. Using Integrated Nested Laplace Approximation, EpiMix is able to efficiently generate reliable, deterministic Rt estimates. In the simulations and case studies performed, we further demonstrated the method's robustness in low-incidence scenarios, together with other merits, including its flexibility in selecting variables and tolerance of varying reporting rates. All these make EpiMix a potentially useful tool for real-time Rt estimation provided that the serial interval distribution, time series of case counts and external influencing factors are available.

What measures are needed to achieve a tobacco endgame target? A Singapore-based simulation study.

BACKGROUND: An increasing number of countries are pursuing a tobacco 'endgame'. We sought to determine the combination of measures it would take to achieve a tobacco endgame in the city-state of Singapore. METHODS: Using an open-cohort microsimulation model, we estimated the impact of existing measures (quit programmes, tobacco taxes, flavours ban) and more novel measures (very low nicotine cap, tobacco-free generation, raising the minimum legal age to 25 years), and combinations thereof, on smoking prevalence in Singapore over a 50-year horizon. We used Markov Chain Monte Carlo to estimate transition probabilities between the states of never smoker, current smoker and former smoker, updating each individual's state across each year with prior distributions derived from national survey data. RESULTS: Without new measures, smoking prevalence is expected to rebound from 12.2% (2020) to 14.8% (2070). The only scenarios to achieve a tobacco endgame target within a decade are those combining a very low nicotine cap with a flavours ban. A nicotine cap or tobacco-free generation alone also achieve endgame targets, but after 20 and 39 years, respectively. Taxes, quit programmes, a flavours ban and minimum legal age increase do augment the impact of other measures, but even when combined are insufficient to achieve a tobacco endgame target within 50 years. CONCLUSION: In Singapore, achieving a tobacco endgame within a decade requires a very low nicotine cap coupled with a tobacco flavours ban, although this target can also be achieved in the long term (within 50 years) with a tobacco-free generation.

Use of Bluetooth contact tracing technology to model COVID-19 quarantine policies in high-risk closed populations.

Containment measures in high-risk closed settings, like migrant worker (MW) dormitories, are critical for mitigating emerging infectious disease outbreaks and protecting potentially vulnerable populations in outbreaks such as coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The direct impact of social distancing measures can be assessed through wearable contact tracing devices. Here, we developed an individual-based model using data collected through a Bluetooth wearable device that collected 33.6M and 52.8M contact events in two dormitories in Singapore, one apartment style and the other a barrack style, to assess the impact of measures to reduce the social contact of cases and their contacts. The simulation of highly detailed contact networks accounts for different infrastructural levels, including room, floor, block, and dormitory, and intensity in terms of being regular or transient. Via a branching process model, we then simulated outbreaks that matched the prevalence during the COVID-19 outbreak in the two dormitories and explored alternative scenarios for control. We found that strict isolation of all cases and quarantine of all contacts would lead to very low prevalence but that quarantining only regular contacts would lead to only marginally higher prevalence but substantially fewer total man-hours lost in quarantine. Reducing the density of contacts by 30% through the construction of additional dormitories was modelled to reduce the prevalence by 14 and 9% under smaller and larger outbreaks, respectively. Wearable contact tracing devices may be used not just for contact tracing efforts but also to inform alternative containment measures in high-risk closed settings.

Application of the network scale-up method to estimate the sizes of key populations for HIV in Singapore using online surveys.

INTRODUCTION: Singapore lacks robust data on the sizes of the key populations that are most at risk for HIV. Using the network scale-up method for hidden or hard-to-reach populations, we estimate the sizes of five key populations-male clients of female sex workers (MCFSW), men who have sex with men (MSM), female sex workers (FSW), people who inject drugs (PWID) and transgender people-and profile the ages and ethnicities of respondents with the high-risk contacts they report knowing. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional online survey between March and May 2019 (n = 2802) using a network scale-up instrument previously developed for Singapore. Participants were recruited using an existing panel and online advertising, and the sample reweighted by age, sex, ethnicity and education attained to represent the general adult population. We built a Bayesian hierarchical model to estimate the sizes of the five key populations for HIV in Singapore. RESULTS: After adjustment, the sizes of the at-risk populations are estimated to be: 76,800 (95% credible interval [CI]: 64,200-91,800) MCFSW; 139,000 (95% CI: 120,000-160,000) MSM; 8030 (95% CI: 3980-16,200) FSW; 3470 (95% CI: 1540-7830) PWID and 18,000 (95% CI: 14,000-23,200) transgender people. Generally, men reported knowing more people in all the high-risk groups; older people reported knowing more MCFSW, FSW and transgender people; and younger people reported knowing more MSM. There was a bimodal effect of age on those who reported knowing more PWIDs: people in their 20s and 60s reported more contacts. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates that a size estimation study of hidden populations is quickly and efficiently scalable through using online surveys in a socially conservative society, like Singapore, where key populations are stigmatized or criminalized. The approach may be suitable in other countries where stigma is prevalent and where barriers to surveillance and data collection are numerous.

Erratum to "Impact of delta variant and vaccination on SARS-CoV-2 secondary attack rate among household close contacts" [The Lancet Regional Health - Western Pacific 17 (2021) 100299].

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1016/j.lanwpc.2021.100299.].

Impact of including boys in the national school-based human papillomavirus vaccination programme in Singapore: A modelling-based cost-effectiveness analysis.

Globally, gender-neutral Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination programmes are gaining traction. Although cervical cancer remains the most prevalent, other HPV-related cancers are increasingly recognised as important, especially among men who have sex with men. We assessed if including adolescent boys in Singapore's school-based HPV vaccination programme is cost-effective from the healthcare perspective. We adapted a World Health Organization-supported model, Papillomavirus Rapid Interface for Modelling and Economics, and modelled the cost and quality-adjusted life years (QALY) associated with vaccinating 13-year-olds with the HPV vaccine. Cancer incidence and mortality rates were obtained from local sources and adjusted based on the expected direct and indirect vaccine protection for various population subgroups at an 80 % vaccine coverage. Moving to a gender-neutral vaccination programme with a bivalent or nonavalent vaccine could avert 30 (95 % uncertainty interval [UI]: 20-44) and 34 (95 % UI: 24-49) HPV-related cancers per birth cohort, respectively. At a 3 % discount rate, a gender-neutral vaccination programme is not cost-effective. However, with a 1.5 % discount rate, which puts more value on long-term health gains from vaccination, moving to a gender-neutral vaccination programme with the bivalent vaccine is likely cost-effective, with an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of SGD$19 007 (95 % UI: 10 164-30 633) per QALY gained. The findings suggest the need to engage experts to examine, in detail, the cost-effectiveness of gender-neutral vaccination programmes in Singapore. Issues of drug licensing, feasibility, gender equity, global vaccine supplies, and the global trend towards disease elimination/eradication should also be considered. This model provides a simplified method for resource-strapped countries to gain a preliminary estimate of the cost-effectiveness of a gender-neutral HPV vaccination programme before investing resources for further research.

Features of the urban environment associated with Aedes aegypti abundance in high-rise public apartments in Singapore: An environmental case-control study.

Aedes aegypti abundance in residential estates is hypothesized to contribute to localised outbreaks of dengue in Singapore. Knowing the factors in the urban environment underlying high Ae. aegypti abundance could guide intervention efforts to reduce Ae. aegypti breeding and the incidence of dengue. In this study, objective data on Ae. aegypti abundance in public apartment blocks estimated by Singapore's nationally representative Gravitrap surveillance system was obtained from the National Environmental Agency. Low and high abundance status public apartment blocks were classified based on the Gravitrap Aegypti Index, corresponding to the lowest and highest quartiles respectively. An environmental case-control study was conducted, wherein a blinded assessment of urban features hypothesised to form breeding habitats was conducted in 50 randomly sampled public apartment blocks with low and high abundance statuses each. Logistic regression was performed to identify features that correlated with abundance status. A multivariable logistic model was created to determine key urban features found in corridors and void decks which were predictive of the Ae. aegypti abundance status of the public apartment block. At a statistical level of significance of 0.20, the presence of gully traps [Odds Ratio (OR): 1.34, 95% Confidence Interval (CI): 1.10, 1.66], age of the public apartment block [OR: 2.23, 95% CI: 1.48, 3.60], housing price [OR: 0.33, 95% CI: 0.16, 0.61] and corridor cleanliness [OR: 0.67, 95% CI: 0.40, 1.07] were identified as important predictors of abundance status. To reduce Ae. aegypti abundance around public apartment blocks and potential onward dengue transmission, gully traps could be remodelled or replaced by other drainage types. Routine inspections of Ae. aegypti breeding should be targeted at older and low-income neighbourhoods. Campaigns for cleaner corridors should be promoted.

Birth anthropometry among three Asian racial groups in Singapore: proposed new growth charts.

OBJECTIVE: We analysed birth anthropometry of babies of Chinese, Malay and Indian ancestry living in Singapore with an aim to develop gestational age (GA) and gender-specific birth anthropometry charts and compare these with the widely used Fenton charts. DESIGN: Retrospective observational study. SETTING: Department of Neonatology, National University Hospital, Singapore. POPULATION: We report data from 52 220 infants, born between 1991-1997 and 2010-2017 in Singapore. METHODS: Anthropometry charts were built using smoothened centile curves and compared with Fenton's using binomial test. Birth weight (BW), crown-heel length and head circumference (HC) were each modelled with maternal exposures using general additive model. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: BW, crown-heel length and HC. RESULTS: There were 22 248 Chinese (43%), 16 006 Malay (31%) and 8543 Indian (16%) babies. Mean BW was 3103 g (95% CI 3096 to 3109), 3075 g (95% CI 3067 to 3083) and 3052 g (95% CI 3041 to 3062) for Chinese, Malays and Indians, respectively. When exposed to a uniform socioeconomic environment, intrauterine growth and birth anthropometry of studied races were almost identical. From our GA-specific anthropometric charts until about late prematurity, Asian growth curves mirrored that of Fenton's; thereafter, Asian babies showed a reduction in growth velocity. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that Asian babies living in relatively uniform socioeconomic strata exhibit similar growth patterns. There is a slowing of growth among Asian babies towards term, prompting review of existing birth anthropometry charts. The proposed charts will increase accuracy of identification of true fetal growth restriction as well as true postnatal growth failure in preterm infants when applied to the appropriate population.

The impact of earlier reopening to travel in the Western Pacific on SARS-CoV-2 transmission.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a fall of over 70% in international travel, resulting in substantial economic damages. The impact is especially pronounced in the Asia-Pacific region, where governments have been slow to relax border restrictions. Methods: A retrospective approach was used to construct notional epidemic trajectories for eight Asia-Pacific countries or regions, from June to November 2021, under hypothetical scenarios of earlier resumption of international travel and selective border reopening. The numbers of local infections and deaths over the prediction window were calculated accordingly. Results: Had quarantine-free entry been permitted for all travellers from all the regions investigated, and travel volumes recovered to the 2019 levels, Australia, New Zealand, and Singapore would have been the three most severely affected regions, with at least doubled number of deaths, while infections would have increased marginally (< 5%) for Japan, Malaysia, and Thailand. Conclusions: Earlier resumption of travel in Asia-Pacific, while maintaining a controlled degree of importation risk, could have been implemented through selective border-reopening strategies and on-arrival testing. Once countries had experienced large, localized COVID-19 outbreaks, earlier relaxation of border containment measures would not have resulted in a great increase in morbidity and mortality.

Stable thyroid function despite regular use of povidone-iodine throat spray for SARS-CoV-2 prophylaxis.

BACKGROUND: It is unclear whether unintentional ingestion of povidone-iodine following its application to the oropharyngeal space could affect thyroid function. OBJECTIVE: To examine thyroid function among individuals who regularly apply povidone-iodine throat spray for SARS-CoV-2 prophylaxis. METHODS: We designed a case-control study to compare thyroid function among participants who received povidone-iodine throat spray three times a day for 42 days ('cases') and those who received vitamin C ('controls'). Thyroid function was assessed by profiling serum TSH, free T3, and free T4; iodine status was estimated using serum thyroglobulin level, while infection status was determined by measuring anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibody against the nucleocapsid antigen. All measurements were performed in pairs, at baseline and 42 days later. Pre-post changes in thyroid function were compared between groups, before and after stratification according to baseline TSH quartiles. RESULTS: A total of 177 men (117 cases and 60 controls) (mean age, 32.2 years) were included. Despite comparable demographics and clinical profiles, no clinically or statistically significant differences were observed in thyroid indices between 'cases' and 'controls' before and after stratification according to TSH quartiles. None of the participants developed symptomatic hypo- or hyperthyroidism throughout the study. Post-hoc analysis did not reveal differences in thyroid function according to infection status. CONCLUSIONS: Data from this study support the overall safety of povidone-iodine use in the oropharyngeal space for SARS-CoV-2 prophylaxis among individuals with normal thyroid function and subclinical thyroid disease.