Low positive predictive value of International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision codes in relation to rheumatic heart disease: a challenge for global surveillance.

International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision codes for rheumatic heart disease (RHD) include valvular heart disease of unspecified origin, limiting their usefulness for estimating RHD burden. A cross-disciplinary national consultation developed an algorithm to improve RHD identification in hospital data. The algorithm has been operationalised and piloted. The algorithm developed categorised 32% of RHD-coded patients as probable/possible RHD. We outline a series of research initiatives to improve identification of RHD in administrative data thereby contributing to monitoring the RHD burden globally.

The first 2 months of COVID-19 contact tracing in the Northern Territory of Australia, March-April 2020.

The Northern Territory (NT) Centre for Disease Control (CDC) undertook contact tracing of all notified cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) within the Territory. There were 28 cases of COVID-19 notified in the NT between 1 March and 30 April 2020. In total 527 people were identified as close contacts over the same period; 493 were successfully contacted; 445 were located in the NT and were subsequently quarantined and monitored for disease symptoms daily for 14 days after contact with a confirmed COVID-19 case. Of these 445 close contacts, 4 tested positive for COVID-19 after developing symptoms; 2/46 contacts who were cruise ship passengers (4.3%, 95% CI 0.5-14.8%) and 2/51 household contacts (3.9%, 95% CI 0.5-13.5%). None of the 326 aircraft passengers or 4 healthcare workers who were being monitored in the NT as close contacts became cases.