Abstract

STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: AN INDISPENSABLE TOOL TO PUBLIC HEALTH PRACTITIONERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL – SARS-CoV-2 OUTBREAK IN THE UK AND US AS A CASE STUDY

Oluwole O. Owoyemi*, Muftau K. Oladunmoye, Olumide Oluyele, Tinuola T. Adebolu, Daniel J. Arotupin, Ebenezer Dada, Uzoma Alaneme, Rita Igwilo and Patience F. Olaosebikan

Abstract

Background: Globally, the ongoing SARS-CoV-2 outbreak has impacted humans in all ramifications of life posing a serious public health threat. The development of vaccines and therapeutic agents is a continuous struggle by scientists with promising breakthroughs and current statistical incidence data examined suggest a potential proliferation of SARS-CoV-2 infection in the future which might result in high mortality rate if not adequately controlled. Over the years, statistics has proved to be an effective and indispensable tool to public health practitioners in epidemiological surveillance of disease progression and subsequent control of disease outbreak via application of statistical tools. Methods: Using a structured-observational research, this review examined the prevalence data of SARS-CoV-2 infection in the United Kingdom and United States via descriptive statistics with major focus on its epidemiological and genomics findings, health interventions and challenges, in conjunction with evidence-based useful control. Specifically, we examined the effectiveness of the lockdown measure imposed to controlling SARS-CoV-2 infection in these regions. Additionally, we provide vital updates on vaccine developments and therapeutic interventions in the control of SARS-CoV-2 infection worldwide. Results: The lockdown measure examined was effective to mitigating SARS-CoV-2 incidence and mortality rates in the UK and US during the unprecedented intervention in March 2020. Moreover, genomics findings reveal a possible re-emergence of SARS-CoV-2 mutant strain. Conclusions: Following a significant increase in incidence rate of SARS-CoV-2 infection in the UK after the easement of the lockdown measure and considering the efficacy of the lockdown measure as revealed in the observed data analysed, an informed decision was reached by the UK health officials to instigating a second lockdown measure in the control of the outbreak. This approach evidently reveals the effectiveness of statistics to health officials in disease control most especially, in the absence of an approved vaccine (as of that period) for prophylactic activities against SARS-CoV-2 infection. Conclusively, the unprecedented lockdown intervention might be used to controlling future epidemics and pandemics by measuring its effectiveness via applied statistics and awareness of a possible re-emergence of SARS-CoV-2 mutant strain is important to the scientific community in its effective control.

Keywords: Background: Globally, the ongoing SARS-CoV-2 outbreak has impacted humans in all ramifications of life posing a serious public health threat. The development of vaccines and therapeutic agents is a continuous struggle by scientists with promising breakthr