Since the novel coronavirus outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 from the first cases whereof were reported in Wuhan, China, in December 2019, our globalized world has changed enormously. On the 11th of March 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID-19 a pandemic, and nations around the world have taken drastic measures to reduce transmission of the disease. The situation is similar in Switzerland, a small high-income country in Central Europe, where the first COVID-19 case was registered on the 25th of February 2020. Through literature review as well as correspondence with public health professionals and experts in mathematical modeling, this case study focuses on the outbreak’s impact on Switzerland and on the measures this country has implemented thus far. Along with the rapid spread of the virus, the political organization, economy, healthcare system, and characteristics of the country greatly influence the approach taken in facing the crisis. Switzerland appears to be structurally well-prepared, but, according to mathematical modeling predictions, in order to avoid total collapse of healthcare facilities, the measures taken by the Swiss Government need to reduce the virus transmission chain by at least 70%. Fortunately, updated models on April 22nd show evidence that the non-pharmaceutical measures invoked have decreased transmission by an estimated 89%, proving effective management by the federal government and allowing for progressive deconfinement measures.

Few data on the COVID-19 epidemiological characteristics among the pediatric population in Africa exists. This paper examines the age and sex distribution of the morbidity and mortality rate in children with COVID-19 and compares it to the adult population in 15 Sub-Saharan African countries. A merge line listing dataset shared by countries within the Regional Office for Africa was analyzed. Patients diagnosed within 1 March and 1 September 2020 with a confirmed positive RT-PCR test for SARS-CoV-2 were analyzed. Children's data were stratified into three age groups: 0-4 years, 5-11 years, and 12-17 years, while adults were combined. The cumulative incidence of cases, its medians, and 95% confidence intervals were calculated. 9% of the total confirmed cases and 2.4% of the reported deaths were pediatric cases. The 12-17 age group in all 15 countries showed the highest cumulative incidence proportion in children. Adults had a higher case incidence per 100,000 people than children. The cases and deaths within the children's population were smaller than the adult population. These differences may reflect biases in COVID-19 testing protocols and reporting implemented by countries, highlighting the need for more extensive investigation and focus on the effects of COVID-19 in children.

Background Although the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in lower reported number of cases and deaths within the paediatric population, indirect impacts on the health of children in Sub-Saharan Africa such as malnutrition are evident. Data on the socioeconomic factors affecting malnutrition in the under-age population of Sub-Saharan Africa brought by the COVID-19 pandemic remain limited. This paper assesses socioeconomic factors of malnutrition in relation with COVID-19 and potential mitigating measures. Methods A scoping review of PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science from March 11, 2020, to May 1, 2021, was conducted. The included studies focused on COVID-19, children malnutrition, and Sub-Saharan Africa and adhered to the PRISMA guideline. Results Among 73 total screened articles, 15 studies filled the inclusion criteria. The identified socioeconomic factors leading to malnutrition in children were reduction in average income or increase in unemployment rate, access to healthcare and food supplements, disrupted food supply chains and increased prices of food products, pauses in humanitarian responses, and reduced access to school-based meals. Potential mitigation measures were food subsidies, food price control measures, the identification of new vulnerable groups and the implementation of financial interventions. Conclusion Malnutrition amongst Sub-Saharan African children due to COVID-19 is a result of a combination of multiple socioeconomic factors. To stabilize household purchasing power and eventually malnutrition in children in SSA, a combined strategy of initial detection of newly developing vulnerable groups and efficient, rapid financial assistance through mobile phone transfers was suggested. These strategies were proposed in combination with other economical models.

Background: An estimated 140 million additional surgical procedures are required annually, yet access to safe, timely, and affordable surgical care remains limited, particularly in low‐ and middle‐income countries, where the poorest 2.2 billion people receive only 3.5% of procedures. In sub‐Saharan Africa, the burden of trauma, burns, and congenital malformations far exceeds available capacity, yet evidence on plastic reconstructive surgery (PRS) remains fragmented and poorly quantified. This scoping review mapped the current state of PRS evidence, disease burden, and barriers to care in the region. Methods: We conducted comprehensive search of PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science, Bioline International, and AJOL (Oct 21, 2024) supplemented by gray‐literature screening. Studies addressing PRS‐relevant pathologies, surgical capacity, or barriers to care in sub‐Saharan Africa (excluding South Africa) were included without date or language restriction. Data were charted in Covidence and synthesized descriptively. Results: Of 11,780 records, 353 met inclusion criteria. Trauma (43.6%) and burns (40.2%) dominated reconstructive workload, with congenital anomalies reported in 33.4% of studies. Most research originated from Nigeria, Uganda, and Tanzania and was concentrated in tertiary hospitals. Workforce shortages, inadequate infrastructure, and financial barriers were the most frequent obstacles. Skin grafting and wound management comprised over one‐third of reported procedures. PRS interventions were highly cost‐effective, with estimates as low as US$33 per DALY averted. Conclusions: Reconstructive surgery in sub‐Saharan Africa remains critically under‐researched and under‐resourced. Addressing inequities requires locally adapted assessment tools, workforce expansion, and integration of PRS into national surgical plans.

Introduction Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, very little data on the epidemiological characteristics among the pediatric population in Africa has been published. This paper examines the age and sex distribution of the morbidity and mortality rate in children with COVID-19 and compares it to the adult population within 15 Sub-Saharan African countries. Methods A merge line listing dataset using a reverse engineering model shared by countries within the Regional Office for Africa was analyzed. Patients diagnosed within 1 March 2020 and 1 September 2020 with confirmed positive RT-PCR test for SARS-CoV-2 were analyzed. Children’s data were stratified into three age groups: 0-4 years, 5-11 years, and 12-17 years, while adults were combined. The cumulative incidence of cases including its medians and 95% confidence intervals were calculated. Results 9% of the total confirmed cases and 2.4% of the reported deaths were pediatric cases. The 12-17 age group in all 15 countries showed the highest cumulative incidence proportion in children. COVID-19 cases in males and females under the age of 18 were evenly distributed. Among adults, a higher case incidence per 100,000 people was observed compared to children. Conclusion The cases and deaths within the children’s population was smaller than the adult population. These differences can reflect biases in COVID-19 testing protocols and reporting implemented by countries, highlighting the need for more extensive investigation and focus on the effects of COVID-19 in children.