Comparing Prospective Incident Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Infection Rates During Successive Waves of Delta and Omicron in Johannesburg, South Africa

Abstract

In high-risk individuals in Johannesburg, during the Delta coronavirus disease 2019 wave, 22% (125/561) were positive, with 33% symptomatic (2 hospitalizations; 1 death). During Omicron, 56% (232/411) were infected, with 24% symptomatic (no hospitalizations or deaths). The remarkable speed of infection of Omicron over Delta poses challenges to conventional severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 control measures.

Blood pressure increases are associated with weight gain and not antiretroviral regimen or kidney function: a secondary analysis from the ADVANCE trial in South Africa

“…ADVANCE was a randomized, non‐inferiority phase‐3 trial done in Johannesburg, South Africa during which 1053 patients were enrolled from February 2017 through May 2018. Detailed methods and protocol, including sample size justification, are available, with the full 96‐ and 192‐week results also published [22–24]. In summary, participants aged 12 years or older with HIV and no antiretroviral exposure, and a creatinine clearance (Cockcroft–Gault formula) of more than 60 ml/minute (80 ml/minute if <19 years), received one of three regimens: coformulated TAF‐FTC (25–200 mg) and DTG (50 mg) as two tablets, or coformulated TDF‐FTC (300–200 mg) and DTG (50 mg) as two tablets, or coformulated TDF‐FTC and efavirenz (EFV, 600 mg) as one tablet, all administered daily.…”