Covid stats

Summary

The requester asked Manx Care for details on COVID-19 statistical criteria, symptomatic patient counts, and pathogen category downgrades. Manx Care confirmed statistics were based on PCR/TMA tests only, stated they do not hold data on symptomatic classifications or untested hospital cases, and clarified that SARS-CoV-2 was never downgraded to Category 2.

Key Facts

• Public Health received positive COVID test numbers from Microbiology and Immunology for PCR and TMA only.
• No information was held or logged regarding Lateral Flow Test (LFT) results.
• The authority does not hold data on how many patients were classed as symptomatic or how many hospital cases were diagnosed without a test.
• SARS-CoV-2 was never downgraded from Category 3 to Category 2 by the Advisory Committee on Dangerous Pathogens.
• Respiratory samples were manipulated for testing in a Category 3 Laboratory based on a risk-based approach.

Data Disclosed

• 2024-04-15
• 2024-10-03
• 3800573
• Category 3
• Category 2

Exemptions Cited

• Section 11(3)a of the Act (practical refusal reason: information not held or cannot be found after reasonable steps)

Original Request

Hi 1. For covid statistics, what was criteria for inclusion? +PCR only, LFT only, diagnosed by cough without test, etc. Has it ever changed? 2. How many in those stats were classed as symptomatic? If online, please provide the link. 3. The PCR lab stated they were not told if the person was symptomatic or not when doing analysis of PCR test, so who identified that people were symptomatic? 3. Of those in hospital, how many were included that had no test but were thought to have covid. What was the criteria for determining covid without the test? 4. Was the pathogen category for COV2 downgraded from a category 3 to a category 2 in 2020? If so when? What changes were implemented based off that downgrade? Thank you

Data Tables (1)

Full Response Text

Manx Care Noble’s Hospital, Strang Braddan, Isle of Man IM4 4R (01624) 650 000

Our ref: 3800573 3 October 2024

Dear ###

We write further to your request, received 15 April 2024, which states:

"Hi

1. For covid statistics, what was criteria for inclusion? +PCR only, LFT only, diagnosed by cough without test, etc. Has it ever changed?

2. How many in those stats were classed as symptomatic? If online, please provide the link.

3. The PCR lab stated they were not told if the person was symptomatic or not when doing analysis of PCR test, so who identified that people were symptomatic?

4. Of those in hospital, how many were included that had no test but were thought to have covid.

What was the criteria for determining covid without the test?

1. Was the pathogen category for COV2 downgraded from a category 3 to a category 2 in 2020? If so when? What changes were implemented based off that downgrade?

Thank you"

Our response to your request is as follows: I have detailed below the information that is being released to you.

1. Public Health were provided with numbers of positive Covid tests from Microbiology and Immunology for PCR / TMA only, this was because no information was held for LFT results.
2. This information was not provided to us or consciously logged by us, if clinical detail was provided it would have been done so at patient level and recorded on the patient record.
3. This was not the remit of the Laboratory to identify, that would have been a clinical gathering of information the Laboratory only get the information provided by the Clinicians.
4. While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance Manx Care is unable to provide the information you have requested. This is in line with section 11(3)a of the Act, as a practical refusal reason applies; namely

we do not hold or cannot, after taking reasonable steps to do so, find the information that you have requested. 5. No, SARS CoV 2 was never downgraded by the Advisory Committee on Dangerous Pathogens (ACDP) as a pathogen to Category 2, there was a derogation for particular aspects of the preparation of samples for testing to be carried out within an MSC, if the operational layout of the Category 2 Laborotory allowed, but given that these were all respiratory based samples, they were manipulated for testing in a Category 3 Laboratory as per SOP based on a risk based approach.

Please quote the reference number 3800573 in any future communications.

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I will now close your request as of this date.