TY - JOUR T1 - Establishing an ad hoc COVID-19 mortality surveillance during the first epidemic wave in Belgium, 1 March to 21 June 2020 JF - Eurosurveillance Y1 - 2021 A1 - Françoise Renard A1 - Aline Scohy A1 - Johan Van der Heyden A1 - Ilse Peeters A1 - Sara Dequeker A1 - Eline Vandael A1 - Nina Van Goethem A1 - Dominique Dubourg A1 - Louise De Viron A1 - Anne Kongs A1 - Naïma Hammami A1 - Brecht Devleesschauwer A1 - André Sasse A1 - Javiera Rebolledo A1 - Natalia Bustos Sierra AB -

Background : COVID-19-related mortality in Belgium has drawn attention for two reasons: its high level, and a good completeness in reporting of deaths. An ad hoc surveillance was established to register COVID-19 death numbers in hospitals, long-term care facilities (LTCF) and the community. Belgium adopted broad inclusion criteria for the COVID-19 death notifications, also including possible cases, resulting in a robust correlation between COVID-19 and all-cause mortality.

Aim : To document and assess the COVID-19 mortality surveillance in Belgium.

Methods : We described the content and data flows of the registration and we assessed the situation as of 21 June 2020, 103 days after the first death attributable to COVID-19 in Belgium. We calculated the participation rate, the notification delay, the percentage of error detected, and the results of additional investigations.

Results : The participation rate was 100% for hospitals and 83% for nursing homes. Of all deaths, 85% were recorded within 2 calendar days: 11% within the same day, 41% after 1 day and 33% after 2 days, with a quicker notification in hospitals than in LTCF. Corrections of detected errors reduced the death toll by 5%.

Conclusion : Belgium implemented a rather complete surveillance of COVID-19 mortality, on account of a rapid investment of the hospitals and LTCF. LTCF could build on past experience of previous surveys and surveillance activities. The adoption of an extended definition of ‘COVID-19-related deaths’ in a context of limited testing capacity has provided timely information about the severity of the epidemic.

VL - 26 CP - 48 M3 - 10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2021.26.48.2001402 ER -