We continue to build on previous UK-PHRST deployments as well as remote support to WHO’s Sub Office in Cox’s Bazar, with support from Field Epidemiology Training Programme (FETP) Fellows and UK-PHRST reservists. Key areas include:

Epidemiology and data science:

• Development of surveillance strategy, situation reports, data systems for capturing and visualising case information, and development of strategies for health protection in an environment where physical distancing is challenging
• Development of a data dashboard for use by partners compiling key indicators of disease transmission, healthcare capacity and impact

Infection prevention and control:

• Reviewing and developing IPC guidance and policy

Laboratory:

• WHO requested in-country microbiology support from the UK-PHRST. The objectives were to strengthen quality control systems to enable greater confidence in laboratory outputs, and to help streamline processes and make recommendations on how the laboratory may increase their diagnostic capacity.
• Two UK-PHRST microbiologists deployed in August and assessed laboratory quality and safety and jointly developed a suite of standard operating procedures, risk assessments and guidance, and provided tailored training to laboratory officials.

Research:

• Confirmed cases remain lower than expected so an antibody prevalence study will be used to estimate the degree of previous infection with the virus that causes COVID-19. The activity will be led by the government of Bangladesh, supported by WHO, MSF, Bangladesh Red Crescent Society (BDRCS) with data analysis and epidemiology support from the UK-PHRST. Remote support will be supplemented by the deployment of the UK-PHRST’s data scientist in October for six weeks.