How Safe Are Industries in India? Ascertaining Industrial Injuries in Dadra and Nagar Haveli, India by Capture-Recapture Method.

CONTEXT: Every year, more than 4 million people die from injuries worldwide. India reported 413,457 deaths due to unintentional injuries in 2015. Manufacturing industry is a major contributor to injury morbidity and mortality. AIMS: This study aims to estimate the burden of industrial injuries in Dadra and Nagar Haveli, India. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: Dadra and Nagar Haveli is a small territory spread over 491 sq. km, having a population of 343,709 as per 2011 population census. METHODS AND MATERIALS: The two-sample capture-recapture method was used for ascertainment of fatal and non-fatal injuries reported from 1st January to 31st December 2017. The first capture was data of injuries extracted from First Information Reports registered by the police. The recapture was data of injuries reported by the government health facilities. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED: Chapman estimator was used to derive total fatal and non-fatal injuries. An analysis was done using Microsoft Excel software. RESULTS: According to police records, there were nine fatal and eight non-fatal injuries during the study period. Health facilities reported 21 fatal and 113 non-fatal injuries. Six cases of fatal and 3 cases of non-fatal injuries were found in both the data sources. The capture-recapture analysis estimated 30 fatal (95% CI: 20 to 40) and 225 non-fatal injuries (95% CI: 90 to 420). CONCLUSIONS: Both records of police and government health facilities underestimate fatal and non-fatal injuries with under-reporting more pronounced in police records

INFECTION OF GASTRO-INTESTINAL TRACT BY SARS-CoV-2 AND ITS POTENTIAL FOR FAECAL-ORAL TRANSMISSION: A LITERATURE REVIEW

Context: SARS-CoV-2, has already affected more than 180 countries. 3,175,207 confirmed cases and 224,173 deaths due to the disease were reported worldwide till 1st May 2020. WHO has declared it a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. Aims: To present information from worldwide literature on infection of gastro-intestinal tract by SARS-CoV-2 and its potential for faecal-oral transmission. Material and Methods: Literature search was carried out using Google Scholar and PubMed in 3rd week of April, 2020. Search terms used were “SARS-CoV-2” or “COVID-19” or “New Coronavirus” or “Coronavirus” in title and “Transmission” or “Faecal” or “Oral” anywhere in the article. Studies from the year 2019 to 2020 published in “English” language were included in the search. Results: 15 studies were found relevant and were included in the review. Studies reported that SARS-CoV-2 infects and replicates in gastro-intestinal tract and manifests enteric symptoms. Viral RNA is excreted in stool. Fecal samples were found to be positive for the viral RNA for many days even after respiratory samples become negative. Virus has been detected in anal swabs and live virus could be successfully isolated from stool specimen. The virus was also reported to be viable in the environment for many days. Conclusions: SARS-CoV-2 can potentially be transmitted by faecal-oral route. The transmission can occur even after respiratory symptoms subside and respiratory tract samples test negative for the virus. Appropriate policy response is needed for awareness, testing, discharge and quarantine of patients to prevent spread of the disease. Keywords--SARS-CoV-2, Coronavirus Outbreak, COVID-19, New Coronaviru

Epidemiology of construction site injuries in Delhi, India: protocol for a retrospective cohort study

Background: Unintentional occupational injuries are a formidable public health challenge. Construction injuries make a significant contribution to occupational injuries. A public health approach to deal with this challenge warrants determination of the magnitude, scope, and characteristics of construction injuries. Objectives: To describe the epidemiology of construction injuries; to investigate trends and risk factors for injuries to construction workers and to thereby generate information vital to mitigating the burden of injuries to construction workers in Delhi, India. Methods: It is a retrospective cohort studybased on the First Information Reports of Delhi Police registered between 1st January 2016 to 31stDecember 2018. Results: injuryrates per 100,000 construction workers per year will be estimated and injury risk factors and trends will be presented. The results of the study will be published in an international, peer-reviewed journal. Findings of the study will also be presented at national and international injury and trauma conferences

The incidence of construction site injuries to women in Delhi: capture-recapture study.

BACKGROUND: In India, the construction sector provides the main alternative to agricultural work - seasonal migration to and from construction work is widespread and construction work remains the second-largest employer of women in the country behind agriculture. Occupational injuries, which kill over 300,000 people annually, are a serious public health concern. However, data on construction site injuries to women are lacking, as India does not publish statistics on occupational injuries and illnesses. Our objectives were to: Estimate the number of women injured in construction site accidents in Delhi; and to estimate and compare the annual construction site injury rates per 100,000 workers of males and females in Delhi. METHODS: We conducted a two-sample capture-recapture study using data for accidents reported to the Delhi Police, Employee State Insurance Corporation (ESIC), and Commissioners of Workmen Compensation (CWC) of Delhi Government. The capture-recapture method has been used in epidemiology, to estimate morbidity and mortality using multiple, overlapping, but incomplete data sources. This study is based on the injuries reported from construction site accidents in Delhi in 2017. We linked the data from each of the data sources using the name, gender, and age of each injured person, the date and place of the accident, and the name of the employer. We used the Chapman estimator to estimate the total incidence of construction injuries in Delhi. RESULTS: We estimated that there was a total of 37 female construction site workers injured (17 fatal and 20 non-fatal) in Delhi in 2017. There was a total of 1043 male construction site workers injured (236 fatal and 807 non-fatal). FIRs ascertained two-thirds (68%) of all injuries to females but only one third (34%) of those to males. The annual construction site injury rate per 100,000 workers of females was 82.26 (95%CI: 57.92 to 113.39). The annual construction site injury rate per 100,000 workers of males was 146.5 (95%CI: 137.7 to 155.6). There was strong evidence (p = 0.001) that the overall construction site injury rate per 100,000 workers of females was about one half the rate of males [rate ratio 0.56 (95%CI: 0.40 to 0.78)]. There was no evidence (p = 0.601) that the rates of fatal injuries differed in males and females (rate ratio 1.14 (95%CI: 0.70 to 1.87). CONCLUSIONS: This study is the first to estimate the incidence of injuries to female construction site workers in India. The overall injury rate of female construction workers was over half as great as the rate of males. This implies that female construction workers face a not insignificant risk. Hence, safety measures (e.g., personal protective equipment) that are appropriate and culturally acceptable to Indian women are needed

Completeness of Ascertainment of Construction Site Injuries Using First Information Reports (FIRs) of Indian Police: Capture-Recapture Study.

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES: The construction industry is a leading contributor to occupational injuries. First Information Reports (FIRs) of Indian Police are a potential data source for construction injuries. The aim of this study was to estimate the completeness of ascertainment of construction site injuries by FIRs. METHODS: This was a two-sample capture-recapture study of construction site injuries sustained in the year 2017 in Delhi, India. The first capture sample was data extracted from FIRs. The second capture sample comprised data extracted from the Employee State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) and the Commissioners of Workmen Compensation. The Chapman estimator was used to estimate, with 95% confidence intervals, the total numbers of fatal and non-fatal injuries. RESULTS: FIRs ascertained 374 injuries (110 fatal and 264 non-fatal) while the combined data of ESIC and workmen compensation claims ascertained 80 injuries (48 fatal and 32 non-fatal). The capture-recapture analysis estimated that 1,011 (95% CI: 873 to 1149) injuries: 258 (95% CI: 221 to 295) fatal injuries and 873 (95% CI: 765 to 1053) non-fatal injuries were sustained in Delhi in 2017. INTERPRETATION & CONCLUSIONS: FIRs ascertain approximately one-third of all construction site injuries. In the absence of any other data source, FIRs may be used as the basis of a construction injury surveillance system, recognizing that any estimates made using these data must be adjusted to allow for the approximately two-thirds of injuries not reported to the police. Further research is needed to identify reasons for some injuries not being reported to the police, in order to help to develop a strategy to improve the completeness of ascertainment of construction site injuries for the future