Background: Few studies have focused on the effects of COVID-19 on African populations. During the first epidemic wave in Senegal (May 1 to July 31, 2020), COVID-19 cases were isolated in treatment centers of epidemics (TCEs). We described the demographics and outcomes of COVID-19 cases in TCEs.
Patients and methods: All cases with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 in Thiès medical region of Senegal were included.
Results: COVID-19 was confirmed in 600 cases. Median age of cases (men: 357, 59.5%; women: 243, 40.5%) was 34.0years. The incidence was 12 per 100,000 inhabitants per month. Overall, 46 (7.7%) cases had a severe or critical form of the disease, and nine of them died. Of 455 cases quarantined in non-hospital TCEs, 340 (74.7%) had no symptom and 115 (25.3%) had mild or moderate symptoms.
Conclusion: In this African retrospective cohort, COVID-19 cases were young and mostly asymptomatic with a low case fatality rate.
Keywords: Asymptomatic infection; COVID-19; Quarantine; SARS-CoV-2; Senegal.
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