Outcome of Epidemiological Investigation of COVID-19 Outbreak in a South West State of Nigeria, March to August 2020

Abstract

Background: On 3 rd April 2020, an outbreak of Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) was confirmed in Ondo State, Southwest Nigeria. Field investigations were conducted by the State Ministry of Health (MoH) to identify and confirm additional cases. This paper provides the outcome of the epidemiological investigation of the outbreak to further guide outbreak response activities. Methods: Field epidemiology methods coordinated by the State Public Health Emergency Operations Center (PHEOC) were used in the outbreak investigation. Suspected cases were reported through the routine Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response (IDSR) network in the State. Also, active case search/finding to communities and health facilities using the operational case definitions was conducted. Furthermore, the state COVID-19 emergency call center was established with toll-free phone number provided to members of the public to call-in to report suspected persons with symptoms consistent with the COVID-19 operational case definition (signal). All cases reported were investigated with nasopharyngeal sample collected and confirmatory testing for COVID-19 done by real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in a national reference laboratory. Information of each case investigated was documented using the COVID-19 case investigation form and COVID-19 line-list which captured socio-demographic characteristics, history of exposure to COVID-19, presenting symptoms, travel history and sample collection details. Data were extracted from the case investigation form and line list and analyzed using SPSS version 20, with a p-value set at < 0.05. Results: A total of 4353 suspected cases were reported and investigated,

Prevalence of Malaria and COVID-19 Infection in Akure North Local Government Area of Ondo State, Nigeria

“…This could be as a result of the lack or little exposure of this age group 5-9 years old to person-to-person human interactions due to daily commercial activities while >40 years old were more likely infected due to unrestricted person-to-person contacts. Other factors such as crowded conditions and clustered settlement pattern of the houses could have facilitated the spread of the infection [ 1 , 18 ].…”

“…This variation could likely be attributed to the different modes of transmission and levels of control intervention. While malaria infection was a previously endemic disease in the study areas, COVID-19 infection was relatively new though it was spreading fast at an alarming rate through person-toperson transmission and human interactions arising from day-to-day commercial activities of individuals [15][16][17][18]. Variation in prevalence of malaria parasite and COVID-19 among the children sampled could be attributed in part to the difference in malaria transmission pattern, season, and the use of malaria prevention tools [22].…”

Reporting COVID-19 Cases through the Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response Network in the Southwestern State of Nigeria: A Health Facility Survey

“…In Nigeria, surveillance for COVID-19 was implemented through the IDSR structure with community-based surveillance and health facility forming the operational base for the detection and reporting of suspected cases for testing and investigation [6].…”

SARS-COV-2 Rapid Antigen Test in Comparison with RT-PCR for Laboratory Diagnosis of COVID-19 in a Southwest State of Nigeria

“…Since the report of the index case in Nigeria in February 2020 by the Nigeria Center for Disease Control (NCDC), daily records of confirmed cases have been reported in several states in the country, including Ondo State. As of 28th August 2020, a total of 53,477 cases and 1011 deaths have been reported in Nigeria, while Ondo state ranked 11th among the states with a high number of confirmed cases in the country [4].…”