Epidemiological Description of COVID-19 Cases at selected Counties in Kenya that border Uganda and Tanzania, March-July 2020

Abstract

Introduction: World Health Organization (WHO) declared coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) a pandemic on March 11, 2020. By July 12, 2020, the cases had reached 12,552,765 globally with Kenya reporting 10,105 cases, a majority reported from counties hosting International Points of Entry (POEs). Transmission has continued across the border counties despite containment measures, thereby necessitating an epidemiological description of the cases to guide control measures. Methods: Health records were reviewed in four counties bordering Uganda and Tanzania from March 13, 2020, through July 12, 2020, using standard COVID-19 case definitions. A positive Real-Time PCR test result on the nasopharyngeal or oropharyngeal swab was considered a confirmed case. Demographic, clinical, health outcome data were abstracted. Descriptive statistics were calculated using Microsoft Excel 2007. Results: We reviewed 1,096 records: 941 (86%) were males, 9 (0.8%) were children aged ≤5years, the median age was 35 years (IQR=15 years). There were six deaths (CFR= 0.5%). Of the 93 (8.5%) symptomatic cases, 42 (45.2%) had a cough, 27 (29.0%) fever, 10 (10.8%) breathing difficulties and 7 (7.5%) sore throat. Nine (27.9%) cases had multiple symptoms of cough, fever, and breathing difficulties. A total of 723 (66%) were from sub-counties hosting POEs; the majority 298 (41.2%) were from Teso North in Busia County, 21 (2.9%) in Taita Taveta County, 440 (40.1%) were truckers and 39 (3.4%) were health care workers. Conclusion: Sub-counties with POEs had more COVID-19 cases than those without POEs. Most cases were young adults and long-distance truckers. To reduce the spread of COVID-19 there is a need to institute prevention and control measures targeting young adults and truckers.