We found a match
Your institution may have rights to this item. Sign in to continue.
- Title
Epidemiology of COVID-19 outbreak in Ghana, 2020.
- Authors
Kenu, Ernest; Odikro, Magdalene A.; Malm, Keziah L.; Asiedu-Bekoe, Franklin; Noora, Charles L.; Frimpong, Joseph A.; Calys-Tagoe, Benedict; Koram, Kwadwo A.
- Abstract
Objective: Describe the epidemiology of COVID-19 cases detected in the first four months of the pandemic in Ghana by person, place and time to provide an understanding of the local epidemiology of the disease. Methods: We conducted an exploratory descriptive study of all confirmed COVID-19 cases in Ghana from March 12 to June 30, 2020. Data was merged from the country's electronic databases, cleaned and summarized using medians, proportions and geospatial analysis. Design: A cross-sectional study design Setting: Ghana Participants: All confirmed COVID-19 cases in Ghana from March 12 to June 30, 2020 Interventions: None Main Outcome measures: Epidemiological characterization of all confirmed COVID-19 cases recorded from March 12 -- June 30, 2020 in Ghana by person, place and time. Results: A total of 17,763 cases were recorded with median age (IQR) of 33years (One month to 85 years). Among the confirmed cases, 10,272 (57.8%) were males and 3,521 (19.8%) were symptomatic with cough recorded in 1,420 (40.3%) cases. The remaining 14,242 (80.2%) were asymptomatic. Greater Accra region recorded the highest number of confirmed cases 11,348 (63.9%). All 16 administrative regions had recorded cases of COVID-19 by June 30, 2020 due to internal migration between the hotspots and other regions. The epidemiological curve showed a propagated outbreak with 117 deaths (CFR= 0.67%) recorded. Conclusion: A propagated outbreak of COVID -- 19 was confirmed in Ghana on March 12, 2020. Internal migration from hotspots to other regions led to the spread of the virus across the nation. Majority of cases were asymptomatic.
- Subjects
GHANA; ACCRA (Ghana); COVID-19 pandemic; COVID-19; VIRAL transmission; EPIDEMIOLOGY; INTERNAL migration
- Publication
Ghana Medical Journal, 2020, Vol 54, Issue 4, p5
- ISSN
0016-9560
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.4314/gmj.v54i4s.3