EPIDEMIOLOGIC FEATURES OF COVID-19 PANDEMIC IN A TERTIARY HOSPITAL IN NORTH-WEST NIGERIA

Authors

  • S. USMAN Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Clinical Sciences, College of Medical Sciences, Ahmadu Bello University/Teaching Hospital, Zaria
  • S. SHEHU Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Clinical Sciences, College of Medical Sciences, Ahmadu Bello University/Teaching Hospital, Zaria
  • K.L. HAMZA Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Clinical Sciences, College of Medical Sciences, Ahmadu Bello University/Teaching Hospital, Zaria
  • A.A. UMAR Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Clinical Sciences, College of Medical Sciences, Ahmadu Bello University/Teaching Hospital, Zaria
  • M.A. DARMA Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Clinical Sciences, College of Medical Sciences, Ahmadu Bello University/Teaching Hospital, Zaria
  • S.O. AMOSA Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Clinical Sciences, College of Medical Sciences, Ahmadu Bello University/Teaching Hospital, Zaria
  • J.M. BABATUNDE Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Clinical Sciences, College of Medical Sciences, Ahmadu Bello University/Teaching Hospital, Zaria
  • F. IBRAHIM Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Clinical Sciences, College of Medical Sciences, Ahmadu Bello University/Teaching Hospital, Zaria
  • Z.S. BABANDI Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Clinical Sciences, College of Medical Sciences, Ahmadu Bello University/Teaching Hospital, Zaria
  • A.M. ABDULLAHI Department of Internal Medicine, Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Shika-Zaria
  • M.M. ABDULAZIZ Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.
  • S. ALIYU Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.

Keywords:

COVID-19, Epidemiologic, Healthcare workers, North-west, Tertiary.

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic remains a serious public health threat. Characterizing disease outbreaks is vital for
immediate response and future planning. Hence, the study aims to described epidemiological features of the COVID-
19 (SARS-CoV-2) in a tertiary hospital in North-West Nigeria. Secondary data analysis was carried out on Ahmadu
Bello University Teaching Hospital (ABUTH) surveillance data of May 2020 to March 2021 for COVID-19 infection
which was extracted from ABUTH COVID-19 surveillance register into Microsoft Excel® 2013, then analyzed using
IBM SPSS version 23. Categorical variables were summarized using frequencies and percentages, and quantitative
variables using means and standard deviation. A total of 2,249 samples were collected for SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR test
in the study period. Only 1,987 (88.4%) test results were returned, with a positivity rate of 20.8% (414). The mean
age was 34.7 ± 17.1 years. Male to Female ratio was 1:0.9. Ages 20-39 years accounted for almost half 205 (49.5%)
of the positive cases. One-fifth 186 (21.7%) of healthcare workers tested were positive for SARS-CoV-2. Over half
1,093 (55.0%) of all clients tested were from Sabon Gari LGA. Persons aged 20-39 years and healthcare workers,
especially doctors and nurses, were most infected by COVID-19. Strict measures of infection prevention and control
as well as risk communication should be enhanced and especially among the most at-risk population.

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Published

2022-12-22

Issue

Vol. 21 No. 2 (2022)

Section

Articles