In Search of the True Prevalence of COVID-۱۹ in Africa: Time to Involve More Stakeholders

The dynamics of the overlap of the symptoms of the novel Coronavirus-۲۰۱۹ (COVID-۱۹) with other illnesses has raised uncertainty in the identification, reporting and uptake of COVID-۱۹ testing among individuals (۱). A few of the individuals with mild symptoms go uncaptured in the COVID-۱۹ testing activity if they recovered without progression to severe symptoms (۲). The number of people who are being missed out in the COVID-۱۹ testing activity cannot easily be ascertained. We aim to shed more lights into how the true prevalence of COVID-۱۹ could be determined in Africa by the involvement of appropriate stakeholders. During the pre-COVID-۱۹ era, symptoms such as cough, fever, headache, and poor taste were linked to malaria, common cold, and other related illnesses, but presently, these symptoms are highly suggestive of COVID-۱۹ (۳). The development of such symptoms and its persistence after the completion of prescribed medication initiates the classification of such an individual as a possible COVID-۱۹ case (۳). Severity in the presentation of symptoms is a pointer that COVID-۱۹ test should be requested (۴). However, a nuance approach since few months into the pandemic among many is the avoidance and reluctance for the uptake of COVID-۱۹ tests (۵).

Keywords:

Prevalence , Africa , Coronavirus , COVID-۱۹ , Community-focussed Healthcare