Epidemiological and clinical profile of suspected COVID-19 cases received at the Yalgado Ouédraogo Teaching Hospital in Burkina Faso

Abstract

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has not spared Burkina Faso, which recorded its first cases on March 9, 2020.
Objectives: Describe the epidemiological and clinical profile of suspected cases of COVID-19 at the Yalgado Ouédraogo Teaching Hospital in Ouagadougou.
Patients and approach: This is a descriptive cross-sectional study, from April 5, 2020 to May 4, 2020 in the reception and sorting area of the Yalgado Ouédraogo Teaching Hospital. Included were all suspect cases of COVID-19, in accordance with WHO definitions.
Results
Among 2,486 patients received in the reception and sorting area of the Yalgado Ouédraogo Teaching Hospital, 151 suspected cases of COVID-19 were identified, including 14 confirmed cases, for a screening rate of 9%. The majority of patients (71.5%) were from the city of Ouagadougou. The average age was 53±18 years. Male sex predominated (sex ratio = 1.25). Clinically, 86% of patients were febrile with a mean temperature of 38°C±1.5. Cough was present in 69% of patients; dyspnea in 60% with a mean respiratory rate of 29±10 cycles/min. Mean pulsed oxygen saturation (Spo2) was 86±13%. Mean heart rate was 104±17/min. Asthenia was noted in 29%; headache in 18%; sore throat in 15.5%; chest pain in 11.5%; respiratory distress in 11% of patients; runny nose and nausea in 7% of patients respectively. All suspected cases were given nasopharyngeal swabs. The majority of the samples (76.2%) were taken by the investigation team at Yalgado Hospital, hospitalized patients represented 20.9% of tested patients. Six cases of sample refusal were observed. Nine samples were taken post-mortem.
Conclusion: A clinical polymorphism and a low detection rate of COVID-19 in suspect patients were noted, indicating a lack of specificity of the clinical signs of the disease.