TY - JOUR AU - Abatan, Baderinwa AU - Agboghoroma, Orighomisan AU - Akemoke, Fatai AU - Antonio, Martin AU - Awokola, Babatunde AU - Bittaye, Mustapha AU - Bojang, Abdoulie AU - Bojang, Kalifa AU - Brotherton, Helen AU - Cerami, Carla AU - Clarke, Ed AU - D’Alessandro, Umberto AU - de Silva, Thushan AU - Drammeh, Mariama AU - Forrest, Karen AU - Hofmann, Natalie AU - Jagne, Sherifo AU - Jah, Hawanatu AU - Jarju, Sheikh AU - Jaye, Assan AU - Jobe, Modou AU - Kampmann, Beate AU - Manjang, Buba AU - Martinez-Alvarez, Melisa AU - Mohammed, Nuredin AU - Nadjm, Behzad AU - Ndiath, Mamadou Ousmane AU - Nkereuwem, Esin AU - Nwakanma, Davis AU - Oko, Francis AU - Okoh, Emmanuel AU - Okomo, Uduak AU - Olatunji, Yekini AU - Oriero, Eniyou AU - Prentice, Andrew AU - Roberts, Charles AU - Roca, Anna AU - Sabally, Babanding AU - Sambou, Sana AU - Samateh, Ahmadou AU - Secka, Ousman AU - Sesay, Abdul Karim AU - Singhateh, Yankuba AU - Susso, Bubacarr AU - Usuf, Effua AU - Vilane, Aminata AU - Wariri, Oghenebrume T1 - Intense and Mild First Epidemic Wave of Coronavirus Disease, The Gambia T2 - Emerging Infectious Disease journal PY - 2021 VL - 27 IS - 8 SP - 2064 SN - 1080-6059 AB - The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic is evolving differently in Africa than in other regions. Africa has lower SARS-CoV-2 transmission rates and milder clinical manifestations. Detailed SARS-CoV-2 epidemiologic data are needed in Africa. We used publicly available data to calculate SARS-CoV-2 infections per 1,000 persons in The Gambia. We evaluated transmission rates among 1,366 employees of the Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia (MRCG), where systematic surveillance of symptomatic cases and contact tracing were implemented. By September 30, 2020, The Gambia had identified 3,579 SARS-CoV-2 cases, including 115 deaths; 67% of cases were identified in August. Among infections, MRCG staff accounted for 191 cases; all were asymptomatic or mild. The cumulative incidence rate among nonclinical MRCG staff was 124 infections/1,000 persons, which is >80-fold higher than estimates of diagnosed cases among the population. Systematic surveillance and seroepidemiologic surveys are needed to clarify the extent of SARS-CoV-2 transmission in Africa. KW - Africa KW - The Gambia KW - transmission rate KW - disease burden KW - severity respiratory infections KW - severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 KW - SARS-CoV-2 KW - SARS KW - COVID-19 KW - coronavirus disease KW - zoonoses KW - viruses KW - coronavirus DO - 10.3201/eid2708.204954 UR - https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/27/8/20-4954_article ER - End of Reference